Is Labeling Students as ‘Special’ Really a Bad Practice?

With the Education for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975, the US government initiated its much appreciated campaign for providing equal educational opportunities to students with special needs.

Now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the aim of the federal law is to protect the rights of special students and provide services to help them realize their full potential, just like their non-disabled peers. IDEA lists 13 different disability categories under which, a child might be considered eligible for special education and related services.

However, this process of ‘labeling’ students into different categories has attracted much criticism from educators who believe such classification not only stigmatizes special students, but also denies them opportunities in mainstream schools.

Although the purpose of the special education label was to open doors to the much needed services for children with special needs, the debate of ‘labeling’ is a continuous one, with both sides presenting points and counter-points to validate their opinions.

Thus, in order to gain a deeper understanding of the classification of special students, we have put together some positive effects of the special education label that might be helpful for a better assessment of the situation.

Identification

The primary objective of special education schools is to address the individual needs of special students and facilitate academic progress and social development through appropriate educational programs.

In view of the lack of educational facilities for special students in mainstream schools, it is essential to develop a criteria to identify the specific learning disability of a special student to determine the educational services required by him/her. It allows teachers to utilize research-based interventions or methods for educating students with special learning needs. For instance, applied behavior analysis has been effective in educating students with autism.

Specialized Instructions

Another benefit of labeling students with special learning needs is the formulation of an appropriate Individualized Education Program (IEP). The plan allows special students to receive accommodations such as counselling sessions and specially designed instructions from special educators.

For instance, if a student has been identified as having a learning disability that affects reading, the instructions can be reformed to suit his/her learning needs. Receiving instructions based on the individual needs is crucial in aiding special students to excel in all pursuits of their lives.