History Of Special Education

What’s special about special education?
As I reflect upon the differences in my understanding of special education as a result of this class, three major points stand out to me. The first is a greater ability to withstand uncertainty and ambiguity. The second is a shift toward a biopsychosocial model of understanding special needs. The third, although it may sound overly simplistic, is that I didn’t know what I didn’t know. These three concepts, in my mind, are interrelated. Coming to terms with each one helps me to better understand the others. I think each of these concepts will help me be both a better aide in my current job, and in my future career as a school counselor. They help to answer questions about the students who receive …show more content…
The overarching theme is a movement from a paradigm in which children with special needs were not valued members of society- people concentrated on their differences to society - to one in which children with special needs are more often fully included in their communities and are seen as more alike than different from their peers. In fact, the Deaf community is seen as a subculture with its own traditions and language. The overall paradigm is one of inclusion and wholeness that respects both the unique challenges and the strengths of learners with …show more content…
I actually had to rethink the way I was conducting my Sunday school classes after all of this. I realized that sometimes even though I was well-meaning, I had employed this separate-but-equal thinking in church activities. Instead of making up lessons and then trying to figure out how to include exceptional children afterward, I’m trying to think of lessons that everyone can participate in