Recent

efforts to revise the special education rule at the state

level to meet the requirements of the 1997 federal

Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education

Act (IDEA) have prompted a flurry of new discussions on a

relatively old theme - what is the best way to meet

the educational needs of children with special needs, and

who should carry the most weight in making these

decisions.

For years, we've heard

terms such as mainstreaming, inclusion, resourcing, and

least restrictive environment, but for many parents, the

issue is not how services are defined, or even funded,

but rather how the rules are implemented on behalf of

their child that matters most.

Is their child learning to

the best of his or her abilities? Are the people who work

with their child on a daily basis doing so to the best of

their abilities? Are the best and most appropriate

learning materials and programs being used? Is everything

being done that can be done to assist these children in

maximizing their potential, and is everything being done

that can be done to help this family empower themselves

to be lifelong advocates, educators, and nurturers?

In truth, these are

universal issues affecting all parents, but for children

with special needs, the mountains are a little higher,

the oceans of emotion are a little deeper, and the

victories are a little sweeter - not just for that

family, but for all of us.

What surprised me the most

as I interviewed various Fayette parents of children with

special needs was their recognition that there clearly is

no rule or method that will serve the best interests of

every child. What parents want most is the latitude to

make choices themselves on whether or not their child

should be educated in the regular classroom with children

of all ability levels, or in a contained class with

children of similar ability levels.

As Georgia attempted to

rewrite the rules over the past few months, many parents

became concerned that their range of choice was

narrowing. Wording which would have rendered the regular

classroom as the only option, except in

"extraordinary cases," left some Fayette

parents fearful that their child's placement was about to

change.

Nick Harris is a Fayette

parent of a son with special needs at Huddleston

Elementary and also a cochairman of the Special Education

Advisory Committee for the Fayette County school system.

Harris estimates that a majority of children are indeed

placed in the regular classroom and provided

modifications, such as an extra teacher, enhanced

instructions, or test assistance, in order to be educated

in the regular classroom.

However, Harris prefers

that his own son receive his core curriculum instruction

- math, reading, and writing - in a

"contained classroom," specifically designed

for and shared with other children of similar need and

ability level. For other activities, such as art, P.E.,

music, homeroom, and lunch, Harris' child goes into a

regular classroom to which he is also assigned.

"I'm happy with

that," reports Harris, who believes he has achieved

an excellent rapport with teachers and administrators at

Huddleston, and that his son is loved and accepted by

other students at his school.

Meg Harris, no relation to

Nick Harris, shares this view and also has a son in a

special class with other students of similar ability

level for core academic instruction.

She felt that modifications

in the regular classroom were not enough to ensure that

her son was achieving and learning to the best of his

abilities, but still considers her son's inclusion in the

regular classroom for art, music, P.E., lunch and recess

to be okay, though not without problems at times.

Children can be harsh, and

of course they can also be wonderful, in how they respond

to other children with disabilities. Likewise, some

teachers can be very patient and loving in their dealings

with special needs students, and other teachers can find

it very stressful and challenging.

Educating students,

parents, teachers, and the community is absolutely

critical in creating a successful environment for

including special needs children in the regular

educational classroom.

Another Fayette parent of a

child with a significant reading disability prefers that

her child be educated in the regular classroom, except

for the time he spends in a "contained"

classroom for reading instruction.

But the family recently

moved into another elementary school district, and that

brought disappointment. The mother was disheartened to be

told that the modifications that her son needed for math

in the regular classroom were not available.

This was a bit of

misinformation because the extra help must be

provided. That's because it is part of her son's

Individualized Educational Program (IEP). But the

disappointment and disillusionment was real for a parent

who has witnessed her son struggle for four years to

learn.

Fortunately, the latest

version of the state rule has relaxed the legal language,

affording parents the continued opportunity to choose the

regular classroom, or the contained classroom, or some

combination of both.

To find out more about the

latest proposed state rule, which has been tabled for 30

days for public comment, contact Clemene Ramsey, director

of special education in the Fayette schools, at

770-460-3990, ext. 150.

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