A number of factors must be examined to understand how and why gifted minority students underachieve. Sociopsychological, family, and school factors should all be considered. Sociopsychological Factors and Underachievement Poor self-esteem and low academic and social self-concepts contribute significantly to poor student achievement.
Family-Related Factors and Underachievement-Few studies have explored the influence of family variables on the achievement of gifted minority students. VanTassel-Baska (1989) focused on the role of families in the lives of 15 low socioeconomic status (SES) gifted students, eight of whom were Black, and many living in single-parent families.
School-Related Factors and Underachievement-Numerous factors in schools can influence the achievement of gifted minority students. For example, in a study of gifted Black achievers and underachievers (Ford, 1995), underachievers reported (a) less positive teacher-student relations, (b) having too little time to understand the material, (c) a less supportive classroom climate, and (d) being unmotivated and disinterested in school. Underachievers also expressed more concerns regarding the lack of attention to multicultural education in their classes, which contributed to their lack of interest in school.
Excessive use of competition can also hinder students’ achievement, damaging academic motivation and special needs education engagement. Given the more social and less competitive nature of minority students (e.g., Hale-Benson, 1986), competition can heighten students’ anxieties, lower their achievement motivation, and lower their academic and social self-concepts.
Many people with ABI or other PwDs can’t afford technology. Period. Perhaps businesses should consider donating technology to PwDs, or developing other creative solutions in special needs education. If you or your company has any thoughts about this, please communicate them to the ABI audience.
Full inclusion for all students with disabilities is becoming a much debated issue among parents, teachers, administrators, and others involved in the field of education. The majority of literature available to date reveals that authors have strong feelings for and against full inclusion for all students with disabilities. This paper will provide some background for the inclusion model, with information on the many definitions for and levels of including a student with disabilities in the general education mainstream. This author believes full inclusion for a particular student should be determined appropriate through an individualized review by a multidisciplinary team striving to meet all of the student’s programming needs, rather than a broad-based district policy, which goes against the least restrictive environment provision in the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), requiring availability of a continuum of service delivery models.
Student underachievement is a complex and persistent problem. Reversing underachievement among gifted minority students requires intensive efforts on the part of teachers and counselors, as well as a partnership with parents and students. For optimal effects, teachers and counselors must tailor interventions to students’ special needs education. Interventions for gifted minority students must consider social-psychological, family, peer, and school factors. Interventions must (a) ensure that definitions of underachievement are both qualitative and quantitative, and that measures are valid and reliable; (b) enhance self-perceptions, self-esteem, self-concept (academic and social), and racial identity; (c) improve students’ skills in studying, time management, organization, and taking tests; (d) involve family members as partners in the educational process; and (e) address school-related factors, including providing teachers and counselors with gifted and multicultural training to meet both the academic and affective needs of gifted minority students.
According to a research study commissioned by MAT (Medicine for Autism Today), the increase in special needs children has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Their findings indicate that the special needs population is growing at three times the rate of the general population. This means that approximately six million children between the ages of five and nineteen will be in need of special needs education assistance.
Cody was the first baby born in this country with Lyme disease. (Debbie contracted it while pregnant.) The doctors didn’t think he’d live, and even now he’s severely mentally and physically handicapped. He’s recently learned to sit up, and can sort of scoot around the house, but can’t crawl. He can understand some words, but hasn’t said his first word yet. His most recent trick is figuring out that he can turn the TV on and off– and will turn it off if Debbie tries to watch anything other than country music
As an instructor, I would have absolutely *no* idea how to proceed in teaching a non-sighted person, especially a manual art like wood working. My teaching is about 90% visual, with most of the spoken instruction pertaining to the things I’m illustrating. I can’t even begin to imagine how to explain the use of a dovetail jig (as an example) to someone who couldn’t see the parts and what I was doing. I’m afraid that I’d be forced to tell you “I simply have no way to accommodate you in this class so that you would learn anything of substance.” In terms of safety I suspect that being blind is less of a problem than being deaf. I worked in a restaurant with a deaf dishwasher. He did a great job, except he was always getting burned because the cooks would toss a hot pan into the dish-room and holler”hot pan!” just like they did with the other dishwasher. Unfortunately he didn’t hear the warnings and a hot pan looks just like a cold one. Different handicaps require some different handling.
The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) act, 1995 had come into enforcement on February 7, 1996. It is a significant step which ensures equal opportunities for the people with disabilities and their full participation in the nation building. The Act provides for both the preventive and promotional aspects of rehabilitation like special needs education, employment and vocational training, reservation, research and manpower development, creation of barrier – free environment, rehabilitation of persons with disability, unemployment allowance for the disabled, special insurance scheme for the disabled employees and establishment of homes for persons with severe disability etc.this also says Parents may mover to an appropriate forum for the re-addressal of grievances regarding the placement of their children with disabilities.