The purposed of this study is to provide a historical background of special education and full inclusive education, paradigm shifts and school reconstruction. Special education required in society shall be integrated with normal education. Education b...
The purposed of this study is to provide a historical background of special education and full inclusive education, paradigm shifts and school reconstruction. Special education required in society shall be integrated with normal education. Education based on the objectives and microscopic views currently used, following realism, positivism and determinism has neglected qualitative aspects such as personal existence, intention, and decision making. Mentally and physically handicapped people are given an education that just helps them adjust to normal life through minimal functional recovery, a separate education that protects them through school education or mainstreaming education, a more improved type of education(Kim, Joung-Kwon, 2001). However, lately society is moving toward a subjective macroscopic, interpretive or humanist paradigm. It is a society that respects the characteristics and rights of humans. The students with disabilities who receive special education are not subjects for protection or benefits, hut are subjects who have equitable rights and they can enjoy advanced culture themselves. For this, full inclusion in education is required for all stages of school education. In this view, an examination is given on how much full inclusion in education between students for special education and normal students can he achieved to find a better style of fully inclusive education.
The concept of fully inclusive education can be traced back from mainstreaming, normalization and having an environment with the fewest restriction.
In general, what should be of fully inclusive education is discussed in the following aspects:
First, it fits the assurance of fundamental human rights and social justice pursued by most countries. people have their own personalities and personal rights, and have rights to be provided public education, and countries have duties and responsibilities to educate people properly according to the rights given them. Second, education is natural in terms of a constitution that is based on equity and the integration of curriculum for school education is naturally pursued for social integration and proper education. In modern society where scientific technologies dominate living and people live beyond time and space, separate living and learning due to the mental and physical disabilities is not required anymore.
Third, it complements a society in the development of social welfare system. The focus on the welfare society is given on the integration of the isolated. For this, students with disabilities need to acquire necessary technologies and methods for regular living along with non-disabled students.
In Korea, various continuing efforts have been made for fully inclusive education, starting with the establishment of special classes for students with mild retardation at Chilsung Elementary School in Daegu in 1971. The Special Education Promotion Regulations revised in 1994 requires education using textbooks, remedial education and occupational education through curriculum, education methods and media suitable for the subjects of special education. (Special Education Promotion Law Part 2, Article 1)
An effort for inclusive education under the existing laws and regulations is found in the conversion of educational systems.
Inclusive education aims to establish systems in which subjects of special education are arranged in regular classes and considers special schools and classes as institutions which are in charge of adjustment training and support for inclusive education. It tries to change the established arrangement of (special classes->special schools->regular classes)into a new one ( regular classes->special classes ->special schools ).
For a successful fully inclusive education, teacher training is necessary. In this context, a priority of teacher training is given on teachers of regular classes who are in charge of special education part-time, teachers who instruct subjects of special education and are arranged in regular classes and teachers of regular classes who perform fully inclusive education of special schools and regular classes.
The Korean government established the basic research and planning in special education as one of the policies of special education which meets the social demands of the 21st century for national special educational institutions. As many students with disabilities as possible should be accepted to regular schools and for this, an essential environment, facilities and faculty should be available. Specifically, special classes should provide convenient access for students with disabilities and convenient facilities such as toilets for the disabled and ramps should be expanded.
The establishment of administrative systems and effective organizational management suitable for fully inclusive education are necessary.
A cooperative plan with regular education as well as with a long and short-term development plan for special education should be established and then the plan should be utilized as a foundation of social development.
The full inclusive education is a comprehensive approach to responding to the needs of all students in a home, school and society. so following table is a comparison between exclusive and inclusive society.