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Special education is instruction that is modified or particularized for those students with special needs, such as Learning Differences , Mental Health Problems , specific Disabilities ( Physical or Developmental ) http://www.minedu.govt.nz/index.cfm?layout=document&documentid=7301&data=l , and Giftedness http://www.schoolofchoice.com/academy/specialed.html. HISTORY Children with special needs have always been part of society. In the past, some “special” education was provided to individual children on a one-on-one basis, such as Jean Marc Gaspard Itard ’s work with Victor, The “wild Child Of Aveyron” . As formal education became established, welfare or religious groups for the care of children with special needs often became involved in their education. Government provision of special education services generally followed the work of voluntary groups. Progress in Special Education saw a major reversal as the Eugenics movement took hold in the mid-1960s. Under eugenics theory, it was irresponsible to care for and educate people with special needs as it would “weaken society”. Eventually, scientific approaches to studying disability, such as behaviourism, led to a new understanding of special education and the vision that all children could learn, no matter what diagnosis they were given. Initially, special education was provided to children of school age – about six or seven. In the early 1970s, research into Early Childhood Intervention , which involved providing special education from birth or first diagnosis, showed that the earlier special education was provided, the better the outcome for the child and the entire family. In the United States, this led to the 1975 Education For All Handicapped Children Act (EHA), which required all public schools in the United States to provide adequate services to any child who had a diagnosed learning disability. The EHA was renewed in 1986 as the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Special Education changed with Wolf Wolfensberger 's theory of Normalisation - that all people with special needs have the right to lead "normal" lives, including being part of a family, attending a local school, and holding a job in the community. Inspired by this theory, the Inclusive Education Movement fought for social improvement, centering on the improvement of schools. The movement desires to have schools which no longer provide "regular education" and "special education". Instead, schools would provide an inclusive education, and as a result, students would be able to learn together. Special Education services in the United States now extend past school-age into adulthood with the Post Secondary Transition For High School Students With Disabilities program, as a better understanding of life-long learning has been gained. It includes school-based activities as well as family and community activities, and has become a major testing ground for better teaching for all children, not simply children with special needs. Special Education has a different quality in different countries. The political, economic and social pressures in each country has led to a different form of Special Education, with different sets of policies and practices. HOW IS SPECIAL EDUCATION PROVIDED? The provision of Special Education differs from country to country, and state to state. The ability of a child to access a particular setting may be dependent on their specific needs, location, family choice, or government policy. In the main, special education will be provided in one, or a combination, of the following ways.
Modifications can consist of changes in curriculum, supplementary aides or equipment, and the provision of specialized facilities that allow students to participate in the educational environment to the fullest extent possible. http://www.weac.org/resource/june96/speced.htm Students may need this help to access subject matter, to physically gain access to the school, or to meet their emotional needs. Support is targeted to the needs of the individual student and can be short or long term. In the United States, the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act requires that special needs students be Included In Regular Education Activities As Much As Possible . In Scotland the Additional Support Needs Act places an obligation on education authorities to meet the needs of all children in consultation with other agencies and parents. ABBREVIATIONS In North America special education is commonly abbreviated as Special Ed, '''SpecEd''', '''SPED''', and '''SpEd''' in a professional context. {Link without Title} {Link without Title} It should be noted that the term '''sped''' is often interpreted as an insult. In the term Special Educational Needs (SEN), and its variants are not official terminology although the very recent implementation of the Additional Support For Learning Act means that both SEN and ASN (Additional Support Needs) are used interchangeably in current common practice. {Link without Title} CRITICISM
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