I have had people tell me that I seem to have a knack for working with special needs populations. Parents of individuals with special needs have asked where I learned how to work so well with their children. Employees at special needs events have informed me that they appreciate my knowledge in working with people of varied ability levels. Even peers have commended me and questioned me on my ability to interact with those different from myself. If only I could say that I had a special set of skills or a wealth of knowledge to share with others, but in actuality, I do what anybody else could do if they so chose.
Since high school, I have worked with individuals with special needs who were at a variety of ability and functioning levels. Whether I have interacted with them in school, programming, or dance environments, I have always walked away with a new experience. Thus, it is not easy to prepare for everything you may encounter. In fact, I believe it is impossible. So, the secret to working with special needs populations is not just learning about every possible scenario. Of course, this can help, and I can say that as I have studied and researched different disabilities, I have come to better understand those who have them. However, even before acquiring this knowledge, I felt capable of working with these individuals.
The real secret to working with special needs populations is to remember that people with special needs are people, too. This is not to say that there are no differences between myself and those with special needs. We may or may not have different intellectual, emotional, or physical abilities. Aren’t there differences among everybody, though? And, in a similar regard, aren’t there similarities among everyone as well?
While differences can sometimes be difficult to understand, if we all take the time to get to know people beyond our differences, we will find these similarities. People with special needs listen to the same songs on the radio as you do. They have favorite flavors of ice cream, sports they like to play, and video games that interest them and there is a good chance yours are the same. Perhaps most importantly, people with special needs share the same dreams as everybody else. While the actual attainability of these dreams is not always the same, many of us have dreams of careers, dating, having families, and moving out. And that’s what it comes down to: people with special needs want to fit in and live lives just like everybody else.
In working with special needs populations, I do nothing special. So, no, I do not have any specific trick to share with the world. Instead, I encourage everyone to remember that while the unknown can be scary, people with special needs are not. Differences do not have to divide us. Being understanding of others, being kind, and exhibiting patience will go a long way. Ultimately, just remembering that we are all people and deserve to be treated as such will be the most crucial aid in working with special needs populations.
