Are We Preparing Students with Physical and Health Disabilities for the 21st Century?

Concerns about American's youth being productive workers, capable leaders and conscientious consumers in a global community are copious. The Committee for Economical Development (2005) reported that youth in the U.S. know little about the world or international issues and how this affects their future, acquire insufficient international skills and knowledge to maintain America's competitiveness in the global economy, possess minimum levels of proficiency in second languages, and attain diminutive knowledge of world cultures and religions. These skill deficiencies threaten students' ability to function in an increasingly interdependent world. This author suggests that, in order to address these skill deficits for students with physical or health disabilities, global studies should be an integral aspect of the curriculum and should be reflected in goals and objectives for Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). IEP goals and objectives are needed to help students to understand the impact of globalization. Part of the challenge in implementing global education for students with physical or health impairments begins with educators realizing that the U.S. has become very interdependent globally. In order to achieve the goal of developing the skills to become collaborative team members who are creative critical thinkers, students with physical or health impairments should encounter a curriculum that will assist them in becoming, self-determined, responsible, and contributing world citizens. Here, the author asserts that now is a good time for teachers and other advocates to critically examine the curriculum provided to students with physical or health disabilities to determine whether it contains content appropriate for facilitating the growth of 21st century citizens.