Analysis of the Problem of Quality Education of Students with Disabilities - Research Paper Example

Committees such as the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD) have long adopted the stance that offering appropriate education for individuals should be the fundamental concept underpinning all educational programs (Garnett, 2010). Consequently, these committees encourage the establishment of programs that meet the social, emotional, and education needs of all students, regardless of their disabilities or the extent of severity (Graves & Ward, 2012). Effective, inclusive educational programs require specialized instructional strategies, functional materials, and accommodations to be provided as needed.

Since the emotional, social, and educational needs of students with disabilities alter over time, ongoing and systematic reviews of students’ progress, as well as needs, is vital to inform appropriate modifications in existing educational programs and associated services (Garnett, 2010). Based on the fact that there is a need to tailor educational programs and services to the needs of students, both disabled and non-disabled, Tzuriel & Samuels (2000) argue that standardized tests impact the curriculum taught in inclusive schools.

This is primarily because standardized tests impact how teachers teach their students, and this ultimately affects the meaningfulness of learning that occurs in the classroom. When using standardized tests, teachers typically begin teaching to the test; thus narrowing the educational experience of the classroom and limiting the subject matter presented in class. Perhaps the greatest shortcoming of standardized tests is that they do not take into account factors such as diversity and disability.

It is widely acknowledged that students with disabilities learn at a relatively lower pace than non-disabled students. Therefore, since standardized tests encompass uniformity, they fail to inform instruction sufficiently. Therefore, disabled students are left behind during the creation of meaningful instruction and assessment aimed at influencing educational processes such as learning.