Discussion 1: Ethical Dilemmas

It is important that we have a plan for how we will support each and every child in our classrooms. When we have children with exceptionalities, it is especially important that we plan ahead so we can help our students achieve their fullest potential. Research shows that the most successful inclusion classrooms are those where the teachers are knowledgeable about each of the disabilities present in their classroom and who have a concrete plan in place for supporting those children (Sadker & Zittleman, 2007). In other words, it is important that you have an informed plan. An informed plan is one that is based on best practices (or strategies that are proven) that are guided by a solid understanding of each disability.

For instance, you might know that children with autism are often characterized by extreme withdrawal symptoms, intellectual difficulties, language disorders, behavioral issues and sensory issues (Harman, Drew and Egan, 2008). But do you know the broad range of impairments that can be associated with autism (which prompted use of the concept of autism spectrum disorders)? Having a general understanding of autism is important, but each child you may encounter with autism may exhibit very different characteristics. Therefore it is important that you have this knowledge so you know how to best support each child as an individual. Only then can you plan whether mnemonics (Links to an external site.), applied behavior techniques (Links to an external site.), sensory processing, use of social stories (Links to an external site.), or letter or visual strategies, etc. will best support the child. In addition, when an ethical dilemmaoccurs, your being informed supports your ability to come up with an effective solution. There is no question that an informed plan is the best plan.

While we cannot cover each and every disability this week, you will get the opportunity to take a deep dive into one. This will be a wonderful start to creating your informed plan, as each of the case studies and disabilities listed as an option for your final discussion are highly prevalent in schools and centers across the nation. So, choose one that you are not only interested in learning more about, but also one that you have, or think you will encounter early on in your career.

Please use the checklist and tips below as a guide to ensure you have included each and every portion of the discussion prompt in your post.

Initial Post: Your initial post should include the following:

• Put the name of the child/adult in the case study in the subject line of your post.
• Describe how you would create an inclusive and supportive environment based on the needs of the child in your chosen case study.
  • Instructor Tip: What specific characteristics do you need to consider for this child? What are their specific needs based on what you learned about the disorder?
  • Instructor Tip: Don’t forget to keep in mind what we learned about the least restrictive environment.
• Explain at least one ethical dilemma that you may encounter as you work to create an inclusive environment for the individual in your chosen case study.
  • Instructor Tip: An example of an ethical dilemma for children with autism might be whether or not certain behavior techniques used are appropriate or ethical. Think about your specific case study and disorder and decide how ethics might come into play when working with that child.
• Propose a solution to the potential ethical dilemma you explained in the previous bullet. Support your proposal with Special Education Professional Ethical Principles.
  • Instructor Tip: You are being asked to support your answer with the above resource, which means you need to provide properly formatted APA in-text citations (examples of how to properly format are throughout this guidance and the Writing Center also has some wonderful resources you can easily access).
• Discuss how you would share your solution with others in order to become a leader in developing inclusive settings.
  • Instructor Tip: Think about all of the people you might come in contact with at a school or center who might be working with this child, or even who might benefit from knowing what you know. What about families? How will you convey this information to them?

The name of the child is Tommy Jackson. I added the information in the attached documeny