We know that people can be cruel to one another for a variety of reasons. It’s a widely known fact that people with disabilities are more vulnerable to teasing, harassment and bullying behaviors. That’s why bullying is a special education issue.
Like all children, students with special needs have the right to feel safe and have the right to be educated in a safe environment. However, if as a result of a disability a student is being bullied, then that needs to be an issue that’s addressed through the IEP. The goal is for the child to learn behaviors so that he or she can advocate for himself or herself in a socially challenging situation.
In this program, educators will learn the importance of implementing a social skill program through speech and language therapists, social workers and special education teachers. Viewers will come to understand that positive outcomes can occur when the team focuses on what the skill deficits are for a child in social skills and pragmatic language, and can slowly, develop those skills for that child.
Presented by
Jo Ann Freiberg, Ph.D.Education Consutant: School Climate and Bullying
Jennifer Laviano, Special Education Attorney
Julie Swanson, Disability Specialist
