Do We or Don't We?

The title concerns whether we should let students know they have a disability. It appears that we have moved farther away from stating why a student is in special education or letting them and their parents know that they are in special education. Many schools and states have different names for special education, such as what is used in North Carolina, where it is called Exceptional Children. Students appear to realize they are in a special education program or class because they require assistance. They also often face the stigma of being in a specialized classroom despite the program's name. I should clarify that the students I am referring to have a learning disability, Autism, Other Health Impairment (OHI), or an emotional disability. The classes also have different names. The one I am most familiar with at this point is Academic Support. So, what does this have to do with transition?

Transition for someone with a disability, especially someone with an invisible disability such as a learning disability or someone who has Aspergers, may need to know that the only way they are available for specific programs, assistance with work, transportation, accommodations, or living modifications, is to have the awareness that they have a disability. I have used a program called ME!, which provides the background and information for those with disabilities, their rights, and the laws that protect them at certain ages. Interestingly, a questionnaire within the program is given to the students and the parents with the answers to two specific questions that astounded me. The student interview questioned if the student knew if they were in special education and if they had a disability. The parent interview questions asked if they knew their child was in special education and if they knew if their child had a disability. The majority of answers were "no" to being in special education and "none" to having a disability. I have difficulty understanding these answers since the IDEIA requires an eligibility meeting. This meeting explains what type of disability a student has and if they need special education services.

For the most part, I feel we may be doing our students a disservice. However, ensuring it does not hurt their self-esteem may be appropriate and help encourage self-determination. However, I also need to consider that it may hurt a student's transition and lower their self-esteem, increasing thoughts of not being good enough and the unwillingness to take action to better themselves. At the very least, students should know they have an IEP to help them improve in areas where they struggle and can provide additional services and benefits during and after high school. Rather than going to college, if that is what a student desires, and dropping out because they don't have the knowledge needed, I think that understanding how to obtain and get accommodations or knowing an agency that can provide support may be necessary to provide positive postsecondary outcomes.

While I could continue with this subject for much longer than a blog entry allows, I will leave you with the following situation to ponder. During an IEP for a student who had a learning disability, a mother stated that her child didn't have a disability but just a learning disability. Let me know how you would have handled this matter, and I will let you know what I did. Also, don't forget to state your thoughts on whether students and parents should know if their child is attending special education and if they should know they have a disability.