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Beck"v Pink

Pink I

English i

Mr. Kieler
Sept. 6" 2013

Ilelping Special Needs Children

Have you ever thought about chilclren rvith special needs? Hr:w about the *o programs the,v have to take to try'sard get better? l:lave you ever thought ahout horv our
schools rneet the diverse needs of these children'l Do.vour thinh that public sohools should

provide special facilities and prograrns for children? I believe that public schools should
pror.icle an educational pri:gram that meets the ph,vsical ancl educational needs of children

rvith di sabi tities

S(l-zr;

The individuals with Disabilities Education Act is a {bderal larv mandating a fr:ee
and appropriate public education for all students.

Iketlj,
,pr"ld

students throughout the progxams and f?rcilities our

Highland School District become successfi.rl frorn the

district offers. I:tighland off.brs spee*h. occupational, and physical therapy at least tw'ise a

*eek. "Physieal therapy is a related service provided to assist a child with

disability to

benefit from special education. 'I'he school's physical therapy focuses on a child's abilit"v to move as independently as possible in the school enviromnent. The school's physical therapist evaluates the child's ability to move thrbugh.out the school and to participate in
classruom activities" (Wisconsin Departrnent of Putrlic Instruction).

If our school rlid not

provide these programs. sorle of our students would have to go to a different locationiusl to receive these special sen'ices.

Pink 2 to interact ' Secondly; having these students in our schoe'rl gives everyone a chance hask*tball' He hrouglrt and learn fi.om tliem. For example, Cateb lleisz pliil,s r,l'heelchair

il

in a whe*lchair against them. Caleb taught those students w'hat to a r.rheelchair all daY long.

it feels like to be confined

Ph-vsical actions are not the on11.'things lve leail1 from students

with special

needs'

Bomkaml: I knorv l,ve leamod a krt frorn Adilie l{ichek, Jennifer Ivlinte53nd shelbey
able to rvakr up in the everyclay. I've leamed tct be thantrrlirl {'or everything I have' I'm

breakfast and go on moming, take my or.vn shor,ver" pick m,v own outfits. eat my owl

with m.v day.

Students rvith special neecls rne not as foilrurate as

I am. howeveB$ighlanil High

rn'ilh special ueeds. B.v havirig School is fortunate to have teacherfr aicles to help stuclents

in every day classes ancl he these teacher aides, the students are able to participate

alan

of the school da-v r,vith their peers'

these kids cleserve to Another reasofl all schr:ols need these programs is because
t'eel includecl

to make in activities. I knorv it is importanl to Highlanil's class of 2015

sure .fennifer feels

just as included

as we

all clo' During our freshman and sophomore

ancl Prom year. oilr class made sure.Iennifer felt included durilg our Homecoming

before the dance. For p|om, testivities. She came to the parade ancl rvas invitect tcl clinner part in pictgres ancl games' She enjoyed she got her hair clon*. hatl a prom dress, anrJ look
class has gained patielce by the dance ancl was happy to be ilcludcd. Over the years" our ansrvering man,v of the same questions she asks each day'

I
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Nor.6yme people may think that having these prngrams may cost too much
money and that is rt'hy
t&,e

can't purchase other things that we may need or lvant. Other

peaple may not like having these proglams in orn'school system because they f'eel

uncorntortabl* around these types ol chilclren or do no1 want their o;vn children mixed in
a group

u,ith them. lihey also might not like tlreir ph,

sic

al featurdl,hygi*r*"

communication skills.

I helieve that

har..ing

school system costs monoy. Highland Byupcraring rhis curricurum, the

r&,r:re a

n i \tJ r,-r rjr::;::-"##ffi,-rum

T\rO*'
high school had to purchase all rcrv books w'liiclr

high expense for the sclrr:ol.

Even though it w'as expensive. the school still did it because the3r knew it u,ould benefit

their students and help them to excel in their education. I feel that we" as lJnited States
citizens, shoulil spend mone)'on helping others instead of ourselves. Sorne people may fbel uncomfoffiahle around these students, but they should get usecl to being araund tlren:
because there are chiidren
neecl does not make

ali around the r.vorld rvho have disabilities. Heving

scar1,'.

a special

you clifferent or

"special neecls children ar* iust like you nnd

rne, and the_v do rvant to be treateil like humiui beings" While they may look and act ditTerent, the-v all r.vant tlre other things that other hruuans want: love. affeotion,

companionship. enjoyabie hobbies. and procluctive hobbies"

{Stelterfuful,}.

Every

citizen has their own characteristics ancl ra,ays about them that not everyone likes. 'fhese children did not choose this characteristic in their u,ith.

lir'$:t is sornething the-v were born

Aiong r.vith having those rvho feel the same rvay I do about programs for children
rvith disabilities" there are many'who feel diffbrently. 'I'hese people believe that these

r-

Pi*4
children should receive a separate education in a different institution or sometimes kept at
home" One of the reasons manv people lvant these kids kept out r:f school is becaus*

of

the cost of education. "A11 over tire cou'rtry, special eelucation is being scrutinized, and often criticizecl, especially rvith respect to cost. But cost shoulcl not be the only factor
considered - benefit must also enter into the discussion" (Meeting the Diverse Needs

of

Young Children).

It is also difficult to have these students feel

fully'" included n{ren our schr:ols do

not provide extra curricular activities for every person rvith every need. For instance,

(n'heel rvheelchair basketball, Highland High sciraol cloes m:t have enough students in
c,hetfua make up a team.
w-hen he

Ilorv is a student in a wheel chair supposed to feel itlcluded

or she ca:urot parlicipate in baskettrall hecause there is not a team for them to

play on?

{,*r*t*'
in. How

/'} vo' ,"'/ /

Look at homecoming. Fottball and mar"ching hand ar"e a huge part of

at hamecoming. Students with special needpuch as being in a i.vheeichair or f.unctianiflg
a significant.younger age are w,ho firnctions
r:rf

limited in their involvement in these activities. A student

emy one

"rlormally," of is not ph,vsically impaired" has his or her choice of

these activities to parlicipate

is the sch.ool supposecl to accontmodate students

ra't.ruld

with special needs to be a part of these acti'nities if he or she

like to participate'7

\,{y answer to all these questions is provicting education to school staff and

r:n the ha.sketball team" give him or her

anrl be the rnanager ancl help the tearn

jerse,v to tvear. let them participate in practice

warm-up. 'I'his rvay the student is part of the teiun

and gets to play basketball. During homecaming,

if the student wants to participate in

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Pink 5

pla-v at their developmental rnarching band, give him or her an instrument that they can

level. 'I'here is always

a place

for every student in every activit-v'

The-v leam special neecls chililren benefit li"om being in a putrlic school system.

which in my experience' most social skills irr a public school tiom watching their peers.
qualities the,v olTer' These students students accepts these kids for rn'ho they are and
also leam the necessar,v skills to be productive in societv.

will

Kederal

lar'vs relating to

Chiidren Act children with disabilities, such as the Educatian fur All Handicapped to (ilublic L,arv 94-14?), specify that all sturients *ho have disabilities are sntitled
a fi'ee,

of disability' in the appropriate public education, regardless of skill levels 6r severity

least restrictir,e environment possible" (so{ko,

william)'

;i,

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Works Cited

N.p" "Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction." School Based Physical Therapy.

Web.

SeP 2013.

Stelter, Daniel. "5 Tips to Interacting with Special Needs Persons""

.N'p., 22 Jan2009.

Web.

Sep 2013.

"l{eeting the Diverse Needs of Yoturg Children." 'N.p., n.d. Web'

1 Sep

2013'

Sofko, |Villiam. "Evaluating Cost and Benefit in Special Education'"

Sep 2013'

'N'p', n'd' Web' 1

W,.,ffh-