Willowbrook: The Exclusion of Persons with Disabilities from Society

In the 1950’s families institutionalized their children if they had any kind of mental deficiency because their doctors told them to and their clergy encouraged it. In 1947 the United States Department of Mental Hygiene opened one such institution; “The Unforgotten” is a documentary recalling the horror that was Willowbrook State School in Staten Island, New York. Willowbrook was supposed to house 2000 residents; in actuality, housed around 5,000.

Throughout the video people recount their experiences when visiting family members at Willowbrook. One woman said that there was shame associated with going to visit Willowbrook because everyone knew when you stepped onto the bus that one of your relatives was disabled. When you walked in, Willowbrook smelt of urine and feces when you walked in and you could hear people moaning. Parents trusted that their children would be taken care of at Willowbrook, but, they could not have been more wrong. Many said that it was as if people gave up their rights as parents when they put their son/daughter there.

While Willowbrook was named a “state school”, less than 20 percent of its residents attended classes. By the end of its days the ratio of residents to workers was 40:1 and 100 percent of its residents had hepatitis. The hygiene budget was cut and it seemed as though the residents were almost never bathed and did not receive haircuts. The residents were abused – treated like dogs in a kennel. They were even given a time limit to eat – even though some of the residents couldn’t feed themselves because they did not know how to. The doctors would not answer questions about bruises or neglect.

Bernard, a former resident of Willowbrook was misdiagnosed as mentally handicapped at age 3 when he actually had cerebral palsy. He stayed at Willowbrook for 18 years but only received 5 years of schooling because they said he was over age. He recalls having his head kicked into a wall and said that living at Willowbrook was, “like living in a concentration camp.”

I do not think that separating out everyone who is “different” in society is acceptable. I agree with the woman at the end of the video who said that if it happened once it can happen again and that we have to do everything in our power to make sure that it does not. Growing up in society today, it is hard for me to imagine a time in which parents institutionalized their children because of mental handicaps; however, history has the potential to repeat itself again.

My cousin Zach and I grew up together. Because he was born the day after I did our parents assumed we would develop and have our “firsts” around the same time. But when Zach was a child he did not like to play or be held. Our parents quickly realized that there was something different about Zach. While I began speaking before I was one year old, Zach did not begin speaking until he was four and when he did speak he was hard to understand. When Zach was 5 he was diagnosed with autism and his doctors were not optimistic about his future; had it been the 1950s he would have been institutionalized. Today, Zach is one of the smartest people I know. What he lacks in social skills he makes up for with his drive to learn and interest in science and other subjects. Last semester, Zach went to community college and got a 4.0 without any outside help.

Just because someone is mentally disabled it does not mean that they are any less valuable to society. Every day people overcome their handicaps.

Unforgotten: 25 Years After Willowbrook. Dir. Jack Fisher. Perf. Geraldo Rivera and Danny Aiello. Castle Hill Productions, 1996. Videocassette.

Voice Thread:Technology in the Classroom

As educators it is extremely important to keep up with technology that we can utilize in our classrooms. Recently one of my education classes, Utilization of Instructional Technology for Educators, taught me how to use voice thread as a means of instruction. After learning how to use voice thread I feel that, if used correctly, voice threads can be an exceptional means of instruction.

Here is an example of a voice thread that I made that can effectively teach kindergarteners vocabulary related to location and direction.

http://voicethread.com/#u757957.b909202.i4909461

Voice Thread: ALCOS GR K #6: Identify vocabulary related to location and direction.

The purpose of my voice thread is to help kindergartners in my classroom understand basic vocabulary related to location and direction. By explaining where each image is on my voice thread, I hope that the concept of direction will be made clearer to the students watching.

Repetition is a key aspect of my presentation. When a child is young, it is important that they hear information many times in order for them to store it in their memory. In my presentation I explain the difference between “in” and “out” by using images of both a crab in and out of the ocean as well as a dog inside and outside of a car. In addition I do not just say, “the bird is above the tree,” I also say, “the tree is below the bird.” Another aspect of this voice thread that promotes learning is that I present information in different ways. For example, in one slide the cow is behind the car and in the following slide the cow is in front of the car, this further explains the difference between behind and in front of.

I believe that voice thread can be very useful to the classroom environment. I like the fact that each child can sit at his/her own computer (if possible) and directly interact with the information. Voice thread can also be used at home to reinforce what each student learned in class that day and allow their parents to see exactly what they are learning and help them grasp the concepts from home.

Copyright or wrong?

Since 1789 when George Washington signed the first United States copyright law, copyright has clarified what we can and cannot do as professional educators in our classrooms, as well as in our everyday lives. Copyright laws have significantly reduced the amount of material that we can legally utilize in our classrooms. The rights of the copyright holder make it illegal for teachers to reproduce, adapt, distribute, and display copyrighted materials unless they are given permission to do so. If teachers use prohibited materials and are caught they will be charged and may face monetary, as well as other, consequences.

Before taking Utilization of Instructional Technology for Educators, at Auburn University, I thought it was perfectly acceptable to copy worksheets that I found online to use in my class, make copies of parts of a book for my students and hang artwork that I printed from the internet. I also saw no harm in showing my students a movie that I brought from home if my class had some down time or even show them a recording of a television show. I definitely would have, at one time or another, copied a page from a coloring book for my class seeing as I plan to teach kindergarten. All of these things, however, are prohibited under copyright laws unless the material says otherwise. Some other misconceptions are that schools can use any copyright protected materials they wish and using a material in your class “for the good of the kids” is okay.

I feel that the misconceptions I had are very common. For this reason, it is very important that all the teachers in any given school understand the law itself. It is important for teachers to fully understand copyright laws because, if caught, a cease and desist letter may not be the only consequence; schools can be sued for real or actual damages and can be fined. The attorney’s fees and court costs are also added to the damage.

In my opinion, work for hire is the part of copyright that teachers need to understand when taking a job. Work for hire states that any worksheets that a teacher creates while he/she works for a given school district is actually property of that given school district. But work for hire is not limited to worksheets; the part of the law states that, “just about anything a teacher does within the context of his or her job could be claimed as the intellectual property of the school.” Work for hire affects the majority of teachers who move from one school to another, because if a teacher changes districts they are technically supposed to ask for permission to continue using and adapt their class materials. It is hard to believe that anything that I put my time in effort into while teaching may not considered to be my property.

I think that it is very important that teachers make sure that their students know what is and is not acceptable under copyright laws. We can teach our students, first and foremost, by example. We, as educators, need to set an example for our students because we cannot break copyright laws and expect our students not to follow suit. Many children may not understand the serious consequences that can follow breaking certain copyright laws; statutory fines range from $750 to $30,000 per infringement.

Things that our students do everyday such as illegally downloading or burning and distributing copies of CDs and DVDs can potentially have major consequences. We should not, however, only make our students aware of the things they are not suppose to do but also the things that they can do. We should show our students that there are ways around breaking copyright laws. Our students need to know that public domain is a work that is not protected by copyright and that works published before 1923 are currently in public domain in the United States. They should also know that if a work was created in the United States after January 1, 1978 you know that the work was automatically protected by copyright at the moment it was “fixed” or written down, saved to disk, painted on a canvas, etc. In addition it is important for students to know what cannot be copyrighted such as facts and government documents. Most importantly, I want my students to know that their work is automatically copyrighted once it is “fixed.”

Copyright law is serious but many people do not fully understand it. We need to educate our educators as to what is acceptable and unacceptable to use in our classrooms. By the same token, we also need to educate our students and teach by example.

Special Education's Long Road to Better Serve Students with Disabilities

When talking about special education, many people may not realize the long road that was taken to get to where we are today. Many laws had to be passed in order for people with disabilities to have the equal opportunities in education that we see today.

Here is a breakdown of the history of the federal laws for the education of diverse learners.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 helps low income families access high-quality education programs. In addition, ESEA makes free and reduced lunches accessible to low income families and provides disadvantaged communities with additional teachers.

The Vocational Rehabilitation Act (VRA) of 1973 defines appropriate education and a handicapped person; it also prohibits discrimination against students with disabilities in federally funded programs.

The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) of 1975 is known as the mainstreaming law. This law requires states to provide free and appropriate public education for children with disabilities ages 5 through 18. This law requires that students in special education have Individualized Education Programs (IEP). EAHCA defines least restrictive environment.

The Amendments to the Education of the Handicapped Act of 1986 extends free and appropriate education to children 3 to 5 years of age. The amendments also establish early intervention programs for infants and toddlers with disabilities, from birth to 2 years of age.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in the private sector and protects equal opportunity employment and public services. In addition this law defines disability to include people with AIDS.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1990 renames and replaces EAHCA. This law establishes “people first” language when referring to people with disabilities. It also extends special education services to include social work, assistive technology and rehabilitation services. This law adds two new categories of disability: traumatic brain injury and autism. In addition, this law requires states to provide bilingual education programs to students with disabilities and to educate students for transition to employment. It requires individualized transition programs for students with disabilities by age 16.

The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) of 1997 requires that students with disabilities receive services even if they have been expelled from school. It also extends the use of the developmental delay category for students up to age 9. This law also requires a general education teacher to be a member of the IEP team. In addition it requires students with disabilities to take part in statewide and districtwide assessments. This law limits the conditions under which attorneys can collect fees under IDEA.

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 aims to improve the performance of elementary and secondary schools by increasing school, district and state accountability for all students. This law provides more flexibility in how states use federal funds (as long as standards for accountability are met). It also offers school choice to students enrolled in failing schools and implements early reading interventions.

Special education law have changed significantly since 1965. We now serve handicapped persons better than ever before.

Vaughn, Sharon. Teaching exceptional, diverse, and at-risk students in the general education classroom. Boston: Pearson Allyn & Bacon, 2007. Print.

Self-determination in Students with Disabilities

Review of: Self-Determination and the Education of Students with Disabilities

In his article, “Self-Determination and the Education of Students with Disabilities,” Michael Wehmeyer discusses the practice of promoting self-determination in the education of students with disabilities. Wehmeyer defines self-determination as, “a combination of skills, knowledge, and beliefs that enable a person to engage in goal-directed, self-regulated, autonomous behavior. An understanding of one's strengths and limitations, together with a belief of oneself as capable and effective, are essential to self-determination. When acting on the basis of these skills and attitudes, individuals have greater ability to take control of their lives and assume the role of successful adults in our society.”

Wehmeyer believes that promoting self-determination is important with students with disabilities because these students need to feel some control over their lives and making decisions for themselves helps them feel a sense of accomplishment which builds their confidence. Although promoting self-determination was used in education with adolescents with disabilities since the early 1990s, later studies suggested that promoting self-determination should begin at a much younger age. Wehmeyer contends that young students should be provided with the opportunity to make choices and solve problems, and then build on these skills throughout their school years, so that when they become young adults they can take control and make better choices in their own lives.

When providing opportunities for students to make choices Wehmeyer suggests that younger students should have limited options to choose from; older students should go a step further and learn to analyze the options before making a decision. They should also be coached in setting and achieving goals. Junior High and High School students should make decisions that concern their academic goals and goals for their future. According Wehmeyer, research has shown that students with disabilities who were more self determined had better jobs and were more self reliant after graduation than their non self determined peers.

While much can be done in our schools to help students of all ages become self determined, Wehmeyer states that home involvement is imperative. For this reason it is important for teachers to develop partnerships with parents and students and involve family members in educational planning and decision making.

I feel very strongly that we as educators should point out our students’ strengths and emphasize their unique qualities, especially those of our special needs students who are constantly being faced with what people consider their weaknesses. I believe that self-determination is a person’s inner drive, an awareness that they are in charge of their future and that the decisions they make now will affect their success later in life. The earlier a child becomes self-determined the more it will become ingrained in him and become a way of life. The older a person is when they become self-determined, the harder it is to rely on themselves; they will not have as much confidence going into the world as one who became self-determined in elementary school. If a child is not faced with making decisions when he is young, it will be much harder for him to weigh pros and cons and be confident in his decisions later on.

As teachers we always want to help our students succeed, but sometimes the best way to help them is to help them help themselves. Often the easier choice would be to “just do it” for the child, but guiding them to do it themselves, as hard as it may be, is what is best for the student in the long run. We need to recognize the areas in which each student will be able to exert some control and help them set goals that can be accomplished. I also believe that promoting self-determination in students with disabilities at a young age should also lessen the incidence of learned helplessness among these students.

Wehmeyer, Michael. "Self-Determination and the Education of Students with Disabilities." Council for Exceptional Children (2002). Web. 16 Jan. 2010. .