Dear Barbara,

Congratulations to you for this successful academic endeavor.  You must be
very happy about your accomplishment.

If it seems that my following comments are personally critical, please
remember that I regard misconception as the enemy, rather than the person.

Having acquired my disability in adulthood, and having no children, I fall
into no category of person who's opinion you've solicited.  I still have a
comment to offer, if I may.  By the way, you didn't mention it, but I assumed
you intended to include the opinions of those on the list who have lifelong
disabilities as well as parents of children with disabilities.  That concern
comes immediately to the mind of this disabled adult's "nothing about us
without us" mentality.

Let me set disability to the side for a moment then, and comment on societal
issues, the true disablers.  As I indicated, there are those here who can
more appropriately comment on disability-specific issues as they relate to
the education of children.

Your description of children with disabilities is indeed accurate.  They are
special, in the way that all children are special.  The children with whom
you intend to work, however, are members of the most oppressed minority.  In
thinking of this context, I become suspicious of the word "special."  It may
mean nothing more than a random choice of words to describe children who have
differences that distinguish them from children who more closely represent
the standard human model.

On the other hand, the word "special" is an oft employed component of the
lexicon of ablism.  It is a euphemism that ultimately suggests nothing else
than that these children are less than non disabled children in some
significant way.  It does not mean that they are special at all, but I
believe that it does serve to keep them separated.  I have seen that too many
parents have to fight absurd fights to get basic accommodations for their
children, to buy into the assertion that this society considers children with
disabilities to be special.

Other than that comment, I'm inclined to believe that the best special
education for a child with a disability is to encourage him to develop an
intimate familiarity with the teachings of Sun Tzu.  I intend no sarcasm.

Betty Alfred

In a message dated 3/4/2002 1:49:03 AM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:


>  Hello:
>
>    My name is Barbara.  I have returned to school after twenty years and in
> April I willgraduate as an Educational Assistant.  I have done some work
> with children with disabilities and I am looking forward to doing this full
> time.  I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity to do something that
> I have wanted to do for years, working with very special children.I was
> hoping some of you would be kind enough to share what you would like to see
> in a person who is working with your child. Because I will strive to be the
> best E.A.
>
>    Thank you.
>    Barbara
>