In completing this assignment, I came to the natural conclusion that my focus should lie in the referral process found at the few international schools operating here in Korea. Considering that my job of choice would be found at an international school, I felt researching how the school dealt with the topic of disabilities in Korea would be beneficial. I was able to contact and interview a guidance counselor and three teachers who focused on disabilities in Korea, their insight into the referral process were both enlightening and informative.
Initially, at the start of my first interview, I assumed that this school didn’t have an effective system for dealing with those who had disabilities; because the program is only two years old and is still a work in progress. There was a quasi-system of support in place, but one that didn’t meet my expectations especially when viewed in terms of the counselor’s explanation. I had envisioned something more along the lines of Activity 1’s video about Finland, proper IEP’s. To be fair though, this is their second year with an Enhanced Learning Center Specialist or ELCS (pronounced ELKS). The head counselor whom I spoke with was unaware of any programs before her arrival 3 years prior so it’s “bumpy” for everyone she stressed. The referral processes consists of 1.) a Google form in which teachers fill out and send to the counselor, these reference the student and the type of disability whether it be social, emotional, mental or academic. 2.) The counselor then talks with the teacher about what support they’re looking for. 3.) The counselor then contacts the Enhanced Learning Center Specialist and connects the teacher to the ELCS. 4.) The ELC specialist and teacher work together to modify the classroom setting, in addition to creating supplementary and specific targeted material to enhance and support the student learning capabilities. Once an IED between the ELCS and teacher has been created it’s the teacher that has the responsibility of seeing the student succeed. There’s no government oversight on the IED, and no appeal process for parents who might feel their child isn’t getting the required help they may need. The school holds all the power in this situation.
As the conversation continued, I learned that during the schools admission process, students with mild disabilities were more likely to be accepted while those with more severe handicaps were typically denied entrance. During the intake process each student is asked for recommendations and information from previous schools and teachers. Two things they specifically ask for are Individualized Education Plans if any were followed,(IEP’s), and if the student had or has any disability. Most of the major decisions resulting in a student’s acceptance or denial are made by the ELCS, if she deems that the disability outstrips the schools’ abilities for instruction, they are denied. I thought of the video “A Day in the Life of a Special Education Teacher”, in the video this required specialized equipment and teachers with a lot of time and resources, something this private international school didn’t have. While not overly bothered by how they made their decisions, I was struck by how simple the decision making process was. Here, the referral process is completely contained within the school administration. Within the case studies previously read, in the U.S. there are mechanisms in place that provide the parent a means to appeal decisions placed by the school; whether it be through the courts in a lawsuit that the school didn’t provide proper educational facilities, or through the Department of Education that describes criteria which schools have to follow. Private schools in Korea do not have to abide or even consider Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) when interviewing students for admission. In the international school setting, the admission process is reviewed and approved by the headmaster; parents, students, and even the government have authority over these proceedings.
As I continued with my interviews, a much clearer picture was painted by the teachers who implements these policies. At this school, parents themselves can make the referral to the school staff. Once the student has been tested and properly diagnosed with a learning disability, a team is formed. This team consists of parents, specialists, teachers and administrators to create an exceptional IEP. There are multiple levels of testing and evaluations of what to do in the classroom, there is even a separate course of classes outside of normal class time (LD1) designed solely to train student’s cognitive abilities. Each student now has a complete learning profile with their parents, teachers, administrator, and specialist focused on their education. There’s not a lot left to the imagination as to how well this student will do, ample support and lots of different programs will be a great asset for these students.
The referral process found at this international school is easily accessible to both patents and students. I, however, found that the school admission policy was too exclusive and in this case provided a barrier for students who would have benefited greatly from the Enhance Learning Center. Through the interviews in Activity 2 and the required studies found in Activity 1, we see how the future of special education is moving away from a setting where students are stigmatized for having a disability to a place where students are given support through IEP’s to enhance their learning capabilities.
strangeandwonderfulthings 