Lesson 2: The Context of Early Childhood Special Education

Attention

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Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to

  • Identify key terms that pertain to early childhood education.
  • Recall the major components of PL94-142 and PL99-457.
  • Explain the purpose of early intervention services for young children with disabilities.
  • Explain the importance of using “people first language” when talking about individuals with disabilities.
  • Describe Brofenbrenner’s “four environments”

Teaching

Quality programs and interventions require early childhood professionals to view young children with disabilities in a larger context. This includes the child’s intrafamilial relationships as well as the family’s interrelationships and interactions within the community and other larger social systems.

Exceptional Children differ from societal or community standards of normalcy. They require early intervention or an educational program customized to their unique needs. One thing to keep in mind is that a young child with exceptionality is first and foremost a child. That is why we use “people first” language when referring to children with disabilities.

Disability and Handicap are often used interchangeably but they have distinct meanings. Disability is an inability of an individual to do something in a certain way. Handicap refers to the problems that a young child with disability encounters as she attempts to function and interact in her environment. Today professionals only use the term handicap when explaining the consequences or impact imposed on a young child by his or her disability.

Early intervention refers to the delivery of a coordinated and comprehensive set of specialized supports and services to infants and toddlers (0—2). Early childhood special education, however, is typically used when talking about the provision of customized services uniquely crafted to meet the individual needs of young children 2—8 years of age. Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act Amendment of 2004 (IDEA) (PL 108-446), defines a student with a disability according to thirteen categories listed in Table 2-3 on page 27.


Developmental Delay Vs. At-Risk

Programs serving young children with special needs use terms like developmentally delayed and at-risk. Developmental Delay.

A delay is expressed in terms of

  • standard deviation (SD)
  • difference between child’s chronological age and their actual performance

For example: See Table 2-1 on page 26 Representative Examples of Definitions of Developmental Delay.


At-Risk is defined as Children who have not been formally identified as having a disability, but who may be developing conditions that will limit their success in school or lead to disabilities.

Shachelford (2006) classified risk factors into three categories:

  • Established—children with a diagnosed medical disorder of known etiology, such as: Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, spina bifida
  • Biological—children born prematurely, low-birth weight, bacterial infections, and HIV
  • Environmental—children living in poverty, child abuse and neglect, parental substance abuse, familial mental health problems

Also see Table 2-2 Representative Factors Placing Young Children At-Risk for Developmental Problems on page 27.

What you need to know

  • There are adverse effects of early labeling
  • Recommended practices, Preschool labels for PL 99–457
  • Preschoolers do not have to be identified with one of thirteen federal labels.
  • IDEA allows for generic category, i.e., “children with disabilities.”

Key Federal Legislation

    Public Law 94-142 “Bill of Rights” for children with exceptionalities and their Families. Considered to be the single most important piece of legislation on behalf of children with disabilities.
    Public Law 99-457 Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986 Table 2-5 shows the year that each state mandated a free and appropriate public education for preschoolers with disabilities. Table 2-6 illustrates pre- and post- IDEA service delivery.
    Public Law 101-476 Word “children” replaced with individuals and “handicapped” became “with disabilities”
    Public Law 102-119 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendment
    Public Law 108-446 IDEA 2004 aligned the law with No Child Left Behind Act (PL 107-110) • Individualized Education Program (IEP) Process • Identifying Students with Specific Learning Disabilities • Highly Qualified Special Education Teachers • Discipline • Due Process • Eligibility of Students • Assessment Participation • Services for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities
    Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 First public law specifically aimed at protecting children and adults against discrimination due to a disability.

The Importance of Early Intervention/Education

Quality early intervention/education programs do make a difference in the lives of young children with disabilities and their families. (See Table 2-8 (Page 41) Why Intervene Early? and Table 2-9 (Page 44) Representative Research Evidence on the Effectiveness of Intervention.

An Ecological Perspective on Young Children with Special Needs and Their Families

Children are influenced by environments (Brofenbrenner, 1977, 1979: ecology). Influence of the classroom on the young child cannot be separated from influence of family, community and culture. Development grounded in the context in which it occurs (Brofenbrenner, 1979)

Development grounded in the context in which it occurs (Brofenbrenner, 1979)

  • Microsystem—immediate environments: home, family, extended family
  • Mesosystem—relationships between microsystems: home-school relationships, agency-home relationships
  • Exosystem—social structures that influence the development of a child: work, school, social groups, social services, church
  • Macrosystem—the ideological, cultural, and institutional contexts of the three other systems (IDEA is an example of a macrosystem

Quality programs and interventions require early childhood professionals to view young children with disabilities in a larger context. This includes the child’s intrafamilial relationships as well as the family’s interrelationships and interactions within the community and other larger social systems.

Assessment

Lesson 2 Quiz

  1. This inclusive term generally refers to individuals who differ from societal or community standards of normalcy.
  2. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act Amendment of 2004 (IDEA) defines a student with a disability according to how many distinct categories?
  3. When professionals talk about children being at-risk, they are speaking about children who _____________.
  4. Which component of IDEA mandates that children with exceptionalities are to be educated to the maximum extent appropriate, with typical students?
  5. What public law is viewed as a “Bill of Rights” for children with exceptionalities and their families?
  6. Which component of the PL 99-457 created the Handicapped Infants and Toddlers Program, a new provision aimed at children from birth through age two with developmental delays or disabilities?
  7. The focus of the IFSP is on the _____________.
  8. This document is an individually tailored statement describing an educational plan for each learner with exceptionalities.
  9. The number of young children with special needs receiving services has increased dramatically over the past several years due to _____________.
  10. (T or F) Early childhood special education is typically used when talking about the provision of customized services uniquely crafted to meet the individual needs of young children. (True or False?)
  11. What is the purpose of early intervention?
  12. List and briefly describe the four environments in which people develop according to Bronfenbrenner.

Lesson 2 Discussion

Why should we use “people first” language when talking about individuals with disabilities? Please provide (2) examples of “people first” language.