Positive Experiences of Mothers and Fathers of Children with Autism - Research Paper Example

of the of the Submitted NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND: HAS IT IMPROVED THE LIVES OF AUTISTIC CHILDREN? IntroductionAmerica’s place in world education had been falling since the 1990s and it was clear that something had to be done about it. There were dismal performances in Mathematics, Reading and Writing and this led to the concerns about America losing its stature on the world stage. Obviously a nation’s progress depends on effective research and its transference into new ideas and technologies that are good for the world as a whole, while helping it retain its dominance on the world stage. To address this deficiency, President George W. Bush proposed the No Child Left Behind legislation soon after he took office in January 2001. It was passed by the U.S Congress in June 2001 and signed into Law on 08 July 2002. NCLB with its focus on the needs of students with disabilities such as Autism has resulted in a much higher awareness of the specific and specialized needs of these children- and forced schools to hire special educators that developed individual education plans that met the needs of each child. Importance of the No Child Left Behind Act and its Impact on Children with Autism One major achievement of the No Child Left Behind Act 2001 (NCLB) was that it helped Americans realize the importance of basic skills such as reading, writing and math and their place in our everyday lives. The second achievement was that it highlighted the problems of students with disabilities and created a program of study that would meet the needs of each individual student. It helped students with disabilities such as autism study in a classroom environment with the least restrictions possible and so respected their needs and aspirations. It helped get parents, teachers and special educators get together to plan, address and implement special education for students with disabilities. It helped revive and revise the provisions of the 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) so that students with disabilities such as Autism would also be included in state and district wide assessments regarding curriculum. Comparing the positive and negative experiences of mothers and fathers in raising children with autism, Kayfitz and others found that mothers were likely to recall more positive experiences than fathers, and that mothers experiences, unlike fathers, were not tied in to the stress they experienced in care-giving (Kayfitz et al., 337). Before NCLB, grades given to secondary school students with disabilities typically had no correlation with their real academic functioning, leaving parents confused about how their child was actually performing. At least one-fifth of teachers are presently of the opinion that children with disabilities such as Autism do not stand a good chance of meeting the proficiency standards of State wide examinations. While more than 80 percent feel it is unfair to evaluate disabled students by the same standards as fully capable ones, an equal percentage opine that it is similarly unfair to evaluate teachers by how disabled students are performing in the classroom. Even today, only some States mandate that Individual Education Plans of students with disabilities meet State wide academic standards. All in all, it is still felt that the NCLB Act has strongly impacted on the needs of students with disabilities. NCLB’s accountability provisions ensure that individual schools and school districts make adequate yearly plans towards the achievement of proficiency in Reading and Math at the State wide level of assessment by 2014-2015. Each State has the capacity to set the standards for proficiency and what determines adequate yearly progress, subject to approval by the U.S Department of Education. It is clear that students with disabilities such as Autism are making appreciable progress towards the attainment of proficiency standards in the classroom under the capable guidance of specialized educators that supervise the individual needs of their individual assessment plans. Excluding students with disabilities from the AYP plans or seeking alternative ways to marginalize their participation is now considered a violation of civil rights. What is Autism? Autism is a lifelong brain disorder that is usually diagnosed in early childhood. It is characterized by low social action and communication, involving restricted and repetitive behavior. Autism is a spectrum disorder with not all individuals being similarly affected- Asperger’s Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified lie at the points along this spectrum. Early diagnosis and intervention can help children gain social and communication skills as well as self care- some have even recovered and lead somewhat normal lives. While the debate rages on whether it is caused by genetic disorders, mutations or even vaccines- the fact remains that 9 out of 1000 children are being diagnosed as autistic in the USA (as reported by CDC) compared to the occurrence of 1-2 per 1000 children worldwide. Incorporating and Assessing Needs of Children with Autism Before developing an Individualized Education Plan for the autistic child, the special educator should meet the parents or caregivers and try to find out as much about the child as possible. This could be ascertained from conversations as well as looking and communicating with the child. The expert will look out for verbal and social engagement, degree of focus and retention, sensory inputs and ease or difficulty in handling large groups of objects. He or she will then inform the parents what kind of educational and logistical support they can expect at the school, as well as the roles of teachers and parents in the child’s education. An IEP will then be developed along these lines. Sensory integration therapy and applied behavioral analysis are strong components usually included in this program (Rudy, 1). What We Can Do Further to Encourage Inclusion of Students with Disabilities such as Autism 1. Provide a culture and practices that support adequate standards of student achievement, even for students with disabilities. 2. Create an effective system that supports students with disabilities in the classroom. 3. Induce a well disciplined social and academic environment for students with disabilities. 4. Make every effort to align curriculum with the needs of NCLB AYP plans and the individual needs of students with disabilities. 5. Have effective leaders and staff that create and work in an environment that includes and supports the needs of children with disabilities. 6. Assess the needs of children with disabilities by employing trained and specialized staff. 7. Use the feedback received from students, parents and educators to make more informed decisions. 8. Have access to support and resources when needed. 9. Have an effective plan for staff recruitment, deployment and retention. 10. Adopt unified practices supported by targeted professional development (www. Advocacy.org). Critics of NCLB state that its emphasis on Reading and Math just make it too restrictive, that Federal Government should not interfere in the work of schools and that they would prefer students with a more well rounded education. Schools that have been failing to meet AYP goals are critical of its standards- they say that it far too punitive and restrictive- narrowing the curriculum by forcing ‘teaching to meet AYP standards’ only. As many as 27 States have lined up to opt out of NCLB since President Obama said that he would allow them a waiver from meeting mandatory participation in the program (Education Nation, 30 Sep 2011). At the same time, there is also a crisis in the teaching profession, as experienced teachers are leaving over low salaries, increasing work for less pay and under appreciation of their efforts. They are typically being replaced by recent graduates and first time teachers, who leave within 5 years. However, first time teachers who have had some work or professional experience are proving to have more staying power. Conclusion The NCLB Act 2001 was the need of the day and has definitely addressed the dismal standing of American students in Reading and Math, it is clear that some deficiencies remain. The standards need to be widened and States given more power to decide the curriculum. At the same time, NCLB has definitely addressed the needs of autistic students by not only including them in the curriculum but ensuring that their special and specific needs are addressed by developing an IEP and drawing a nexus between the general and special teachers, paramedical staff assessors and the parents or caregivers of the children (Yell et al, 139). Works Cited Kayftz, A.; Cragg, M. & Orr, R. Positive Experiences of Mothers and Fathers of Children with Autism. Print. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 2010, No. 23, pp 337-343. MSBC News. Majority of States line up to ditch No Child Left Behind. Education Nation, 30 Sep 2011. Web. Accessed on 03 March 2012 at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44693695/ns/today-education_nation/t/majority-states-lining-ditch-no-child-left-behind/#.T1OIU_USTct Rudy, Lisa Jo. Educational Options for Children with Autism. Autism Spectrum Disorders. Web. Accessed on 03 March 2012 at http://autism.about.com/od/schoolandsummer/a/edoptionshub.htm The Advocacy Institute. 7 Million Students with Disabilities Need NLCB. Web. September 2007. Accessed on 03 March 2012 at www.advocacy.org. Yell, M.; Dasgrow, E. & Lowrey, K. A. No Child Left Behind and Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Print. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, Vol. 20, No. 3, Fall 2005, pp 130-139. Read More