Neurodiversity: The Future of Special Education?

https://goo.gl/vFJpKw

At some point, the field of special education needs to rid itself of its negative baggage and embrace a more progressive way of educating students who learn differently. The concept of neurodiversity provides the catalyst for such a change.

A neurodiversity-based approach to special education differs in many ways from the special education system currently operating in most schools. Figure 1 summarizes these differences—some theoretical and some more practical. Let's look at a few of the differences that have the most powerful implications.

Figure 1. A Tale of Two Special Education Paradigms


Elements of Deficit-Based Special Education

Elements of Strengths-Based Special Education (Grounded in Neurodiversity)

Focus

Disability

Diversity

Assessment methods

Testing to detect deficits, disorders, and dysfunctions

Assessing strengths and challenges

Instructional approaches

Remediating weaknesses

Building on strengths and using them to overcome challenges

Theoretical foundations

Genetics, neurobiology

Evolutionary psychobiology, social and ecological theory

View of the brains of students with special needs

In many cases, the brain is seen as damaged, dysfunctional, or disordered

Part of the natural human variation of all human brains

Program goals

Meeting instructional objectives

Developing human potential

Student goal

Learning to live with your disability

Learning to maximize your strengths and minimize your weaknesses

Student self-awareness

Explaining students' disabilities to them using machine-based metaphors

Helping students value their diverse brains using growth mindset, neuroplasticity, and "brain forest" metaphors