In the United States, society has come up with strategies aimed at helping children with disabilities to realize their potentials. This is done through the provision of care services, raising the welfare, offering quality education, and enhancing development. The society upholds the idea that the needy and the physically challenged should be provided with the necessary care.
However, it is believed that the strategies should be planned carefully to ensure effectiveness. The strategies employed fall under early intervention strategies. The strategies employ a practical theory, with established systems of beliefs. The tenets of the theory are research-based implying that the theory is empirical. In education, early intervention strategies play a critical role in enhancing the living standards of the physically challenged children in society. Early intervention strategies consist of special education tenets and instructional strategies.
Theoretically, early intervention strategies are based on behavioral theories, the cognitive-behavioral tradition of Bandura, and neo-behavioral theories. The theories combine to form a single theory referred to as practice theory, with some scholars terming it as the theory of change. The theory draws examples from various theorists in various fields. Since the theory incorporates the tenets of various theories, it can as well be referred to as a unified theory of early intervention practice.
The theory has eight major tenets, which makes it unique. One of the tenets is that the family is the primary socializing agent. It plays a critical role in ensuring that children are brought up in accordance with the societal norms and rules. Children with disabilities learn at a tender age to appreciate their condition. However, the case is different in case the family abuses infants. The second tenet claims that the formation of strong relationships among stakeholders is another important factor that enhances cooperation.
In this case, parents should strengthen relationships with teachers and other stakeholders, such as policy formulators. This makes life simple for children with disabilities. The third theory observes that children with disabilities learn new things through observation. This means that the environment influences children’s behavior. This implies that children are influenced by the surrounding, not the biological features. The fourth tenet observes that adults have a role to play in shaping the lives of children with disabilities.
In other words, adults mediate the experiences of children with disabilities. This is different from teaching because mediating entails facilitation. The fifth tenet of the theory notes that children with disabilities are able to achieve their potentials in case the environment is more developed. In this regard, the community plays a role in enhancing the living standards of children with disabilities. The sixth tenet observes that early intervention strategies should be goal-oriented implying that any strategy should aim at achieving a certain objective.
The seventh tenet pertains to transition whereby adults play a role in ensuring a smooth transition. Finally, the theory claims that broader environmental contexts influence families and early intervention agendas. This means that policies formulated at the federal level may influence intervention strategies even at the family level.
Analysis
From the above information, it can be observed that a number of factors influence policy formulation for children living with disabilities. However, the family plays a critical role in ensuring that children with disabilities enjoy their rights and freedom. Furthermore, all stakeholders should be involved in policy formulation to ensure that early intervention strategies succeed. Practical theory ensures that children with disabilities are taken care of in accordance with the societal norms and regulations.