Introduction to Intellectual Disability: Interview with Special and Regular Education Teachers Daryl C Martin
Grand Canyon University: SPE 351
October 8, 2014

Introduction to Intellectual Disability: Interview with Special and Regular Education Teachers In the world of special education, Intellectual Disability or ID, has been scrutinized, manipulated and revolutionized to bring it to its current positons in education. For many years ID, had many other names to describe the individuals that were said to have abnormal cognitive and social skills. They have been labeled from idiots and fools, to the mentally challenged or retarded. Subsequently, due to the painstaking work by professionals, in medicine, psychology, education, and the government, society has cultivated a new era of acceptance and reform when it comes to special education and individuals with Intellectual Disabilities. Although defining and classifying ID can be difficult, there are laws and guidelines in place to help regulate and point educators in the right direction. An interview as conducted to understand the present state of ID and to get a firm understanding of what educators go through what is felt about where the progress of ID is today. Those interviewed were member of the SPED team and those teams members consisted of Summer White, a regular education teacher and Vikram Kharod, a special education teacher. These individuals make up the SPED team for the purpose of this class
Issues relating to the Terminology, Law and Identification of ID
According to both Mrs. White and Mr. Kharod, terminology and identifications of ID has been an ongoing struggle for years. It has been change many times to enhance what people thought about people with ID and what terms should be used. The current law about ID is outlined in the IDEA which states, “Significantly sub average general intellectual