Research Question for discussion

By no means do children with special needs all tend to distract or interrupt the teachers and other students. Some students with special needs can be distracting but it’s also true that some students without any special needs can also be distracting and interrupt the teacher.

One global “yes” or “no” answer doesn’t fit. Sometimes they distract and sometimes not. Sometimes regular ed kids distract and sometimes not. The question is not whether they do or don’t but what we do about it when they do—whether they have an IEP or not.

Seems from alot of the fears of many teachers they have not spent time with “sped” kids. Sure, you could find some disruptive ones, but I think you would be extremely surprised at how well mannered and hard working the majority are.

Alot of the questions that are raised are from the sad lack of community awareness of what constitutes special needs. If you fear these children, do them a favor and stay away from them because many are very intuative and will pick up on your bad vibes.

Hi Michele,
It all depends on the student. In my experience, when a special ed. student sits in the regular classroom they do not want to look or act different. I have found the basic skills students to be much more disruptive than the special ed. students. Again, it all depends on the individual student. Each is so different
and unique. However, the majority are more timid than disruptive.
Hope this helps

Could we argue that any child who NEEDS special attention, daily and repeatedly has special needs, whether or not these children have a disability?
Many LD children do not become “time takers” in their classrooms. Children who do not speak English or read English, children who display behavior “problems,” children who are radically below grade level…………all of these needs together in one, say 6th grade, classroom make huge demands on the teacher’s time. Every single classroom at my school, virtually, fits this description. Classroom teachers do jobs that few appreciate.