SPED 3100

Ashley Kania

The Least Dangerous Assumption

Jenny Root, MED

General Curriculum Access

Clarification
o Significant cognitive disabilities
Term in NCLB/IDEA legislation per AA
o Intellectual Disability
Preferred
o Autism Spectrum Disorder
o Developmental disabilities
Inclusive of autism and ID
o Moderate and severe disabilities
People first language- Kathie Snow
o [General education] context [Academic standards] content [progress]
learning
100 years ago: Humanitarian Care
Institutions for individuals with mental retardation
trainable idiot vegetative state were once appropriate

Today

LRE
FAPE

1970s Developmental Focus

Instruction based on mental age

Not age appropriate & not functional for older students
Adapted infant/early childhood curriculum for students of all ages

1980s- focus on functional skills

Criterion of ultimate functioning applied

Rejected developmental model
Instruction based on chronological age and age appropriate skills
Wheres academics?
Do teach functional life skills

1990s focus on social inclusion and self determination

SPED 3100

Ashley Kania

Teaching choice making, goal setting, etc

Instruction in general education settings mostly for social skills

Today- focus on General Curriculum Access

Prioritize life skills needed but include academics and make all age appropriate

The least Dangerous Assumption

1984, Anne Donnellan, special education researcher wrote the criterion for least

dangerous assumption
Combine high expectations based on the least dangerous assumptions
Use evidenced based practice
Cheryl Jorgensen if student doesnt learn, the quality of instruction should be questioned

before the question of childs ability