Overrepresentation In Special Education

Though special education has improved by leaps and bounds in the past 50 years, we are still seeing the effects of disproportionality. Disproportionality describes the phenomenon of overrepresentation of certain races and ethnicities in the special education programs in schools. For instance, African American and Amerindian groups have a much larger representation in special education programs when compared to their actual population size in the school. This overrepresentation for special education programs also reflects an overrepresentation in percentages of students suspended. Some ethnic groups are also underrepresented in the special education programs, including Asian Americans. The issue is not limited only to race. Male students are overrepresented in special education, while female students are underrepresented. Disproportionate numbers of members of various categories of race, ethnicity, and gender can be due to many various reasons, but one variable could be the cultural subjectivity of the referral process. Because of this,
By creating multi-tiered programs which meet all students at a base level, teachers can be more mindful of ways to reinforce material that not only help students with disabilities, but other students as well. In many ways, universal design is just good teaching. Universal design also helps teachers in the process of accommodating. Just like, with the introduction of curb cuts on sidewalks due to wheelchairs, strollers, bikes, and other people can more easily move through their everyday life, including universal design in lessons not only overcomes the handicaps that are presented to students with learning disabilities, but also to all students to more easily access the material and master it. This primarily is focused on changing the curriculum to meet all students, not making the curriculum easier, but making accessing the curriculum