Abuse in special education includes the use of restraint and

seclusion Seclusion is the act of secluding (i.e. isolating from society), the state of being secluded, or a place that facilitates it (a secluded place). A person, couple, or larger group may go to a secluded place for privacy or peace and quiet. The ...

special education Special education (also known as special-needs education, aided education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, and SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates their individual di ...

settings for disabled students, but can also refer to students being threatened with violence or staff withholding food. This abuse often leaves students with trauma and can leave the parents feeling guilt for the abuse. Abuse in special education also includes physical and sexual abuse by educators and other staff members.

Types of Abuse

Aversives

Special educators sometimes use aversive techniques as a way to change the behavior of disabled students. Aversives used in special education include lemon juice, noxious odors, and electric shock. Use of aversive techniques can be effective in behavior modification and is sometimes recommended for severe self-injurious behavior. However, there are significant concerns associated with its use, including "withdrawl, aggression, generalization, imitation, and negative self-statements."

Restraints and seclusion

Restraints are used in special education to prevent unwanted student behavior or to impose punishment. Restraints can include tie-downs or forced holding. Risks associated with restraint use in special education include physical and psychological injury to students and staff members. Many students have gone home with bruises from being restrained by staff often without being properly reported and leaving the student with trauma. Although restraints can be used in general education settings, they are disproportionately used in special education. Research in the United States indicated that 80% of students who were restrained at school in the 2017-2018 school year received special education services. Additionally, most identified cases of abuse or death resulting from physical restraint at school in the United States between 1990 and 2009 involved disabled students. Students are also locked in what are called seclusion rooms or padded cells. The U.S. Civil Rights Data Collection initiative defines seclusion as "the involuntary confinement of a student alone in a room or area from which the student is physically prevented from leaving." In 2015, an 8-year-old student at a California school was dragged down his school's hallways by three staff members and locked in a windowless seclusion room; he was later found laying in his own blood. Research in the United States indicated that 80% of students who were subjected to seclusion at school in the 2017-2018 school year received special education services.

Sexual abuse

Research about abuse in disabled children indicates that many face sexual abuse while in educational settings. Students with vision and hearing impairment in special education schools in Botswana reported sexual abuse including groping and rape. The same study also reported physical abuse and financial exploitation.

Underlying causes

Multiple factors contribute to the increased risk of abuse faced by disabled children in special educational settings, including: * Conditioning to "comply with authority" * Perception of students as "easy targets" * Students being unable to recognize abuse * Students being unable to report abuse * Limited access to information on sexual abuse prevention

References