Special Educational Needs and Additional Educational Needs - Essay Example

Special Educational Needs and Additional Educational Needs Table of Contents Overview 3 Understanding Special Need 4 Historical Perspective 5 Inclusion and SEN 7 Meaning 7 Inclusive Teaching 8 Effectiveness of Inclusion in the Present Status 8 Disability Act 10 Conclusion 11 References 12 Overview Large number of children all around the globe, irrespective of their economic class, suffers of disabilities both in terms of psychological attributes and physical attributes. Rather in many cases, children throughout their educational career do face certain problems as a result of their disability to understand or to interpret the educational curriculum. These difficulties might occur in the sphere of schoolwork, understanding numbers or having problems in making friends. This implies that they lack the ability to enjoy a normal kind of well-being like any other normal child and therefore demands a special attention and care from the society. To meet these difficulties and help the children gain a normal life, Special and Additional Education Systems have been set up (Directgov, n.d.). Till date, Special Education Needs (SEN) and Additional Educational Needs (AEN) were meant to be synonymous but recently the term AEN is accepted to have an appropriate sense in this case. But anyhow, the objective of both the terms remains similar, i.e. providing the additional and special education to the children those who are needful. As such it becomes very necessary to understand where a child shall face problems in the learning process and identify them as soon as possible. One feature thereby, is that the children learn in a much decelerated speed when compared to other children at the same environment (Oldham Council, n.d.). With the prime objective to provide every child with SEN to attain their optimum potential in education and adulthood, the government of UK has laid down proper laws and educational systems. Such as, law of discrimination, funding and many more (Teacher Net, 2010). Understanding Special Need The concept and belief of SEN have stated traditionally that the best way to understand the special need of children with disabilities is by comparing their behaviour with other majority of children of the same age. Concisely, the factor of individual difference can state the needs of these children and also suggest a scope for their benefit. Although with a recent argument it has been concluded that more than individual differences the special needs of such children can be efficiently assessed when unsuitable environmental conditions are presented in front of a child. The basic problem with the approach of individual differences is that it is focused on the assumption that, differences that lie on the individual basis is not always appropriate as individual differences stand upon some active rudiments, i.e. biological and behavioural factors. Although focussing on environmental factors the problem is in the mismatch of educational curriculum and the abilities of the children. Joining the two approaches in the concept of SEN few simple ways to understand special needs of these children can be through analysing their strengths and weaknesses in different individual groups and biological environments, the suitability of the educational system and the availability of support for them (Cline. 2009). Furthermore, the understanding of need in special education has developed models like the social and the medical models of disability. The medical model of disability referring the definition of disability by WHO which focuses on the children with special needs as the problem and need to adapt to the changes or circumstances occurring in the society. While the other model, the social model of disability states that the changes or abnormality in behaviour that any child faces is the result of the barriers that exist in the society. Conclusively, the medical model focuses on the individual difference approach and the later represents the environmental approach (The Open University, 2006). Historical Perspective Although today the matter of SEN is gaining more and more importance in educational terms as well as in terms of social well-being, the past history was not that friendly with the children with special needs. Even there were days when people used to avoid them and treat them to be excluded from the society. In many cases, the children were termed to be unsuitable for the programme and therefore did not possess the right of literacy. In early times, educators had a perspective that children are for educational systems and any of those who did not fit the criteria had to be excluded. Rather today the belief has been transmitted towards a complete diverse form, with the statement that children are not for education but just the vice-versa (Wilson, 2003, pp. 15-18). These changes occurred during the end of 1990s with a rapid increase in awareness and opportunities for these children. The study of Owen in late 80s in this case was a great contribution to compensatory education. He was the person who first introduced the thought to prohibit minors to work and to limit the elder children’s working hours. He also opened a school for children from 3-10 years. Additionally, the contribution of John Locke is also non-negligible. All these contributions and establishments of compensatory education reflect the conviction that early intrusion can have a vast impact on a child’s life. Furthermore, the concept special education or additional education came into being soon after this period. A psychiatric physician, Maria Montessori, at that era made her remarkable involvement on the matter of children with special need. By her high-priced experience with these children, she came up with a new approach that education can prove to be a better strategy to cure them rather than medical treatments. She had a firm belief that intelligence is not stagnant rather it is subjective to experience. Hence she compelled three elements in her approach; the practical familiarity, the sensory education and of course the academic education. Other two aspects of her study were to emphasise on each child than to focus on the entire group and continuous modification to attain the need of each and every child (Wilson, 2003, pp. 15-18). The legal view point regarding this context was first recommended in 1944. Again in 1955 the Underwood Report by the Maladjusted Children Committee brought about new restructuring of the Education Act (1944). Many head teachers and educators after implementing special techniques to control the difficult children during 1945-1970 came to realise that the students were positively reacting to the environment and were becoming more relaxed and controllable. In 1960s, the observation started changing with new approaches brought about by Becker, Ullman and Krasner until 1970s when a renaissance came into being with new behaviourist schools. The dissimilarities between normal and abnormal behaviour were clearly defined by these schools. Later, in the 90s, with renewed Education Act and the report by Fish named “Education for All” the most significant impulse was created on the perspective of Special Education Needs (Greenhalgh, 1994, pp. 3-7). Inclusion and SEN Meaning Inclusion as such does not possess a very appropriate or fixed definition. It is said to first come into existence in 1985 in a meeting held by O’Brien and Forest where the term Integration was stated to be slow in progress and therefore, introduced the term Inclusion in special education. The journey from integration in SEN to inclusion started marking its existence. From then the term has created a significant sphere in SEN. Radically, it took its place in Canada and US but UK accepted it a lot later. The meaning of Integration according to the Snowdon Party stated that integration in the terms of special education has a wide meaning. It meant the abolition of segregation, social acceptance and providing a normal life to the child with special need. The Warnock report at the same context stated that integration of SEN had three levels, the functional integration, location integration and social integration. All these three levels coherently mean what Inclusion is or what are its dimensions (Ellis & Et. Al., 2008). From the above study it can be well determined that Special Education and Inclusion posses a very complex idea and therefore leads to confusion. Furthermore, the different believes about inclusion has also acted as a fuel to the matter. But adherence to the conceptualisation of Inclusion of special education can be raised as a philosophy of social justice for the children with special needs. But, in the practical world it is much accepted as a policy to attain special educational needs. Certainly the question arises that whether Inclusion is successful as a policy to achieve its prime objective or not. However, the practitioners regard Inclusion as an ideal but unrealizable course of action (Rayner, 2007, pp. 35-37). Inclusive Teaching The involvement of inclusion has always been considered to be only in the part of special education, but certainly according to Booth and Ainscow the term inclusion involves a wide range in the mainstream education. For instance inclusion objects to value each and every student and staffs with equal attention, integrating the participation of students in cultures, curriculum and local schools, understanding the drawbacks of schools and to restructure the policies and practises as needed. Moreover, it attains to remove barriers in the mainstreaming of students who have the special need for proper education (Cline, 2009). As inclusive teaching takes into consideration the involvement of entire institution, the coherent approach towards understanding and pro-acting, matching provision to students needs, and regular refinement of strategies, the role of educators as such becomes a vital part of the programme. They are the ultimate medium to implement the approach in the field and therefore they also have to face a severe range of difficulties in their practice. As per the assumption of inclusion, it is not always possible for teachers and other educators including parents to include all the students in every activity, or there is shortage of teacher’s aids. Often in an inclusive classroom including both academic and physically disabled students, the students that fall in the middle fall neglected. Effectiveness of Inclusion in the Present Status One of the major strategies that have been adapted to implement the policy of Inclusion is to educate the students with special needs simultaneously with the other normal students. As such the pros and cons of this policy are appearing in an alarming form. Recently according to a research by Alan Harchik, the reason for this strategy was to make the children suffering with disabilities like autism get the support of other students and teachers and bring them to the mainstream of life. Precisely it is used as a strategy in mainstreaming the children with special needs to the normal social life. Of course this idea provides a wide range of opportunities to the mainstreaming of these students. But in practical and realistic observations it becomes nearly impossible for regular schools to provide continuous engagement or instruction that these students require. It is also recorded that even majority of regular schools adapt the thinking of integration and inclusion, they still recreate special classrooms for these students because they could not acquire the lessons the way they should have. Moreover, being philosophy at root inclusion is sometimes implemented without prioritising the actual needs or demands of these students. The matter becomes more complex and unmanageable with the fact that no two children with such disabilities are same and therefore needs separate attention and strategy to bring them to the mainstream (Harchik, 2005). The most disastrous and depressive of all is that today inclusion of SEN is becoming a political issue with regular interference of political leaders and media, spicing up their headlines with news of celebrities having disabled child or mother of an autistic child complaining to political leaders. Contextually, the norms of government to set up independent secondary schools shall provide them a right to choose their pupils which raises a fear that the students demanding special care may get ignored (Wilce, 2006). All these aspects conclude to the fact that the philosophy of Inclusion is not working at the present scenario. And therefore, there is a prime role for the government, educators and also parents to perform the best in order attain the objective of SEN. Another remarkable participation in the context of inclusion in the recent special education system has been brought about by Mary Warnock, who is referred to be the architect of SEN in England. According to her, the way to interpret most vital needs of these children is “wasteful and bureaucratic” and certainly of no use. She also includes that Governments are not paying proper attention to the matter that is leading to the ignorance of educators and awareness of social people regarding the fact. It becomes more dubious with her proclamation that “Governments must come to recognise that, even if inclusion is an ideal for society in general, it may not always be an ideal for school” (BBC News. 2005). Regarding all the facts presented above it can be well concluded that inclusion is not the only ideal philosophy to attain special educational needs as educators as well the children also face numerous difficulties in the process of mainstreaming such as prejudice, stereotype labelling and differences on the basis of languages. Disability Act Recently, in the year 2001 the Disability Discrimination Act was enforced with an extension to the Disability Act 1995. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 banned the discrimination of disabled person among employers and business persons in their working field. The new legislation enforced in 2001 extended to the field of education by the enforcement of Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA) which focused on the issues like discriminations practiced on disabled students in schools, colleges and different institutions. This Act also included that the educational institutions should make necessary amendments in procedures and practices. Furthermore, the SEN legislation came into practice during the 1996 amendment. It provides the educators a common assessment framework to analyse and understand the special needs of the students and suggest a primitive measure to the issue. In overall perspective, the legislative framework to overcome the problem of discrimination of disabled students in educational institutions and society has created a focus on re-structuring the procedures and beliefs of people regarding disability in children. Conclusion Although there are a number of preliminary measures taken by the government and educational institutions and also by parents, the fact about SEN lies that it is still not working. The increasing number of problems can be witnessed in the implementation of the programme. Therefore to attain the optimum goal of special education, a stable concern about the academic part of schooling should be maintained by all educators in the sphere. As well as, a better insight is also mandatory for the purpose. In fact, the present scenario of Special education demands the restructuring of all preliminary actions related to children with special education. References BBC News, 2005. Special Needs Education Queried. Mary Warnock, Architect Of Englands Special Needs Education System, Is To Publish A Damning Report On How It Has Turned Out In Practice. [Online] Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/4071122.stm [Accessed November 13, 2010]. Cline. T., 2009. Inclusion and Special Educational Needs (SEN). Inclusion and SEN. [Online] Available at: http://www.naldic.org.uk/ITTSEAL2/teaching/Inclusion.cfm [Accessed November 13, 2010]. Directgov, No Date. What Are Special Educational Needs? Parents. [Online] Available at: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Schoolslearninganddevelopment/SpecialEducationalNeeds/DG_4008600 [Accessed November 12, 2010]. Ellis, S. & Et. Al., 2008. Special Educational Needs and Inclusion. National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers. [Online] Available at: http://www.nasuwt.org.uk/consum/groups/public/@education/documents/nas_download/nasuwt_000619.pdf [Accessed November 13, 2010]. Greenhalgh, P., 1994. Emotional Growth and Learning. Routledge. Pg. 3-7. Harchik, A., 2005. Including Children with Special Needs in Regular Classrooms: Pros & Cons. New for Parents. [Online] Available at: http://www.newsforparents.org/experts_inclusion_pros_cons.html [Accessed November 13, 2010]. Oldham Council, No Date. Additional Educational Needs. Learning. [Online] Available at: http://www.oldham.gov.uk/learning/additional_educational_needs.htm [Accessed November 12, 2010]. Rayner, S., 2007. Managing Special and Inclusive Education. Sage. Pg. 35-37. Teacher Net, 2010. Special Educational Needs and Disability. Whole School. [Online] Available at: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/sen/ [Accessed November 12, 2010]. The Open University, 2006. Models of Disability. Inclusive Teaching. [Online] Available at: http://www.open.ac.uk/inclusiveteaching/pages/understanding-and-awareness/models-of-disability.php [Accessed November 13, 2010]. Wilce, H., 2006. Special-Needs Education: Does Mainstream Inclusion Work? Independent. [Online] Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/specialneeds-education-does-mainstream-inclusion-work-470960.html [Accessed November 13, 2010]. Wilson. R. A., 2003. Special Educational Needs In The Early Years. Routledge. Pg. 15-18. Read More