Special Education in the 21st century: Hammel & Hourigan Chapter 1

Hammel, A. M., & Hourigan, R. M. (2017). Chapter 1: Public education within a democracy. In, Teaching music to students with special needs: A label-free approach (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.

In the beginning of this chapter, there was a quote from John Dewey that discussed the importance of having equal opportunities and experiences for all students in a democracy. Currently in our school system, there is a discrepancy in opportunity for average students and those whose circumstances leave them at a disadvantage. The mindset has changed in the recent years so teachers are now expected to help all students have the same achievements. According to this book, there are many groups of students who are challenged with unequal opportunity. As a future educator, I am responsible for ensuring that students of differing racial and economical groups and students with learning disabilities get the same quality music education as any other student. 
 
One of the most significant issues faced by disadvantaged students is the lack of funding for resources. Families who are economically challenged frequently have difficulty providing the proper healthcare and resources for their child. When I'm in the music classroom, it is important to consider the needs of the disadvantaged students in the local community. The book suggests taking into account extra expenditures required for materials in the music class for families that struggle economically. 

The text shares a quote defining special education as, "specially designed instruction, which meets the unique needs of an exceptional child." ((Hallahan and Kauffman, 1978, p.4) Hammel & Hourigan, 2017, p.5) This is implemented in schools by special education students having assistants to help them with their tasks and also participate in special classes. The book discusses how in the last century, special eduction students have been integrated into regular public schools instead of going to a special school. While the intentions behind integrating all students is good, it comes with many challenges. Teachers struggle with providing assistance in large classrooms, and the schools are typically underfunded for necessary resources. Because of standardized testing and requirements and assessments for all students, schools have "unrealistic expectations for children with disabilities" (Hammel & Hourigan, 2017, p.6) It seems like there has to be a compromise. We want all students to succeed and be equal, but sometimes certain goals are more difficult to attain by special needs students especially considering lack of funding and resources. 

The book discusses how one of the challenges facing inclusion is effective communication between the teacher and the special needs student. As a future music educator it is important for me to understand the needs of individual students that require extra assistance in learning and allow music to be a way for them to communicate and express themselves in a different way than other academic classes. The book suggests that before including the special needs student in the classroom by assessing. "receptive language, expressive language, cognitive function/processing, and cultural use of language." (Hammel & Hourigan, 2017, p. 15) 

Special education programs are typically funded by real estate tax system according to the book. This presents challenges because students that live in higher income areas will consequently have better resources and those in lower income areas will be underfunded and not have necessary assistance and resources for students. In rural areas, families may have to travel far to get to resources and healthcare necessary for their child. This is an example that can cause financial burdens to those families with children that ave special needs. 

Students that have challenges with receptive and expressive language could suffer from inability to hear or see, and have challenges understanding social cues and difficulty understanding the teacher.
With the increase of ELL learners in schools, it is important for the teacher to have an understanding of those student's cultural and language backgrounds to be able to communicate effectively.
The book uses the IDEA definition of behavioral and emotional challenges and it talks about how some students display "inappropriate behaviors in normal circumstances" and "inability to maintain interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers" (Hammel & Hourigan, 2017, p.17)
​Students who have challenges with sensory needs can possibly have adverse reactions to "sound, sight, touch, smell and/or taste."
Students that have challenges with physical conditions can most of the time still perform well in school and have full cognitive abilities. However, these students still need assistance to perform tasks.  

The book discusses that teachers need to be able to identify and work with a special needs students strengths and weaknesses just like with any other student. The book suggests that teachers adapt instruction and the framework of the classroom to ensure that all students are receiving the same high quality instruction. 

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How can teachers adapt students assessment to be realistic for students with special needs and still have high enough expectations to give them equal educational outcomes to students who are not disadvantaged? 

How can teachers bring awareness to funding issues?