Education and Children with Special Needs

Special Education is a specialised area of education which uses unique instructional methods, materials, learning aids, and equipment to meet the educational needs of children with learning disabilities. Some children experience difficulties in school, ranging from problems with concentration, learning, language, and perception to problems with behaviour and/or making and keeping friends. Others have more serious problems, including physical or psychiatric disorders, emotional problems, or learning disorders. Children with such special needs often require and are entitled to receive special services and reasonable accommodations through the public schools. Inclusive education strives to address the learning needs of children with special needs, with a particular focus on those who are subject to being isolated and excluded. The philosophy behind inclusive education is to promote opportunities for all children to participate, learn and have equal treatment, irrespective of their mental or physical abilities. While the awareness on inclusive education in schools is still at an infancy stage, educational institutions are somewhat sceptical about having both normal and special children studying in the same classroom. Children with special needs have a distinctive experience undergoing inclusive education along with normal, non-disabled classmates. There are several barriers for providing education to special children in a regular classroom. Education & Children with Special Needs examines the situation world-wide, focusing in particular on developments that have occurred over recent years and comparing these with overall international patterns. The text provides evidence of similar arguments under consideration, illustrates some other barriers to the improvement of educational opportunities for children with special needs and to providing these opportunities in a way that allows the children to learn alongside others in their local community schools. It indicates how the depressed economic situation and the ensuing shortage of funds in much of the region prevent expenditure on initiatives that would shift provision away from separate special schools.