Please use the required readings with additional sources
Required Online Readings in this Module:
What is an Ability Focused mindset? Take a look at the article below and reflect upon this question, how can I ensure I am an ability minded person?
· Focus on Ability: Interacting with people with disabilities, NASA Johnson Space Center Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity (PDF; an accessible Word [docx] version is available)
These anecdotes provide an individual’s special education’s perspective:
· Snow, Kathy. The Can-List , from Revolutionary Common Sense. (PDF; an accessible Word [doc.x] version is available)
· Snow, Kathy. Ask – Don’t Assume , from Revolutionary Common Sense. (an accessible Word [doc.x] version is available)
Read about the disability categories under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act:
· Lee, A. (2021), The 13 disability categories under IDEA .
Review the Council of Exceptional Children’s standards for practice here:
· Council for Exceptional Children. (2021). Professional Preparation Standards .
Review the Initial Practice-Based Professional Preparation Standards for Early Interventionists/Early Childhood Special Educators (EI/ECSE) (Initial birth through age 8):
· Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children. (2021). Personnel Preparation Standards .
Videos in this Module:
· What is Special Education? What is an “I.E.P.”? (2:53, captioned, downloadable transcript) – This quick video provides a summary of what is an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and what special education is.
· Speak About People First Language (3:16) – This video is about People First Language. people first language is very, very important where you put the person before the disability.
· Dunlap, Torrie (2015). Isn’t it a pity? The real problem with special needs . TEDxTalk. (17:07) – This TED Talk from Torrie Dunlap at Kids Included Together speaks about the benefits of inclusion and the real “problem” with special needs.
Assignment 1 – 1 ½ pages
Please read over the scenario below and respond to the questions that follow.
Jay is in fourth grade and is frustrated because her classroom and cluster teachers play toddler songs during the day and read books about Sesame Street characters. Jay is in a small, specialized 12:1:1 (twelve students, one teacher, one paraprofessional/teacher’s assistant) classroom to support her need for structure, academic intervention, and one on one academic attention. She is currently reading on a first-grade reading level. She likes to play Minecraft and is on the robotics team at school. Her favorite period is lunch and gym, where she gets to play in the playground with all of the other fourth grade students. The special education support services staff (Occupational Therapy and Speech) have been taking her out of gym for special education supports. Lately, she has been acting out whenever her teacher puts on the nursey rhyme songs or plays Sesame Street on the SmartBoard. She started refusing to attend school and has become angry towards her parents, especially her younger sibling when she has to get ready for the bus. The teacher wants to reevaluate her for a Behavior Intervention Plan.
Answer the following questions:
What do you know about this student? What would you do if you were the special educator in the room?
How can creating a “can-list” and asking questions rather than assuming impact the life of individuals with exceptionalities?
Assignment 2 – 1 ½ pages
discuss the conceptual basis of special education including people-first language, the importance of respect for individuals with exceptionalities, the Special Education Preparation Standards and/or the CEC Initial Practice-Based Professional Preparation Standards for Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education, and ability focused mindset in a reflection essay.
Assignment 3 – 1 page
Review the Initial Practice-Based Professional Preparation Standards for Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Educators (EI/ECSE) (Initial birth through age 8):
Write the CEC Initial Practice-Based Professional Preparation Standards for Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education. Include a brief, 1-2 sentence description of the components related to each respective standard.