The aim of this study is to understand the phenomenon and task of the subject learning for students with disabilities who are integrated into a general class centering on inclusive classroom instruction in Japan, through which to obtain implications f...
The aim of this study is to understand the phenomenon and task of the subject learning for students with disabilities who are integrated into a general class centering on inclusive classroom instruction in Japan, through which to obtain implications for suggesting a desirable direction of the subject learning for disabled students in the further inclusive class.
For this purpose, this study first considered the trend of special education as a basics of this research, and Japan's policy on special education, and analyzed the viewpoint of inclusive education reflected in the curriculum. In addition, this study did in-depth research on the instruction of disabled students in an inclusive class through a qualitative approach such as interviews and participatory observation.
Literature analysis results are as follow:
First, the trend of the recent special education is for integrated education, and reflecting such a trend, the direction of integrated education is gradually laying emphasis on instructional integration.
Second, the special education policy in Japan is being converted to 'special support education' from 'special education.', And in the background for this special support education system inheres the viewpoint of integrated education.
Third, such a viewpoint of integrated education is also reflected in the curriculum at each level.
In addition, the research result of classroom instruction of the integrated class is suggested as follows:
First, teachers and students were understanding the concept of the integrated education fragmentarily, and understanding its necessity variously. In addition, they acknowledge the sharing of the diversity in class and cultural differences, but for several reasons, they are perceiving the management of subject learning in consideration of such diversity as realistically difficult.
Second, with the aim of getting the students with disabilities to meaningfully participate in subject learning of the inclusive class, there have been a lot of efforts such as organization of the curriculum in various forms, learning of same content with non-disabilities, application of universal teaching-learning method, members’support on teaching, and the use of the texts in consideration of the characteristics of disabled students, etc.
Third, as the factors which make it difficult for disabled students to meaningfully participate in subjects, the personnel involved are pointing out the difficulty with the guidance that meets an individual's learning level & needs, students' maladjusted behavior due to the disparity in academic ability, and disability, and poor environment of a general class, etc. Teachers think that it's necessary to present of detailed guideline for teaching, expand of teacher training, preferentially improve the educational environment of a general class, and the system & institution for integrated education in order to iron out such a limit.
Considering that many portions of the aspects, problems and tasks of subject learning, which are appearing in the classroom instruction of an inclusive class in Japan, as revealed in this study are also emerging from the subject learning of the inclusive class in Korea, this researcher thinks that the results of this study are suggesting the necessity of more in-depth research and discussion about such issues and tasks to make it reality for disabled students in an inclusive class to meaningfully participate in subject learning.