Inclusion of Religion and Spirituality in the Special Education Literature

Abstract

Although traditionally not an area of service delivered by special educators, the area of religion and spirituality for persons with disabilities is receiving more attention as a quality-of-life outcome. This literature review examined the special education literature to determine the extent to which special educators are exposed to literature concerned with these issues. The results indicated that information is found in the literature but occurs most often as embedded references in articles on other topics. Information was most often included in articles focusing on diversity, and the majority of references to religion and spirituality were descriptions of religions. Religion and spirituality are linked to the overarching goals of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 and quality-of-life outcomes. Future research and roles for professionals are discussed.

Students with Developmental Disabilities in Catholic Schools: Examples in Primary and Secondary Settings

“…Neither program had collected formal data about the outcomes of their respective programs. Though promising, information from this study and from the literature (Ault, 2010;Carter, 2007) is clearly limited. Future research should include classroom observations as well as interviews with a variety of involved stakeholders, including teachers, administrators, students with disabilities and their families, and peers without disabilities.…”

“…Thus, it is important that people with disabilities have equal opportunities to worship, participate, and be educated in their faith. Individuals with disabilities who value religion deserve the necessary support to engage with their faith communities, including in educational settings (Ault, 2010). Hence, the argument about inclusive education is not restricted to Catholic schools particularly, but applies to all faith traditions and to all types of communities associated with them.…”

“…Without the benefit of a formalized office devoted to this issue, individual schools have limited opportunities to learn from the experiences and examples of other private schools that have successfully implemented inclusive practices, and remain relatively isolated in their own efforts to include students with disabilities. Additionally, the literature includes few articles focused on the intersection of religion and special education (Ault, 2010;Carter, 2007). Given the limited literature on this topic, educators and administrators in Catholic schools are left with little guidance regarding successful strategies to promote the inclusion of students with disabilities, particularly students with developmental disabilities.…”

After the Benediction: Walking Alongside People with Significant Disabilities and Their Families in Faith and Life

“…Congregations-either on their own, or in partnership with other congregations-can offer a number of critical supports to these families. Indeed, parents and siblings speak often and eloquently of the instrumental role that members of their faith communities have played in their lives (Ault, 2010;Bolduc, 2001). For many of these families, their faith and their relationships within their congregational community can be essential sources of strength and support as they meet the challenges of raising a child with disabilities.…”

“…Ample evidence supports this assertion (Ault, 2010;Abells, Burbidge, & Minnes, 2008;Orsmond, Krauss, & Seltzer, 2004;Wagner, Cadwallader, Garza, & Cameto, 2003). For example, a 2010 survey by the Kessler Foundation and the National Organization on Disability found that 57% of people without disabilities in the United States said that they attended a church or other place of worship at least once a month.…”