Special
Education is that component of education which employs special
instructional methodology (Remedial Instruction), instructional
materials, learning-teaching aids and equipment to meet educational
needs of children with specific learning disabilities. Remedial
instruction or Remediation aims at improving a skill or ability in a
student.
Techniques
for remedial instruction may include providing more practice or more
explanation, repeating information, and devoting more time to working on
the skill. For example, a student having a low reading level could be
given remediation via one-on-one reading instruction, phonic
instruction, or practice in reading aloud.
Role of special educators
Special
education teachers work with children and youths who have a variety of
disabilities. A small number of special education teachers work with
students with mental retardation or autism, primarily teaching them life
skills and basic literacy. However, the majority of special education
teachers work with children with mild to moderate disabilities, using
the general education curriculum, or modifying it, to meet the child’s
individual needs. Most special education teachers instruct students at
the elementary, middle, and secondary school level, although some
teachers work with infants and toddlers. Special educators provide
programs for specific learning disabilities, speech or language
impairments, mental retardation, emotional disturbance, multiple
disabilities, hearing impairments, visual impairments, autism, combined
deafness and blindness, traumatic brain injury, and other health
impairments. Students are classified under one of the categories, and
special education teachers are prepared to work with specific groups.
Early identification of a child with special needs is an important part
of a special education teacher’s job. Early intervention is essential in
educating children with disabilities. Special education teachers use
various techniques to promote learning. Depending on the disability,
teaching methods can include individualized instruction, problem-solving
assignments, and small group work. When students need special
accommodations in order to take a test, special education teachers see
that appropriate ones are provided, such as having the questions read
orally or lengthening the time allowed to take the test. Special
education teachers help to develop an Individualized Education Program
(IEP) for each special education student. The IEP sets personalized
goals for each student and is tailored to the student’s individual needs
and ability. Teachers work closely with parents to inform them of their
child’s progress and suggest techniques to promote learning at home.
They are involved in the students’ behavioral, social, and academic
development, helping the students develop emotionally, feel comfortable
in social situations, and be aware of socially acceptable behavior.
Special education teachers communicate and work together with parents,
social workers, school psychologists, speech therapists, occupational
and physical therapists, school administrators, and other teachers.
Special
Education can be provided to the child in a one to one setting outside
or within his/her formal educational environment. Special remedial,
therapeutic, or enrichment services can be provided to students outside
the regular classroom which is referred to as Pull-out services.
An
Inclusive Model of education would imply educational provision for
individuals with special needs within the educational system where these
children study side by side with their mainstream peers, so as to
enable them to develop to their full potential. Inclusion is an
educational philosophy aimed at “normalizing” special services for which
students qualify. Inclusion involves an attempt to provide more of
these special services by providing additional aids and support inside
the regular classroom, rather than by pulling students out for isolated
instruction. Inclusion involves the extension of general education
curriculum and goals to students receiving special services. It involves
shared responsibility, problem solving, and mutual support among all
the staff members who provide services to students. One aim of inclusion
is to reduce the removal of students from the regular classroom when
the same intent of service can be provided within the regular classroom.
Modifications for children with specific learning disability-
The different areas looked into and modifications incorporated for a child with specific learning needs maybe-
Accommodation: An adjustment made to an environment, situation, or supplies for individual differences.
Adaptation:
A change in what students do or a reshaping of the materials students
use. Adaptations are essentially the same as modifications, but can
specifically refer to the materials and equipment student’s use to aid
in learning. Enlarging the print on a worksheet and audio taping a
textbook are examples of adaptations.
Cognitive learning: The area of learning based on knowledge and reasoning; also called academic learning.
Compensation or compensatory instruction:
Instruction aimed at tackling a problem or an area of difficulty.
Techniques for compensatory instruction include the use of alternative
instruction, alternative techniques, and adaptive equipment.
Co-teaching:
An instructional arrangement in which there is more than one adult in a
classroom, instructional and classroom responsibilities are defined and
assigned, and some type of co-planning is involved.
Individualized education program (plan) (IEP): A written plan of educational goals and objectives for a student. This plan is reviewed and rewritten each year.
Modification:
A change in what students do or a reshaping of the materials students
use. Reducing the number of questions students must answer at the end of
a textbook chapter, allowing a student to answer aloud instead of
writing an answer, and allowing the student to do an activity that is
different from what the other students are doing are all examples of
modifications.
Transition services:
Services, training, skills, support, or instruction identified as
necessary to help a special education student successfully move from a
school setting into a post-secondary setting (i.e., work, job training,
technical school, college, military, independent living,
semi-independent living). There are a variety of facilities in which
these professionals work.
- Special schools: Mostly special educators are found working in special schools helping children with the academic skills.
- Rehabilitation centre: There are many public/private rehabilitation centers.
- Private support:
In India private practice is very common where many Special educators
work independently. They may be working part-time in any of the
facilities mentioned above along with private tutoring also.
The Tasks Ahead-
The
service provisions in India for persons with disabilities are more or
less similar to the global scenario. However, a majority of the
services, including special schools, are concentrated in urban areas.
There are more special schools for school going children than vocational
training centers or integrated schools. Of late, a number of CBR
programmes have been initiated to deliver services closer to the homes
of people with disabilities. Keeping in view the diverse needs of
children with disabilities and the different models of service delivery
systems, there is a need for reorienting the existing pre-service
programmes in general education from pre-school to university levels and
to plan in-service and pre-service programmes in special education at
all levels. To implement the current concept of
inclusive education, pre-school teachers should have in-service training
on disabilities, and future training courses should include education
of children with disabilities. In-service training programmes of two to
three weeks’ duration for general educators and special educators in all
the disabilities and in specific areas of disability are essential to
effectively teach children with disabilities. Pre-service programmes at
degree and post-graduate levels are necessary to improve the quality of
teacher training and to promote research and development activities in
the field of special education. All universities should have a
department of special education to promote education of children with
disabilities. There should be separate training
programmes for staff working in Community Based Rehabilitation
programmes. The preparation of teachers for rural special education
programmes should be planned differently, as the aim of these programmes
would be to integrate disabled persons in their own environment and
community. Periodic evaluation of the training programmes and constant
updating to meet the challenges of changing trends in special education
should be part of the planning of teacher preparation. The
curriculum for each of the above programmes should be carefully
developed by an expert group which includes practicing special teachers.
The feedback from the teachers is imperative in making the correct decisions about the content.
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