Concept of special education
Special education is designed to meet the need of disabled children as well as gifted (exceptional) children. In special education, various activities, programmes, and services are designed to help children with learning disabilities.
Special education is not only about teaching the student. It ensures that the student has access to all kinds of resources and opportunities for them to be successful in their lives.
Meaning of special education
Special education is a field of study that deals with the students who have physical, mental, intellectual, emotional or any kind of disabilities. In other words, it deals with all type of disabled learners.
Nature of special education
Following points highlight the nature or characteristics of special education:
1. It is beneficial for both disabled and gifted learners.
2. It provides equal opportunities to all the disabled children.
3. It provides flexibility in educational system.
4. It is a individualised instruction.
5. It involves systematic and well planned activities or programme.
6. It is provided according to the level of disability of children
7. It is a child centred education.
8. It is given by specially trained instructors.
9. It can be given in regular classroom. But sometimes the needs of the students can’t be fulfilled in regular classroom. To counter this problem, resource room is made available to provide special education.
Scope of special education
Scope of special education is wider and ever changing. Following points cover the scope of special education:
1. Various tools and techniques are developed according to the needs of disabled learners.
2. It considers all types of children: disabled, gifted, average, creative, and maladjusted.
Children with the following types of disabilities are covered under special education:
- Autism
- Mental retardation
- Attention deficit or hyperactivity disorder
- Hearing impairment
- Visual impairment
- Cerebral palsy
- Muscular dystrophy
- Dwarfism
- Learning disabilities such as dyscalculia, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia, language processing disorder and non-verbal disabilities.
3. It allows students to be successful in school and in life.
4. It fosters an environment that is more welcoming to students with disabilities.
5. The placement of children in a conducive environment is comes under the scope of special education.
6. It integrates disabled learners into mainstream education.
Importance of special education
Special education is an important part of general education system. It should be make available to all students who need it. We can understand the importance of special education by considering the following points:
1. Provide services and support
Special education provides a range of services and support that are designed to meet the unique needs of disabled students. These services include accommodations in the classroom, assistance with daily tasks, and guidance and counseling.
2. Help in achieving full potential
It encourages disabled students to participate fully in curricular and co-curricular activities. thus, helping them to achieve their full potential.
It is the duty of teachers to provide enough opportunities to disabled children so that they can explore their talent and creativity.
3. Develop confidence in disabled students
It is helpful in developing the confidence of disabled students by ensuring that they get the same educational benefits as their normal peers in a regular classroom.
One of the objectives of special education is to provide quality education to all children so that they can confidently handle any problem in their lives.
4.Provide opportunities to teachers
5. Provide least restrictive environment
It provides the least restrictive environment for special children. In the least restrictive environment, disabled children work collaboratively with other students and help each other solve the problem. In this way, they can develop their critical thinking skills, social skills and cooperative skills.
6. Make education universal
Universalisation is one of the main aims of education. It can be achieved if, along with non-disabled children, disabled children are also provided with equal educational opportunities. Thus, Special education can play an important role in achieving this aim.
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Conclusion
From the above discussion we can say that special education is essential for disabled learners. It is helpful in the all round development of disabled children—physical, emotional, social and intellectual development.
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