Labelling in Special Education

INTRODUCTION
The inclusion of children with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools is a
focus of debate in educational systems around the world (Rose, 2001). Inherent (essential) in this
debate is the topic of labelling children with SEN, which Norwich (1999) maintains has been a
contentious issue in the field of special education for most of the twentieth century. The use
of the word label in this discussion refers to a classifying name given to a condition, disability
or difficulty and the way in which it is attached to children identified with that particular
condition. This use of labels in the form of diagnosis in health care is conventional and
synonymous with a medical model (Beutler, Bongar and Shurkin, 1998).
The balance between the positive and negative effects of labelling children with SEN
continues to be of concern, with some considering it a threat to the inclusion movement
itself (Feiler and Gibson, 1999). Labelling is refers to as the “identification dilemma (problem)”.
This dilemma is perpetuated by the type of legislation that exists in the United States of America
(USA) and the United Kingdom (UK)which requires the identification of children with SEN for
entitlement to additional or different provision and in so doing labels the child as different

Labelling in Special Educational needs person with disability

Labeling refers to the process of identifying that a student meets eligibility criteria for special
education services. The label may refer to SWD, or students with disability, or the eligibility
category label. 
Labeling is a process of creating descriptors to identify persons who differ from the normal.
Normal is a broad relative term. Everyone is different in some way from someone else” (Darrow
and White) as sited in Davis, K. (2004). As human they use numerous labels on a daily basis
without being conscious. They may say the teacher, the doctor, or the principal, this is done to
conjure (raise) up an image of the person in question, and how they might look or act. In a similar
way, we often label persons with disabilities. Why are persons with disabilities ladled? W.L.
Heward (2010) mentioned that “Labeling is required to be included in special educational need.
Under current law, to receive special education services, a child must be identified as having a
disability and, in most cases, must be further classified into one of that state’s categories, such as
mental retardation or learning disabilities”. Persons with disabilities are ladled based on their
medical and educational diagnosis, for example cripple which is used to refer to a person(s) with a
mobility impairment. This may leave one to ask if labeling is all bad. Perhaps “there are some
positive aspects to labeling a person’s disability. This brings to the fore (front) the famous
labelling theory, which states that if an individual is given a certain label (example: “criminal”,
“gangster”, etc.), even if it is a label that negatively affects their reputation, the individual will
resort to behaving like the label. Labels are sometimes used as a prerequisite to receiving federal
funding or to acknowledging accommodations that must be made for a person with a disability”
(Cassidy & Sims, 1990 in Darrow and White)(as sited in Davis, K. (2004 ).

Labeling of students with disabilities:
needed for students to get their needs meet.
Labeling remains a controversial issue in special education. In the past three decades, educators
have been embroiled (involved) in a debate regarding pros and cons of labeling and
categorization of students with disabilities (Hallahan et al., 2009). The proponents (advocate) of
labeling have suggested that labeling may communicate a child’s strengths and weaknesses,
establish a diagnosis, suggest interventions, be used to raise financial support, and provide
foundation for research on etiology and prevention (Ysseldyke & Algozzine, 1990). labeling is
imbedded in the law, recognizes meaningful differences in learning, leads to a proactive
response, provides common language for researchers and professionals, helps in fundraising for
research and other programs, enables disability-specific advocacy to promote programs and spur
legislative action, and helps make exceptional children’s needs more visible to policy makers
members of public (Hallahan et al., 2009). 
The opponents of labeling argue that giving labels to children with disabilities should be stopped 
because it stigmatizes and impacts negatively on those children (Danforth & Rhodes, 1997;
Gartner & Lipsky, 1989; Kliewer & Biklen, 1996; Reschly, 1996; Stainback & Stainback,
1986;Wang & Walberg, 1988). While proponents and opponents of labeling of individuals with
disabilities voice differing opinions, some groups of people with disabilities dislike being too
closely integrated into nondisabled society. For example, some people who are deaf, because of
their difficulty in communicating with the hearing world, prefer associating with other people
who are deaf. For them, normalization does not translate into integration into the larger
community. Students who are deaf feel more socially and emotionally secure. if they have other
students who are deaf with whom they can communicate (Stinson & Whitmire, 1992, 2000).

LABELING CATEGORIZATION IS EMBEDDED IN THE LAW

In the United States, special education and the law are intertwined in an intricate way and cannot
be separated. Right from its conception, special education as a discipline has been shaped and
influenced by the legal process (Turnbull, Stowe, & Huerta, 2007). The current gains, including
educating students with disabilities in inclusive settings, have been won through legal battles. In
1975, the Education of All Handicapped Children’s Act (P.L. 94-142) was passed with the
following fundamental ingredients:
(a) education for students from 3 to 21 years of age,
(b) free and appropriate public education,
(c) identification of students,
(d) non discriminatory assessments,
(e) placement in the least restrictive environment (LRE),
(f) confidentiality of information,
(g) due process procedural safeguards, and
(h) development of Individualized Education Program (IEP).
In 1986, was amended to accommodate young children from birth to 3 years of age. This law
was enacted to provide not just IEPs for children but also Individual Family Support Plans
(IFSP) for parents and guardians in accordance to that focuses on intervention in early childhood.
In 1990, was renamed as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA; IDEA involved
funding for states to provide educational services to students from birth to 21 years of age and
ensured procedural safeguards that guarantee meaningful participation in the evaluation process
for parents (Heward, 2006).
Clearly, labeling is stipulated under the current law as a critical ingredient for eligibility for
special education services. A student must be identified as having a disability and, in most cases,
be further
classified in one of the state’s categories, such as learning disabilities or emotional behavior diso
rders (McLaughlin & Lewis, 2008) to be eligible for special education services.
Therefore, it is imperative to realize that a student becomes eligible for special education
services because of being a member of a given category. Labeling becomes inevitable because it
is the only way through which educators, states, service providers, and local agencies can know
the students for whom they have to provide services. The only exception IDEA makes is for
children of aged 3–7 years who are identified as developmentally delayed and receive special
education services without the use of a specific disability label being attached.

LABELING AS A NECESSARY STEP IN RESPONDING RESPONSIBLY TO
DIFFERENCES
Labeling recognizes meaningful differences in learning or behavior and is a first and necessary
step in responding responsibly to individual Labeling of Students with Disabilities differences.
While universal interventions can be applied to all learners, labels are critical because they
enable educators to adequately address specific needs of individual children. In other words,
instruction comes after labels have been assigned. It would be practically impossible for teachers
to help an individual student unless he/she first knows and clearly understands the kind of
problems
that the student exhibits. Labeling should be assigned professionally, cautiously (carefully) , and 
with common sense so that it does not become an end to itself.
If labels have incorrectly been attached to a certain category, instruction and placement that will
follow cannot be correct. This means that the individual can never maximize his or her highest
potential (Mukuria & Obiakor, 2004).
the category of the disability could be ascertained early, professionals could recognize
meaningful behavior and are more likely to act responsibly to those differences. Labeling a
problem is the first step in dealing with it productively (Kauffman, 1990). Inevitably (predict),
parents of students with disabilities are deeply concerned to know and understand the condition
of their child. Logically, when one is aware of the problem, it is easier to learn how to cope or
deal with it.

UNDERSTANDING PARENTS’ PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL STRESS

It is critical for professionals to understand the emotional and psychological stress parents of
children who have disabilities go through (Ferguson, 2003). Many parents have great concern
and anxiety to know the disability of their child. Studies conducted on the emotional responses
and adjustments of parents after the realization that their child has disabilities indicate that there
is symbolic death of the child that was to be (e.g., Blacher, 2001; Ferguson, 2003; Frey, Fewell,
& Vadasy, 1989). This research has indicated that most parents go through an adjustment process
that may include anger, sadness, and bitterness as they work through their emotions. Some
parents. go from one professional to another trying to find out the condition of their child.
Eventually, when they ascertain the category of the disability of their child, hard as it may be to
accept, they seem to adjust to face the inevitable. They seem to find relief (assistance) when they
learn the exactness of the disability of their child and eventually learn to adjust to the situation.
Knowing the label of the condition is crucial and seems to bring relief for many parents
(Hallahan et al., 2009). It is common knowledge that physicians cannot prescribe medication to a
patient until they have diagnosed a problem. In the same way, unless a teacher knows the
problem he/she is dealing with, it is impossible to know how to address it. It is imperative to first
identify and
categorize the problem the child is experiencing before devising a way of dealing with it.
Labeling is essential before any other steps are taken.
LABELS ARE NECESSARY FOR SELF-APPRECIATION

It is critical for individuals to understand themselves. All people should appreciate who they are.
It is the understanding of an individual’s strengths and weaknesses that enable people to set high
but realistic goals. We do not want individuals to live in a world of self-hate but instead want
them to know and understand their strengths and limitations. Labeling may help students with
disabilities understand themselves and recognize that there are individuals out there who are like
themselves. That realization does not only remove them from isolation but may help them get
some consolation, create a better self-image, help them appreciate themselves, and develop better
self-esteem.

LABELING AS A PROTECTIVE RESPONSE THAT MAY LEAD TO ACCEPTANCE

It is important to realize that people cannot live in a world of hate. People need to know what and
who they are to appreciate themselves and develop a good self-concept. People need to know
who they are before they reach their highest potential. Individuals need to know what they can
and cannot do. That realization is critical in assisting individuals to develop personal goals, self-
evaluation, and a sense of personal worth. The purpose of an IEP is to help individual students
maximize their highest potential. Understanding what an individual can or cannot achieve
enables one to gain self-knowledge that enhances confidence. Professionals should also realize
that people with disabilities need affiliation with others who go through similar experiences and
interests (Hall, 2002).Individuals with the same labels can have much in common and may find
strength and consolation (support) by sharing the common challenges they encounter daily.
Sharing common experiences and challenges these students encounter daily helps them realize
that they are not alone in their struggles and provides them some consolation that they are not
alone in their struggles
LABELING HELPS PROFESSIONALS AND RESEARCHERS COMMUNICATE MORE 
EFFECTIVELY
Special need education is a multifaceted discipline and communication is critical when
professionals from different disciplines work together. Labeling enhances common language for
professionals and researchers by minimizing confusion regarding terminology. This is imperative
because different disciplines may have different labels and terminologies, and unless
professionals come to consensus on labels acceptable to all, confusion may ensue (arise). Special
need education is a dynamic field in which new disorders materialize frequently. Therefore, the
field is constantly involved in identifying etiology and treatment solutions for these new
disorders. Such an undertaking requires a common language of communicating to ease any
confusion. Labeling provides a common language, fosters clarity and understanding, and offers
an avenue (road way) of communication through the use of shared language and concepts which
allows professionals and researchers to work harmoniously and efficiently (Lauchlan & Boyle,
2007).

LABELS ARE NECESSARY FOR FUNDING

Labels are critical for raising funds for special education programs and research. These funds
enable special educators, researchers, and related professionals to keep track of information
about emerging and known Labeling of Students with Disabilities. This information is critical for
planning education, treatment, and research endeavors at national, state, and local levels. While
the federal government does not directly get involved in educational, treatment, and research
matters related to individuals with disabilities directly, it does so indirectly through the provision
of categorical monetary grants (Turnbull et al., 2007).
When grants are given to state and local governmental agencies and private organizations, the
federal government requires an accounting of the funds distributed by specific disability
categories. Therefore, labeling and categorization of disabilities become inevitable in this
endeavor. Financial resources are critical in special education for starting new programs and also
for research. Inevitably, funding and resources for research in institutions of higher education
and other programs are often based on specific categories of exceptionality. It would be
impossible for the fund-raisers to look for money without having a specific label or category in
mind making labels very necessary.
LABELS CAN ASSIST ADVOCACY GROUPS
Individuals and ideas have played critical roles in shaping the history of special education. Much
of the progress that has been made over the years in special education has been achieved
primarily by the collective efforts of parents and professionals. Since the inception (start) of
special education, parent organizations have played pivotal (critical) roles in furthering the
progressive education and treatment of individuals with disabilities. Parents’ organizations have
typically served three functions: (1) providing informal groups for parents to discuss common
problems and needs and help one another to deal with anxiety and frustrations; (2) disseminating
information pertinent and potential services for their children; and (3) providing the structure for
obtaining salient services for their children. Organizations such as The Learning Disabilities
Association, The Autism Society of America, and The Association for Retarded Citizens are a
few examples that came about as a result of parents’ efforts. The passage of P.L.94-142 reveals
what can be achieved when citizens and parents of children with disabilities unite for a common
purpose, namely, the public education for all handicapped children.
The history of special education litigation and legislation demonstrates emphatically how parents
with disabilities, special education professionals, and concerned citizens working together can
improve the quality of education and treatment of children with disabilities. Parent and
professional advocacy groups are formidable forces for pressing federal and state governments to
give more funds programs for children with special education needs. Success of advocacy groups
is enhanced when individuals with disabilities are advocates for themselves. There can never be
a stronger force than when people with disabilities speak for themselves. Labeling is important
for enabling disability-specific advocacy groups to promote specific programs and spur
legislative action. This is critical because from the inception of special education, advocacy
groups have played a critical role in furthering the course of special education.

Advantages and Disadvantages:

Advantages of labeling.
1. Labeling the disability spotlights (attention) the problem for the public. Labeling can spark
social concern and aid advocacy efforts. When persons are labeled, advocacy groups now
have an opportunity to identify the problem and lobby for it on behalf of the individuals. In
other words, Labeling creates cohesive (consistency) communication for advocacy groups.
2. Labeling of people with disability are giving to chances for the meeting of their needs and
received services and government, other stockholder may be allocated fund rise for special
educational needs individuals
3. Labeling may make the majority without disabilities more tolerant of the minority with
disabilities. Labeling provides the person without the disability an opportunity to research
about the condition and make them more tolerant (understanding) of the person with the
 disability. This is so because people are labeled based on their educational or medical
diagnosis.
4. Labeling makes it easier for legislators to understand the need for laws protecting the rights
of individuals with disabilities. In cases where applicable, labeling allow legislators to see
the discrimination that persons with disabilities face thus, making legislators develop laws to
protects persons with disabilities.
5. Labeling has led to the development of specialized teaching methods, assessment
approaches, and behavioral interventions that are useful for teachers of all students. By
labeling, educators are able to research the disabilities and identify or develop specialized
methods to teach students with the varied disabilities.

Disadvantages of labeling.

1. Students cannot receive special education services until they are labeled. In many
instances, the intervention comes too late. Students with disabilities are at a disadvantage
when they have to wait to be labeled before they can receive special education services. In
essence, the need to label students before help arrives undermines a preventive approach
to mild learning problems.
2. Diagnostic labels are unreliable, and the educational evaluation process is filled with
many little differences.
3. Labels tend to focus on impairment and may encourage people to see the impairment
instead of the child. Often times when a child is labeled, the person without the disability
focuses on the child limitations and not their strength. The onlooker id forced not to look
pass the disability, while the real beauty is shoved aside by the label.
4. When a child is labeled, the blame and guilt is forced onto the shoulders of the parent.
This makes the parent feel as if their child is constantly discriminated and the parent
eventually feels that it is their fault. As a result, the parent may with draw the child from
the wider society as a means of protection.
5. Labels may result in lower expectations for the child than for peers. In some cases, the
moment a child is labeled, the expectation of the child is lowered. As a result of the child
disabilities, they are not expected to perform at a high standard as the rest of the class or
their peers in general.
 6. All children have some difficulties and challenges regarding behavior. Labels can
exaggerate a student’s actions in the eyes of a teacher, and they may overreact to
behavior of a child who is labeled that would be tolerated in another.
7. Labels often unintentionally blame the parents for the student’s problems

Identification and labeling implications for promoting special need and

inclusive education
Labeling in inclusive classroom setting has a bearing (manner) on the teaching strategies,
learning activities, formulation of objectives, nature of instructional materials and time allocated
for learners. For example, depending on the degree of impairment, a teacher might allocate more
time to a severely impaired child as opposed to one who is mildly disabled both working on the
same task. Therefore labeling and identification is necessary in inclusive education setting b/c
special educational teachers or other general education teacher to teach their student to meet need
may have accommodate, adaptation and modification of the curriculum, teaching method,
assessment ways…forth based on their experiences, grade level, disability severity. The main
important point of labeling and identification is the early time to identify the risky problem to
detect and allocated eligibility services and placement. That placement may have special need
and inclusive education setting.
Norwich’s (1993) ‘identification dilemma’ highlights the issue of identifying and labelling
children for the purpose of accessing special provision and consequently risking these
children being treated differently, if children who are experiencing difficulties in learning are not
identified, then there is the risk of them not receiving the resources they need to facilitate access
to the curriculum and learning.
“Identifying and labeling students in the specific categories of disability allows professionals to
design an educational plan specifically for the student which will best meet the students'
educational needs.” By labeling a child, they will receive extra services that they may not have
been able to receive otherwise.

Conclusion
It is argued here that the use of
labels in inclusive education has
not proven to be very effective
in
driving educational equity and
excellence. This is because
disability labelling predisposes
some students to
be marked out amongst their
peers and subjected to
exclusionary educational
practices, or to be excluded
socially by peers. Boyle (2014)
argues that the perspective of a
student with a label will vary
according to
personality and the type of
label attributed. This means,
while some students with
labels can cope with
peers’ ridicule and teasing, the
majority of students who are
labelled do experience problems
with their
self-esteem.
In a mainstream environment
access to resources can be
difficult to achieve without
labelling,
therefore labelling may be
necessary but, in some cases,
may also be harmful to those
that are allocated
certain labels, for example,
labels come with the risk of
stigmatisation. Norwich (2008)
refers to this as the
‘dilemma of difference’, that
is, the dilemma of identifying
need and risking stigma, or
alternatively
avoiding stigma by not
identifying need and therefore
losing out on additional
resources and thus not fully
meeting the needs of the child.
A policy of inclusive education
should ensure that appropriate
resources are
provided to the local school in
order to allocate appropriately
to all those children that are in
need, but as
has been demonstrated this
can often be a very arbitrary
process. Arguments have been
presented that
16
having a label can provide a
degree of comfort and relief to
parents as well as to the
children and young
people themselves
In a mainstream environment access to resources can be difficult to achieve without
labelling, therefore labelling may be necessary but, in some cases, may also be harmful to
those that are allocated certain labels, for example, labels come with the risk of stigmatization.
Norwich (2008) refers to this as the ‘dilemma of difference’, that is, the dilemma of
identifying need and risking stigma, or alternatively avoiding stigma by not identifying need
and therefore losing out on additional resources and thus not fully meeting the needs of the child.
A policy of inclusive education should ensure that appropriate resources are provided to the local
school in order to allocate appropriately to all those children that are in need, but as has been
demonstrated this can often be a very arbitrary process. Arguments have been presented
that having a label can provide a degree of comfort and relief to parents as well as to the
children and young people themselves implication

Conclusion
It is argued here that the use of
labels in inclusive education has
not proven to be very effective
in
driving educational equity and
excellence. This is because
disability labelling predisposes
some students to
be marked out amongst their
peers and subjected to
exclusionary educational
practices, or to be excluded
socially by peers. Boyle (2014)
argues that the perspective of a
student with a label will vary
according to
personality and the type of
label attributed. This means,
while some students with
labels can cope with
peers’ ridicule and teasing, the
majority of students who are
labelled do experience problems
with their
self-esteem.
In a mainstream environment
access to resources can be
difficult to achieve without
labelling,
therefore labelling may be
necessary but, in some cases,
may also be harmful to those
that are allocated
certain labels, for example,
labels come with the risk of
stigmatisation. Norwich (2008)
refers to this as the
‘dilemma of difference’, that
is, the dilemma of identifying
need and risking stigma, or
alternatively
avoiding stigma by not
identifying need and therefore
losing out on additional
resources and thus not fully
meeting the needs of the child.
A policy of inclusive education
should ensure that appropriate
resources are
provided to the local school in
order to allocate appropriately
to all those children that are in
need, but as
has been demonstrated this
can often be a very arbitrary
process. Arguments have been
presented that
16
having a label can provide a
degree of comfort and relief to
parents as well as to the
children and young
people themselves
References.

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Considering the Effectiveness of Labelling in Special Education, Educational and Child
Psychology, 34(4), 9-19.
Algraigray, H. &Boyle, C. (2017). The SEN label and its effect on special education.
Educational and Child Psychology, 34(4), 70-81.
Boyle, C. (2014). Labelling in special education: Where do the benefits lie? In A. Holliman (Ed.)
The Routledge International Companion to Educational Psychology (pp. 213-221). London:
Routledge.
Arishi, A.,Boyle, C. & Lauchlan, F. (2017). Inclusive Education and the Politics of Difference:
Considering the Effectiveness of Labelling in Special Education, Educational and Child
Psychology, 34(4), 9-19. Barry, M. (2006) Labelling Students: What Purpose is Served? LEARN
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