Physically Impaired Students Becoming Educationally Impaired

Students often find themselves terrified with the thought of failing. Students can
become traumatized with many worries that can range between home and school -
personal issues (health problems, family issues) to even community issues. Resulting in
stressing out and distracting their mind from the lesson at hand, these problems can
have a big impact on the mental state, and affect their academic performance. In rare
cases, this goes for the advantage of the individual because once the problems subside,
the affected individual becomes a stronger person mentally or physically. However, if
there is no assistance, students wouldnt be able to reach their highest potential of
success. They are haunted by their past experiences that can hinder them from their
bright futures. Unfortunately, some cases are inescapable. Millions of people around the
world are affected by birth defects, or implications found during their childhood or later.
They are often looked down by the world because they arent able to do tasks that non-
impaired people can. From education to their careers, they are held back and arent
given the full attention that they need and deserve. Physically impaired students are at a
great disadvantage, schools and parents are at fault because they fail to support their
education, their future may not be as bright because of their disability, and students are
excluded from daily school activities and peers.
On the other hand, opponents of this opposition claim that their strategies for the
physically impaired are effective for them. The National Bullying Prevention Center
states that Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Title II of the Americans with
Disabilities Act, requires schools to take immediate action in the matter that a disabled
student is being bullied. The government is doing something so that underprivileged
students are able to have rights to stand up for themselves. Its smart that the
government has implemented special laws for disabled children, because they are given
rights just as normal people are given- to stand up for themselves. Also, the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states that disabled students are put into regular
classes whenever they are able to. Schools can make special classrooms to accommodate
for their needs, such as getting braille textbooks or wheelchair accessible desks.
Disabled kids now have a chance to be like the rest- and be treated like one. The
chances of disabled kids to have a successful future depends on how they are educated at
schools- and having a classroom where they can be included is ideal for their growth and
preparedness in the real world. The physically impaired are given opportunities to
widen their experience in the outside world, as well as receive education like the others.
However, majority of disabled students are unable to see their dreams of success
come to a reality. The World Health Organization (WHO) states Global data from the
World Health Survey show that employment rates are lower for disabled men (53%) and
disabled women (20%) than for non-disabled men (65%) and women (30%). Lack of
education and funding are highly factored in this statistic. Because of this, a lot of
disabled children are affected since they arent able to receive the education needed for
their respected fields. Disabled students will have a harder time making a living because
they arent able to receive jobs, because of their unescapable health issues. SRI
International, a research group, for the Education Departments Office of Special
Education Programs states that about 77 percent of students interviewed while in high
school said they aspired to get a postsecondary education, but only 31 percent had taken
some postsecondary classes in the period after they finished. Disabled students have
great hopes for their future, but unfortunately they arent able to see that happen
because of troubles in high school that follow them in college. Schools need to do a
better job of offering services for disabled students, so they too will be able to have a
brighter future. Disabled students have low chances of making a bright future, because
of the defects that hinder them from doing so.
As much as disabled students want to succeed, some have no choice but to fail.
According to the United Nations Childrens Fund, millions of children with disabilities
arent included in education plans because of poor research and a lack of knowledge on
how to include them in the classroom. The lack of research done on how to educate the
disabled has resulted in them not being able to know what they should know. They
arent able to absorb as much knowledge, meaning that they will have a harder time
trying to become normal- such as getting a job & starting a living. Young Peoples
Disabilities also reports Parents with several children often give priority to children
without disabilities with regard to paying for books or school uniforms, assuming that
an education will be less important for children with disabilities. It is an unfair
disadvantage to not recieve the best possible things for their specific needs because
parents fail to see their true potential. These children should be given more hope and
parents should be striving to give them the best possible education thats geared toward
them. No parent likes to see their children fail. Without the support and a subsequent
amount of research, disabled students have no choice but not reach their maximum
potentials.
Disabled students are being excluded in their everyday lives. The American Printing
House for the Blinds Elaine Blinde and Sarah Mccalister reports that disabled students
have a variety of negative feelings toward their physical education classes, mainly
caused by exclusion. A testimony from Warren, a 13-year old with a birth defect, that
reports that he was being embarrassed in physical education class, stating ...Because I
cant walk well, I cant run well, I cant do volleyball that well, I cant do any kind of
sport well and this here P.E class I always get embarrassed. Disabled students need
moral support from their peers and teachers so that they dont feel bad, which they
shouldnt since they have no faults in why they have certain defects. Its hard for
students that suffer from impairments because they arent able to things that students
their age can do, and that feeling alone makes them feel isolated from the rest. Studies
from the British Journal of Learning Support (2008) also shows that 60% of disabled
students are bullied, compared to 25% of all students being bullied. Students with
physical disabilities feel left out and not wanted in school, which can lead to serious
depression and a low mental state. Although the government has placed laws to prevent
these things from happening, the vast majority of disabled kids arent able to speak their
voices about their problems in fear of their peers. Physically impaired students are being
left out and tormented by their peers, which needs to be addressed for the safety of the
students.
Little has been done for the disabled. Laws have been put in place to help disabled
students achieve their full potential. However, they arent able to have bright futures,
like people have said they would. Physically impaired students have lower employment
rates and its tougher for them to make a living. The disabled success rates are very low
and their future is bleak, due to the lack of education and research for their specific
needs, as well as underestimated potential of their possible success. These students are
abandoned from daily involvement, feeling bad for having their health issues, which
could lead to mental health problems which holds them back, and they arent able to
learn to their full potential. With lack of support from schools and parents, physically
impaired students arent given the privilege of having a bright future, are not giving the
maximum chance to succeed and are often with bad mental thoughts from their peers.
Disabled students are just like us, and are special in their own ways. Taking care of them
should be a priority to ensure that everyone has a chance to succeed in their future-
disabled or not. We can help them out at school by including them in activities, creating
classrooms that are handicapped, and by encouraging them to be at their highest
potential. Disabled people need a voice to be heard, and as humans, we need to take care
of one another.
Its our job as individuals to be nice and understanding, they can be going through
situations that we cant fathom going through.

SOURCES:
P#1: PACER.ORG - National Bullying Prevention Center (United States Department of
Education & Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
P #2: World Health Organization , World Report on Disability & "After High School: A
First Look at the Postschool Experiences of Youth With Disabilities," was prepared by
SRI International, a research group, for the Education Department's Office of Special
Education Programs
P#3: United Nations Childrens Fund May 2013 Fact Sheet on Children and Young
Peoples Disabilities
P#4: American Printing House for the Blind, Elaine Blinde & Sarah Mccallister
Listening to the Voices of Students with Physical Disabilities & PACER.ORG - National
Bullying Prevention Center (Study from British Journal of Learning Support, 2008)