Review the “Case Study: Stephen.”
In an essay of 1,000-1,250 words, use your foundational knowledge of the special education process and related issues to describe your recommendations for assisting the case study student. Include the following in your essay:
- Detail the steps you recommend be taken, including the roles of the specific stakeholders who legally and ethically need to be involved in determining and implementing those next steps.
- Explain the ethical dilemma in providing Stephen an education that will allow him to flourish, including why moving LRE placements is not an option at this time due to the standard special education process.
- Incorporate the CEC Ethical Principals and Professional Practice Standards into your analysis and explanation.
- Discuss the possible involvement of paraeducators, tutors, volunteers, or related service providers. If paraeducators, tutors, or volunteers were brought into the classroom to assist Stephen, what guidance and direction would you provide to those stakeholders?
- Discuss legal, ethical, and quality requirements related to managing confidential student information when working with paraeducators, tutors, or volunteers.
Support your findings with 3-5 additional scholarly resources.
Case Study: Stephen
Stephen is a young
boy with autism who receives most of his education in
an
inclusive
classroom. He
speaks in one-and two-word utterances and can say “book,” “food,”
“more,” “hi,” and “drink.” However, his
main
mode of communication is a picture-
exchange system.
Although Stephen has
demonstrated that he
really
enjoys group activities, he
has lately
begun biting
his fellow students.
In
addition, he has begun pinching his teacher during
one-on-one instruction. After he engages in one of these behaviors, he yells, “It hurts!”
and starts laughing.
A behavior analyst has conducted a structured interview as part
of a
functional behavior
assessment for Stephen. The teacher and parents’ responses indicate that the function of
Stephen’s aggressive behaviors is to seek
attention.
Keeping this information in mind, the
analyst needs
to
directly
assess
Stephen’s
behavior.
Stephen’s general
education teacher, Ms. Gonzales,
has recorded data regarding the
frequency of
his behaviors, but with inconsistency as she is the only adult in
the
classroom. The special education teacher, Mr. Kuchar, has not been able to
spend much
time in the inclusion classroom to support Stephen and Ms. Gonzales and to
observe
Stephen’s behavior. Ms.
Gonzales has requested
a meeting with
the Child Study Team to
discuss the
possibility of changing
Stephen’s
placement.
Ms. Gonzales frequently communicates with
Stephen’s parents and has mentioned a
possible placement change to them. Stephen’s parents do not want him to be pulled out
of the inclusion classroom even though other
students are
being hurt.
Currently, there are
five other students
in the inclusion classroom who receive special education services
for
behavior issues. Stephen’s behaviors are the most severe. Ms. Gonzales does not feel
she can
effectively meet Stephen’s needs
with regards to
his behaviors and keep the other
students from being
hurt.
Mr. Kuchar agrees that Stephen needs
to be placed in
a different classroom to
better
fit
his needs; however, he has realized
that there is inconsistent data collected thus far to
support this
need.
The
school principal also
agrees with the suggestion
of a
placement
change and has asked Mr. Kuchar to set up a meeting to discuss
this
with
Stephen’s
parents.
