SE: BASIC CONCEPTS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION

OVERVIEW OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

Definitions

• Special education is that type of education that is specially designed to meet the uncommon needs of exceptional students.

• It is the education of learners with special needs in a way that addresses the learners’ individual differences and needs.

• Special education is the education specially designed to suit the special needs children who may experience learning problems and learning difficulties as a result of disabilities or handicaps or other forms of special educational needs (Obani, 2004).

• Therefore, special education is designed to help the exceptional children (both the gifted and the disabled individuals) in making the maximum use of their capabilities in order to contribute their quota to the socio-economic development of their country.

Historical Perspectives and Development

Special education has passed through different phases. These phases or stages could be categorised as: The Pre-Christian era, the Christian era and the post Christian era.

The Pre-Christian Era: This was before the advent of Christianity. This period could be referred to as the “ Dark Ages.” During this period children with special needs were maltreated, dehumanised and ostracised. It was largely the epoch of ignorance and superstition.

It was the period when some of the handicapped were used as royal clowns, jesters or gladiator fighters to entertain the nobles among them. Further, some persons with disabilities were locked up in asylums believing they were demon possessed.

In the pre-Christian era, the city/state of Sparta did not have any programme for persons with disabilities; they were either eliminated or were exposed to harsh and unfriendly weather to die at the top of mount Taygetu gradually.

Further in ancient Rome, Balbus Balaesus the Stutterer, was caged and displayed along the Appian Way to amuse travellers who thought his speech was funny.

In the pre-Christian era in Nigeria, special need children were not catered for. No special education provision was made for them.

The Christian Era: It was the period that emphasis was laid on love and charity. Christianity laid more emphasis on love for fellow human beings. The content of love for one’s fellowman was evidenced by the words in “as much as ye had done it unto one of the least of these brethren ye have done it unto me.” During this period, the inhuman treatment towards persons with disabilities began to fade.

Post Christian Era: The formal education of special needs children began to see the light of the day primarily from the early 1800s. Most of the originators of special education were European physicians.

The early years of special education witnessed the remarkable contributions of the likes of Jean Itard, Edward Seguin, Valentine Howe, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, Samuel Grialey Howe and a host of others.

In Nigeria, the formal education of special need children dated back to 1950s when the first special school was established in Gindiri in the present Plateau State by Sudan Interior Mission. However, our people had ways of taking care of persons with special needs among them before the advent of Western education.

The missionaries played vital roles in the establishment of special schools in Nigeria. For example Pacelli School for the blind was established in 1962 in Lagos by Archbishop Taylor of the Catholic Church. The Wesley School was established by the Methodist Church in Surulere, Lagos in 1958 and a host of other special schools began to spring up across the nation.

General Education and Special Education

The aim of education is to develop the intellectual, moral and physical growth of an individual child while special education aims at dealing with children with special learning problems/difficulties and needs.

Obani (2004) states that special education looks beyond the ordinary methods and provision of the conventional school system in order to tackle the problems affecting the handicapped child’s ability to learn effectively. Special education is child – centred and not subject-centred.

Though, the relationship between general education and special education became a matter of concern to policy makers and researchers in the 80s ,the 1990s reform proposal gave birth to inclusive school movement where special need learners will be educated in the class with their non- disabled counterparts.

Can you identify some differences between special education and general education?

Terminologies in Special Education

Special education has its own terms, registers/jargons. Some of these registers are used interchangeably.

Disability: Disability and handicap are sometimes used interchangeably. A person is disabled if a person loses a part of his body and this does not prevent him from carrying out the functions expected of the lost part.

Handicap: A person is handicapped if he/she loses part of his body and this has prevented him from carrying out the functions expected of his/her lost part.

Inclusive Education: It is a system of education designed to restructure general education schools and classrooms to accommodate all students including learners with special needs.

Individualised Education Programme

Children have individual differences as a result of which the rate at which individuals learn varies. This is also applicable to children with special needs. Individualised instruction is a kind of educational programme that is specifically designed to meet the individual child’s specific needs, problems, challenges and special educational needs.

Individual educational programme must include current educational performance, instructional goals, special education and related services, age of the learners, criteria and procedure for determining that the instructional objectives are being met. It is pertinent to note that for educational programme to be appropriate for each learner with disability, it must be individualised. Therefore the tools that offer appropriate education to learners with disabilities are:

• The Individualised Family Service Plan (IFSP) – for infants.

• The Individualised Education Programme (IEP) – Pres chool through high school learners.

CONCLUSION

In this introductory unit, you have learnt about the basic concepts in special education. You have not only learnt about meanings and definitions of special education, you have llioconcearnt about the historical perspectives and development of special education. You can also distinguish between general and special education.