Is Speech Therapy part of Special Education?
The definition of special education is “specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child.” So, by that definition, yes, speech therapy is a form of special education. Also, in theory, one could argue that the Gifted and Talented Program (GT program) is a form of special education because the GT program meets a unique need. In some cases, children qualify for the GT program and speech therapy at the same time. For example, I have had students in the GT with off-the-chart academic performance in math while qualifying for speech therapy due to a weakness in social communication skills (pragmatic language).
Unfortunately, special education often receives negative connotations. I believe that it is essential that each child receive a quality education challenging them to become better members of society. Each day, my school-age clients challenge me to become a better person and clinician.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, it was impressive how each of my young clients pushed through and agreed to work hard to make the best of our given situation. We agreed that we were a team and continued to take ownership of our speech therapy goals. Indeed, speech therapy falls under the category of special education. I believe that special education is not a bad thing, as it facilitates each child to learn and grow at their optimal pace.
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