Exceptional Child I: Building Understanding [Video]
Rhoda Olenick, Barbara Lancelot
Part 1 of two videotape cassettes, this 29-minute videotape recording presents information on the development of children with exceptionalities, focusing on building understanding.
Overview from the Developing Child Workbook for Exceptional Child I:
Exceptional children require special or adapted learning environments to reach their full potential. Over time the perspective on exceptional children has changed from a medical to an ecological approach in which the whole child is considered, not just his or her exceptional characteristics.
While parents are an important part of the treatment and education team, society at large also has a role to play. Society has accepted its responsibility by enacting legislation to provide the resources needed by these special children.
Exceptionality is divided into seven categories. These are: Intellectual including the gifted and mentally retarded; learning disabilities; speech and language impairments; sensory including auditory and visual disabilities; behavioral including emotionally disturbed or socially maladjusted; multiple and severe disabilities; and physical including those with impeded mobility and impaired vitality.
The causes of exceptionality are many. Children must be accurately identified so their educational needs will be best served in the least restrictive environment.
Rhoda Olenick, Barbara Lancelot. Exceptional Child I: Building Understanding [Video] (1998). Magna Systems, Inc.: Crystal Lake, IL.
(58 pages).
Language: English
Reading Level: Average
Formats Available: Videotape
(Discount for bulk orders. One workbook is free with each videotape order. Additional workbooks are $27.50 each)
Magna Systems, Inc.
500 Coventry Lane
Suite 200
Crystal Lake, IL
60014
Phone: (800) 203-7060
Fax: (815) 459-4280
Email: magna@rsmi.com
URL: http://www.magnasystems.com/
Languages Available: English
Exceptional Child II: Focusing on Nurturing and Learning [Video]
Intended User Audience:
The intended users are teachers, caregivers, and service providers in early childhood education.
Product Development:
The above authors, who are professionals in early childhood education, along with those that appear in each videotape developed the videotapes. Those in the videotapes are from a variety of cultural and linguistic backgrounds, including European Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics, and African Americans.
Product Evaluation:
The series has not been formally evaluated.
Product Dissemination:
Thousands of the videotapes have been distributed throughout North America and worldwide.
Review #1
About the reviewer:
The reviewer has been an occupational therapist and an administrator
for early intervention and special education programs serving
individuals with developmental delays and autism, ages birth through
adulthood. The programs served primarily an urban, African American
population. More recent educational consulting has been in support
of early childhood programs serving increasing numbers of Latino and
Asian families. The reviewer's interests include implementing the
Americans with Disabilities Act in early childhood programs,
supporting cultural competence in early childhood educators, and
managing the health care for populations with special needs. The
reviewer is a candidate for an Ed.D. in special education at The
George Washington University.
Audience:
The developer's information states that this videotape series is for use by teachers, caregivers, and service providers in early childhood education. At the beginning of each tape is a statement that the videotape series "provides the setting for the understanding of the unfolding process of human development." The tapes are produced in English, but do not appear to be written for a specific geographical region within the United States or with a specific cultural or linguistic group in mind. Both tapes would also be useful to any individual who has little knowledge of exceptionalities and the special education process, and would like to be introduced to the topic. Besides the intended groups, the materials may be useful to students of child development and parents. Comprehension level is easy to average.
Strengths of the Material:
Exceptional Child I
This videotape introduces the viewer to exceptionalities. It discusses the following: the change in approach from a medical model to an ecological model; seven categories of exceptionalities; definitions of the categories, their incidence and causes; and refers to legislation for education of the disabled. A great deal of information is provided in a succinct manner. Throughout the videotape a variety of children are depicted in many educational settings.
Exceptional Child II
This videotape addresses the following: the reaction of a parent to having child with disability, family systems theory and impact of a child with a disability, and educational programming and the teacher's role for a child with a disability.
General
Both videotapes provide very basic information about exceptionalities and talk about some important concepts - an ecological model, multiple intelligences, family systems theory, and inclusion. The videotape content is reinforced by a workbook with an overview of the content, questions to consider, vocabulary, learning objectives, and a self-study quiz.
Limitations of the Material:
Exceptional Child I
The term exceptionality is used appropriately to include children who are gifted and talented as well as children with disabilities. However, the viewer may become confused when the subsequent discussion on the videotape addresses the causes of exceptionality and educational services under P. L. 94-142 (IDEA) that apply only to children with disabilities. It might be easier to understand if the discussion of children who are gifted and talented was completed and then followed by the discussion of children with disabilities.
The videotape refers to IDEA but does not categorize disabilities in the same way. It uses seven categories rather than the fourteen disability categories in the law. In relation to the law, it might be helpful if the categories from the law were referenced under the categories used in the videotape. There is also no mention of how children receive those designations or the use of Child Find services. In addition, this reviewer believes that a cautionary note should be added about labeling children. A categorical label often does not fully describe a child and may limit the services some children can receive.
The tape cites the lack of funding and professional leadership as the reason for lack of educational services and does not talk about social attitudes toward the disabled.
The workbook has several typographical errors, and it would help the user if vocabulary definitions are fully consistent with the narrative in the videotape.
Exceptional Child II
Both videotapes attempt to cover a great deal of content in a small amount of time, but this reviewer feels that there are some missed opportunities to enhance the understanding of the viewer and promote best practice. For example:
· Reactions to a child with a disability and family systems theory can be strongly influenced by culture. There is no reference to the many differences among families.
· The videotape talks about benefits parents receive from support of professionals. Today's practice should be family-centered. Parent-teacher collaboration is very important and teachers also benefit from the support and information that parents provide.
· Special education for children with disabilities under the law is a mandated right. One of the services provided is Child Find. This is an important resource for early childhood teachers, caregivers, and service providers to know about and use.
· Changes made to laws are amendments; the term reauthorization indicates financial support enacted through congress.
General
It might be helpful to the workbook user to have the instructional objectives at the beginning of each section. Additional activities will be needed to extend learning from a knowledge level to an application level.
Adaptations:
This series seems to be structured for self-study. This method is helpful to students for self-pacing and self-checks on learning. This reviewer feels that the use of these materials would be greatly enhanced if facilitated by someone very familiar with disabilities, special education as well as education, and programs provided to children who are gifted and talented.
Generalizability:
The discussion of family and educator interactions and special education are based on the system in the United States. These materials could be used in any locality in the United States. Although the depiction of children is varied by age and appearance, the expressed purpose for the videotapes and workbook is an understanding of development. They were not developed with cultural competence as a training outcome.
Recommendations:
Recommended with adaptations. This reviewer recommends these materials for use if facilitated by someone familiar with children with exceptionalities and programming to meet their needs. They are not recommended for use for self-study alone. Typographical errors in workbooks should be corrected.
Producer's Response:
Not available at this time.
Review #2
About the reviewer:
The reviewer works at a child development center in a southeastern
state. She has led strategic planning efforts designed to promote
systemic change in pre-service and in-service personnel preparation
in over 30 states. She is a frequent presenter at workshops and
institutes on methods and materials for improving the quality of
early intervention personnel preparation, inter-professional teamwork,
cultural diversity, and family-centered practices. She has written
articles and chapters in each of these areas. She writes a quarterly
column designed to connect practitioners with resources to improve
services to young children with special needs and their families.
Audience:
The Developing Child is a series of 33 videotapes designed to "support understanding of the unfolding process of human development from the beginning through adolescence." CL01823 - Exceptional Child I: Building Understanding and CL01824 - Exceptional Child II: Focusing on Nurturing and Learning are two of the earliest tapes in that series. Exceptional Child I provides an overview of the history of exceptionality (medical model, ecological model), legislative highlights, and discussion of seven major categories of ex-ceptionality (intellectual, learning disability, communication, sensory, behavior, multiple severe, physical and health). Each category of exceptionality is discussed in terms of definition, identification, prevalence and causes, and types. Exceptional Child II explores the lives of children with exceptionalities in the context of family and community, in-cluding information about family systems (Turnbull and Turnbull), inclusion, and support from professionals.
These materials were developed as an overview of key concepts and intended for use by teachers, caregivers, and service providers. They do not cover any topic comprehensively. The coverage, however, is clear, thoughtful, and designed to support diverse learning styles (auditory + visual + print).
As an introduction to any awareness-level audience, both tapes provide straightforward discussions and illustrations of basic information: history of exceptionality, categories of exceptionality, home-school collaboration, etc. The vocabulary is not highly technical and would be clearly understood by most audiences of U.S. residents for whom English is the primary language. Exceptional Child II includes information on family systems (including interview segments with three parents and a student) and would be useful in sharing in-formation with students, providers, and families.
Strengths of the Material:
Visually, these videos are largely reflective of cultural diversity. The colorful, appealing images depict diverse individuals in a variety of natural environments. Auditorily, they consistently cast exceptionality in a positive context, emphasizing that all learners have strengths and needs. The importance of family members as partners with professionals is highlighted, and suggestions of supports that family members can seek from professionals and schools are offered.
In general, current and recommended practices are reflected in the tapes. For example, many film segments are home and community-based, providing a visual illustration of natural environments. Another segment (II) offers one family's testimonial for inclusion as a support for their daughter's learning and friendships. Written materials accompany-ing the videotapes offer questions for stimulating discussion, handouts, and a pre-test and post-test option.
Limitations of the Material:
While the videos are largely reflective of cultural diversity, there are areas in which they could and should have done more. For example, the importance of being sensitive to cultural and linguistic variables in utilizing assessment tools and strategies is mentioned once in the segment on communication disorders (I) but never mentioned again in any other context. In segments offering family and student insights (II), all four of the speak-ers appear to be Anglo European, in contrast to the diverse images of exceptional learners provided throughout both films. While this was probably not intended to exclude diverse family views, that is the ultimate impression that viewers are left with.
Some important current terminology is not mentioned (e.g., natural environments, IFSP). However, natural environments are clearly illustrated and could be pointed out by a skill-ful trainer. Also, several references are made to IEPs, which would also allow a trainer to mention IFSPs and to explore the differences between the two types of planning approaches.
Adaptations:
Most of the examples (stated or implied) seem to relate to school-aged children. Because of the diversity of environments in which infants and toddlers are served (NICU, home, child care, etc.), it would be helpful to augment the tape with 0-3 examples. Also, these are tapes that could be shown in segments and reinforced with updated or additional in-formation. For example, the segment on legislation (I) could easily be linked to a discus-sion of federal and state laws and policies. Or, the segment on managing challenges (II) could extend the brief discussion on internal and external resources to include a variety of culturally responsive options in both categories.
Generalizability:
As an introduction, these materials would be suitable to any awareness-level audience of U.S. residents for whom English is the primary language.
Recommendations:
Recommended (visually engaging).
Producer's Response:
Not available at this time.
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