Page 19 - DEDU506_SPECIAL_EDUCATION_ENGLISH

Kulwinder Pal, Lovely Professional University Unit 3: Special Education: Scope and Types

Unit 3: Special Education: Scope and Types Notes

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
3.1 Special Education in India
3.2 Special Education in Different Countries
3.3 Types of Special Education
3.4 Summary
3.5 Keywords
3.6 Review Questions
3.7 Further Readings

Objectives

The objectives of this unit can be summarized as below:
• to know about scope of special education in India and other countries.
• to explain about the types of special education.

Introduction

The education of disabled children never received such amount of consideration and special efforts
by government and non-government agencies in past as in present days. The attitude of the community
in general and the attitude of parents in particular towards the education of the disabled have
undergone change with the development of society and civilisation.
In the first phase, disabled children were treated with hostility and were neglected. They were
considered as 'Curve of God' and a burden for the parents. They were often killed by their parents.
In the second phase the disabled children were kept in protection. Mankind was subjected to a Math
that "the disabled are useless, incapable of doing anything on their own, a species to be pitied and
looked after as long as they are alive." Thus, no attempt was made for their education, training,
habilitation, and rehabilitation.
In the next phase, an attempt was made for their education. But disabled children were considered
distinct from their peers. They were considered to be incapable of receiving education in general
schools. Thus, for the first time, special schools and institutions were established in different countries
schools being separated from their parents and their non-disabled peers.
In the second half of the twentieth century, new thinking and new realization have opened new
direction for education of disabled children. It is now realised that a disabled child is not a different
kind of person. He is a child with special needs. Like all other members of the society, the disabled
must have the same rights to education, work and full participation in the society. It is also recognised
that the disabled, particularly those with mild to moderate degree of disability and the orthopedically
handicapped, can be educated along with their non-disabled peers in general schools with provision
for extra help. Moreover, education of disabled children in common with non-disabled children in
general schools have been found to be an economical system in terms of expenses and coverage.
These realizations, recognition and thinking on the part of educationists, planners and teachers have
led to the conceptualization of integrated education for the disabled children.

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 13