Chapter 11: Exceptionality and

Learner-Centered Pedagogies for

the Regular Education Classroom

ASHLEY CASTRO, LUCIA CABRERA

ED 282 MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION

SLO:
Define and understand the meaning of an
exceptional child.
2. Explain and understand the history and concept of
the Special Education program.
3. Understand the key concepts of an Individualized
Education Plan (IEP), Section 504, and Response
to Intervention (RTI)
1.

Classroom Norms
Turn off all electronics
Full Participation
Have fun!

Bell Work
In your own words, what does it mean to have a

disability or special talent. Choose one.

Do you know such child? Share a brief story with the

class.

An Exceptional Child
A child who does not fit into the generalized idea of

an average student

Developmental disabilities
Learning disabilities
Emotional/behavioral disorders
Autism
Hearing impairment
Giftedness and special talents

Disabled or Differently Gifted Children

Handicap : describes a challenge(s) that can hinder

an experience in an attempt to interact with daily

activities

Examples of accommodations that would prevent a handicap

or hindrance: sidewalks, ramps, close-captioning on TV,
automatic doors.

It is politically acceptable to say a person has a

disability rather than saying he/she is handicapped

Disabled or Differently Gifted Children

Disability: describes an individual who has a

loss/reduced function of a certain part of their

body/organ.

Examples: cognitive, physical, mental, emotional, and/or

developmental

Unless a disability interferes with an individuals

education, social, vocational, and personal

opportunities then can it be referred to as a
handicap.

Disabled or Differently Gifted Children

At Risk: students who have not been identified as

disabled but have a higher chance of developing a

disability due to certain risk factors.

Biological: Prenatal risk factors that affect gestation,

growth, and development of the fetus, maternal illness,
drugs, and alcohol. Perinatal risk factors incidents that occur
during labor and delivery, such as oxygen deprivation,
prematurity, or infections. Postnatal risk factors include
childhood diseases.

Disabled or Differently Gifted Children

At Risk continued
Established: infants that are born with medically diagnosed
disorders such as Down Syndrome, spina bifida, or
hearing/vision impairments.
Environmental: environmental toxins that include lead,
radiation, postnatal infections (HIV), accidents, abuse, neglect,
and poverty

History and Development of Special Ed.

1975 Education for All Handicapped Children Act

(P.L. 94-142)

Free, appropriate public education for all children regardless

of their disability. Protected the rights of children with
disabilities and granted parents the authority to make
decisions over their education
The individualized education program (IEP) and educational
services in the least restrictive environment were formed for
every child with a disability.

History and Development of Special Ed.

1990 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

(IDEA) (P.L. 101-336)

Protects all citizens with disabilities from discrimination in

employment, public services, public accommodations,
transportation, and telecommunication.
Amendments were made to include autism and traumatic
brain injury as disabilities that require and IEP. Also to include
rehabilitation counseling as services for individuals with
disabilities
The most current version of the law was passed by a
congressional act in 2004

History and Development of Special Ed.

Free and Appropriate Education (FAPE)

Ensures that essential services are not denied to students

based on their household income. Parents are not asked to
pay for educational and support services given to children
under this law.
Educational and support services: specially designed
classrooms, speech therapy, occupational and physical
therapy, psychological counselling, physical aids, and
medical diagnostic services.

History and Development of Special Ed.

Zero Reject: a federal mandate that no child shall be

denied appropriate education by any school.

This includes private school students with disabilities who can

avail from free public school education services
Students who have HIV/AIDS cannot be excluded from public
schools

History and Development of Special Ed.

Least Restrictive Environment: students with

disabilities must participate with nondisabled students

in both academic and nonacademic services. Some
educational settings include

Pullout programs: special ed. students goes into a classroom for

group instruction or into a resource room for small group or
individualized instruction.
Resource room:
Expert Consultation:

History and Development of Special Ed.

Individualized Education Program (IEP)

Addresses each childs disabilities and unique educational

challenges, which includes specific educational goals.
Must involve the students teacher(s), parent(s), and a district
representative (school principal or assigned administrator).
Representatives from outside services must be present as well.

IEP continued
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

A statement of present level of performance/achievement

Annual educational goals and short-term objectives that meet
the goals
Special education support and services provided by the school to
help students reach his/her goals
Modifications and accommodations provided by the school to
help students make progress
Accommodations for students, if necessary, while taking
standardized tests
How and when the school will measure a students progress
toward annual goals
Transition planning that prepares teens for life after high school

History and Development of Special Ed.

Nondiscriminatory Evaluation: provision under the

IDEA ensures that students are not discriminated

against during the special education evaluation
process. Certain benchmarks must be followed.

Tests are age appropriate

In the students native language
Administered and interpreted by a knowledgeable professional
in the field
More than one form of assessment is required

Summarizing All This Information

All of IDEA makes sense as a sensible, seamless
approach to education students with disabilities:
Enroll all, evaluate fairly, offer benefits, do it in the
general education setting, be fair about what you do
and how you settle disputes, and be partners with
parents and student.
- Turnbull Huerta, and Stowe

Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act

1973 P.L. 93-112 Protects the rights of individuals

with disabilities in programs and activities that receive

federal funding.
Every school should have a school-based support team
(SBST)
Students who do not qualify for Special Ed. Services but
who meet the criteria under Section 504 can receive
education services under Section 504 aids and services.
General classroom teachers are required by law to
provide educational services/accommodations

Response to Intervention
RTI speeds up the intervention process before a student

is identified as an exceptional child.

Students can receive help as early as kindergarten
The general ed. teacher is required to monitor the
students struggles, progress, accommodations, and
accomplishments.

This data will be used for the students special education assessment

Requirements include an intervention plan, which

includes the location and time, description of the

intervention, length of intervention, criteria for
measuring success, and persons conducting intervention

Learner-Centered Pedagogy
Cycle of Diagnostic
Instruction

Assess

(Figure 11.1)

Teach

Plan

Learner-Centered Pedagogy
Know the Students
Know the Content Area
Instructional Planning
Make Adaptations
Assessment and Evaluation
Reflect on Practice

Activity
Background:
You are a fourth grade teacher at Garapan Elementary
School. Joseph Camacho is a student in your class who has
been recently identified to have Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Although Joseph currently
maintains an average level of academic achievement, you are
aware that he can achieve better. You are also aware that his
mother was diagnosed with ADD as an adult and suffered
mistreatment and disregard in her school days because no
one knew that she had ADD.

Activity
Challenge:
On Valentines Day, your students exchanged
Valentines Day cards, and everything seemed normal.
The next day, Josephs mother shows up in class with all
the cards Joseph received. She gives back the cards to
you with tears and asks you to read them. You are
shocked to notice that a number of the cards contain
negative words and insults to Joseph. These students
did not understand Josephs condition and expressed
their annoyance and hatred of his actions in class and in
the playground.

Activity
Questions
1. What will you say to Josephs mother?
2. What will you say to Joseph?
3. What will you say to your students? Will you only address
the students responsible for the negative cards or the
entire class?
4. Would you develop classroom rules so that situations like
this would not happen again?
5. What lessons and/or activities would you develop to
address the problem of tolerance, lack of empathy, and the
need to understand and respect difference in your
classroom?

Activity
Draw a Venn diagram to illustrate the similarities and
differences that exist between students who are gifted
and talented and those who are disabled.
Gifted & Talented

Disabled

Similarities

References
www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/edlite-

FAPE504.html
www.diffen.com/difference/disability_vs_handicap
www.education.com/reference/article/whoexceptional-children/