Until this book was published, most writing on special education was about specific disabilities and how to cope with them. This book, however, considers the broader context, looking at many problems for the wider system that have arisen through integration of special education within it. The book is international and comparative in its focus and includes much North American material and work by North American researchers.
Until this book was published, most writing on special education was about specific disabilities and how to cope with them. This book, however, considers the broader context, looking at many problems for the wider system that have arisen through integration of special education within it. The book is international and comparative in its focus and includes much North American material and work by North American researchers.
At the time of original publication, special education in Britain was permeated by an ideology of benevolent humanitarianism and this is ostensibly the moral framework within which the professionals – teachers, educational psychologists, medical officers – operate. The author widens the debate about special education by introducing sociological perspectives and considering the structural relationships that are produced both within the system and in the wider society when part of a mass education system develops separately, as ‘special’ rather than normal. She outlines the origin and development of special education, stressing the conflicts involved and the role played by vested interests, and criticizes the current rhetoric of ‘special needs’. Among the issues and dilemmas that she identifies, the problems of selection, assessment, integration and the curriculum for special schools are discussed in details, and the position of parents, pupils and teachers within the system is examined. The author gives particular attention in a separate chapter to the problems and position of ethnic minorities.
At the time of original publication, special education in Britain was permeated by an ideology of benevolent humanitarianism and this is ostensibly the moral framework within which the professionals – teachers, educational psychologists, medical officers – operate. The author widens the debate about special education by introducing sociological perspectives and considering the structural relationships that are produced both within the system and in the wider society when part of a mass education system develops separately, as ‘special’ rather than normal. She outlines the origin and development of special education, stressing the conflicts involved and the role played by vested interests, and criticizes the current rhetoric of ‘special needs’. Among the issues and dilemmas that she identifies, the problems of selection, assessment, integration and the curriculum for special schools are discussed in details, and the position of parents, pupils and teachers within the system is examined. The author gives particular attention in a separate chapter to the problems and position of ethnic minorities.
At the time of its original publication this book was the first major survey of the nature of the difficulties that children with special educational needs experience in the classroom context of mainstream junior schools. The book is based on research involving interviews with heads and teachers, and on extensive observation of children in junior classrooms. The research is related to the report of the Warnock Committee and to problems of definition and assessment in the area of special education. The book describes the views which junior school teachers have of special educational needs and the numbers of children and types of difficulty they regard as falling into this category. It discusses the classroom behaviour and interactions of children with special needs, and some of the consequences of different teaching strategies. It also presents information on patterns of provision for special needs, assessment in the junior classroom and the teachers’ own views on integration.
This is an important book for readers with a specific interest in special education policy and political scientists who are more generally interested in the broader questions of public policy making. Itkonen investigates what types of groups participate in special education somewhere on a continuum between interest group and social movement; the relationship between group types and how they frame policy interests; how groups negotiate differences among themselves and with policy makers; and the relationships between a group's organizational character, its choice of targets and strategies, how it frames its policy interest, its arenas of action, its effectiveness in the legislative and judicial arenas, and the kinds of issue positions it takes.
Special education is now an established part of public education in the United States—by law and by custom. However, it is still widely misunderstood and continues to be dogged by controversies related to such things as categorization, grouping, assessment, placement, funding, instruction, and a variety of legal issues. The purpose of this 13-part, 57-chapter handbook is to help profile and bring greater clarity to this sprawling and growing field. To ensure consistency across the volume, chapter authors review and integrate existing research, identify strengths and weaknesses, note gaps in the literature, and discuss implications for practice and future research. Key features include: Comprehensive Coverage—Fifty-seven chapters cover all aspects of special education in the United States including cultural and international comparisons. Issues & Trends—In addition to synthesizing empirical findings and providing a critical analysis of the status and direction of current research, chapter authors discuss issues related to practice and reflect on trends in thinking. Categorical Chapters—In order to provide a comprehensive and comparative treatment of the twelve categorical chapters in section IV, chapter authors were asked to follow a consistent outline: Definition, Causal Factors, Identification, Behavioral Characteristics, Assessment, Educational Programming, and Trends and Issues. Expertise—Edited by two of the most accomplished scholars in special education, chapter authors include a carefully chosen mixture of established and rising young stars in the field. This book is an appropriate reference volume for anyone (researchers, scholars, graduate students, practitioners, policy makers, and parents) interested in the state of special education today: its research base, current issues and practices, and future trends. It is also appropriate as a textbook for graduate level courses in special education.
Mini-set M: Inclusion and Special Education re-issues 8 volumes originally published between 1975 and 1986. They discuss topics such as the assessment of special educational needs, comparative special education, the sociology of special education, labelling theory, deviance and education, and disruptive behaviour in schools.
Special Education in Contemporary Society: An Introduction to Exceptionality, Seventh Edition offers a comprehensive, engaging, and readable introduction to the dynamic field of special education. Grounded in research and updated to reflect the most current thinking and standards of the field, this book provides readers with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and beliefs that are crucial to constructing learning environments that allow all students to reach their full potential. Authors Richard M. Gargiulo and Emily C. Bouck encourage a deep awareness and understanding of the “human” side of special education, providing readers with a look into the lives of exceptional students and their families, as well as the teachers that work with exceptional persons throughout their lives.
