My name is Tracie Khazmo and the title of my
project is Decreasing Bullying through Disability Awareness. I am arguing that
when a school incorporates a disability awareness program to their existing
bully program, there will be a decrease in the bullying episodes among students
with exceptionalities. There is a plethora of research showing the effectiveness
of bully prevention programs; however, many of these bully prevention programs
do not address the issues inherent in the special education environment. I
became interested in this topic because I have family members who are on the
special education spectrum. Moreover, I have witnessed first-hand the effects
of an absence of disability awareness within the school setting. I have seen
students overtly ridiculed as well as typically developing peers engaged in
mannerism that reflect a negative attitude towards the student with a
disability. Additionally, school settings in general may lack an environment of
inclusion for students with disabilities. Therefore, as a future special
education teacher, I will collaborate with school staff to develop awareness
for all students to ensure that the students under my care receive a safe and
nurturing learning environment.
On a weekly basis, I do research on the field of
bullying and disability awareness. I also work occasionally in the elementary
schools and have observed the behavior of typically developing students towards
students with exceptionalities. In addition, I am currently reaching out to
local area schools to gain approval to conduct my study.
The one thing that I learned this week is to
take one thing at a time. My focus this semester is my project and I want to
enjoy the process of learning and being able to add to this important
conversation.
