Introduction
The cultural climate of special education has increasingly become an issue of special consideration. This paper will examine special education’s current state by delving into current literature and personal experiences. The essay will further look at the past and present treatment of those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, issues of disproportionality in special education, and judicial and legislative actions concerning school inequality.
Past and Current Treatment of Those from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds
In the past, there has been a disparity in treatment for students in special education with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. These disparities are attributed to cultural misunderstanding, lack of culturally supportive practices, and language barriers. From my experience, I can attest that most students are misunderstood or even misdiagnosed just because their linguistic and cultural backgrounds differ from those of others.
Currently, educators and schools are making efforts to address these issues. Schools are adopting models that support students’ different cultural backgrounds, which has had a significant impact. On the other hand, educators are trying to understand their student’s diverse backgrounds to tailor adequate support (Brown et al., 2019). Disparities prove challenging; however, there is a need to put effort into providing fair treatment to all.
Legislative and Judicial Actions Concerning School Inequality
Judicial and legislative authorities have played their part in ensuring equality in the landscape of special education. One groundbreaking legislation that marked change in special education is The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Moreover, decisions made by the court in cases such as Brown Versus Board of Education have played a significant role in shaping equality in education (Muñiz, 2021).
While the judicial and legislative authorities have their part, inequalities persist. Recently, there have been cases where schools in marginalized communities are underfunded; thus, they cannot run their operations properly. There is a legislative and judicial follow-up to address these disparities and ensure that all receive fair treatment and quality education.
Issues of Disproportionality in Special Education
In special education, disproportionality refers to the underrepresentation or overrepresentation of students with disabilities from particular ethnic or racial groups. This issue has raised the alarm as people complain about bias in the referral and assessment process (Ellis, 2022).
From my personal experiences, disproportionality is a considerable concern in some educational settings. Due to disproportionality, some students get limited access to appropriate educational services and face systemic inequality challenges. Schools and other educational settings can use a multifaceted approach to address the issue of disproportionality; educators should use equitable assessment procedures and training on cultural competence.
The current cultural climate of special education
While there has been tremendous progress in identifying and addressing issues related to cultural disparity, the challenges persist, and much needs to be done. Educators should be trained on culturally responsive practices, and policies that control inequalities should be enforced.
In addition, to control disproportionality, systemic biases should be dismantled from the education system; this requires dedication and relentless efforts. It can be achieved through increasing transparency, engaging with diverse communities, and scrutinizing assessment methods.
Conclusion
To sum up, the current cultural climate of special education has made significant progress; however, it still has persistent challenges that need to be addressed. The strong foundations laid by judicial and legislative authorities to control inequality should be reinforced continually to sustain progress. Lastly, disproportionality has remained a challenge that needs relentless efforts and commitment to dismantle it from the education system.
References
Brown, M. R., Dennis, J. P., & Matute-Chavarria, M. (2019). Cultural relevance in special education: Current status and future directions. Intervention in School and Clinic, 54(5), 304-310.
Muñiz, R. (2021). Education law and policy during COVID-19: Using a legal framework to expose educational inequity. AERA Open, 7, 23328584211054107.
Ellis, A., (2022). “Dismantling Disproportionality in Special Education through Archeology of Self Framework.” Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, 28 Sept. 2022, www.diverseeducation.com/opinion/article/15300846/dismantling-disproportionality-in-special-education-through-archeology-of-self-framework. Accessed 7 Oct. 2023.
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