By AMY RILEY
One Citizen's Perspective

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.

[Your comments are welcome: ARileyFreePress@aol.com.]

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