Historical Question of Special Education

2154 Words9 Pages
Introduction Special education has a rich and varied history that has served as a foundation for the field. Children with special needs require extensive support for smooth, successful transitions into adulthood, and without a mainstream school experience, it is difficult for these young people to learn how to negotiate independent life. As noted in the literature, there is an assumption reported as prevalent in society is that schools lack the management facilities for children who learn or behave in a way that is thought to be outside of the norm, and that this further separates children into a life of exclusion, thereby disseminating them from their right to preparation for adulthood and employment, as well as from positive social integration. This means that, historically, ability issues and exclusion are thought to be an issue not just of ideals tied to learning or pertaining only to the rights of students, but also an issue with connections to the interests of families, individuals, government, health care, the working world and educational reporting facilities. The result of this is that the actions of teachers to support and challenge students with emotional and behavioral exceptionalities have consequences that extend far outside the classroom. This paper will explore the development of special education over time, and draw conclusions as to the nature of current challenges in special education and its application in the both the inclusive and the specialist classroom. The paper will examine the issues of early intervention for children at risk, inclusion practices and challenges, the impact of socioeconomic issues on special education needs, and parental involvement in special education. The paper will conclude with an assessment into contemporary issues in special education. Historical Context of Special Education Concepts of disability,
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