Definition of Terminologies in SPED

By
FRANK OWUSU SEKYERE
COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION
 EXCEPTIONALITY
 Kirk and Gallagher (1992) describe
exceptional children as those who differ
from the average in mental
characteristics, sensory abilities,
communication abilities, social
behaviours or physical characteristics.
These differences must be to such an
extent that, the exceptional child
requires a modification of school
practices or special educational services
to develop to their maximum capacity.
 EXCEPTIONALITY CONT
 Heward (1996) describes exceptional
children as individual children who take a
longer time to learn or whose disruptive
behaviours and severe physical problems
interfere with learning, or on the other
hand those who are extremely intelligent
and talented.
 What is unique about exceptional
children is that they have needs that
cannot be met completely by
the regular school standard
curriculum. Their educational
programs which should be individually
planned, are usually a modification of the
regular school curriculum and may
involve changes in content, methods of
instructions, instructional materials and
expected rate of progress.
 summary
 Exceptionality can be summed up as a
significant deviation from what is considered
the norm which could be either positive or
negative. The deviation should be significant
enough to the extent that the needs of such a
child cannot be achieved in the ordinary
classroom.
DISABILITY
 Reynolds and Fletcher, (2000) state that,
disability or impairment is any loss or
abnormality of psychological, physiological,
or anatomical structure or function.

 In another breath, Hull, (2004) contends

that, disability can also be viewed as either
physical, sensory or mental impairment that
can make performing every day to day
activity difficult.
 DISABILITY
 In simple terms disability can be defined
as damage caused to any part of the
human body which could be as a result of
disease, malformation or accident that
brings a level of incapacitation in the
functioning of that part of the body.
 HANDICAP
 The term handicap refers generally to
the demands and limitations placed
on the individual as a result of
disability.
 It can also be defined as a restriction
put on an individuals life as a result of
a disability ((Avoke, 1998).
 HANDICAP CONT
 Ocloo, (2005) also contends that handicap is

an environmental restriction put on an

individual as a result of a disability or
exceptionality. Example, Jonny Erickson
Tadda was an American athlete who became
paralyzed during one of her trainings.
Distinction between disability, exceptionality
& handicap
 A boy aged 6, has spinal bifida, (failure of the
spinal column to close). In this disability, the
degree of paralysis and loss of body function
is related to the severity of the defect. He
has limited use of his leg and no/limited
bladder control. He is mobile with the aid of
crutches.
 He has also been identified as gifted
academically. His school has arranged for his
dippers to be changed on regular basis.
However, he is handicapped physically
because of barriers such as stairs within the
environment.
SEGREGATION
 To segregate means to put apart or to separate
which is a situation whereby the handicapped
are put in a separate classroom or environment
to be taught by specialized teachers.

 Ocloo, (2005) defined segregation as a situation

whereby the handicapped are put far away
from society and kept in a secluded area for the
purpose of education or rehabilitation
NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF
SEGREGATION
 Schools becoming dumping grounds
 The bond between the child with
disability and the parents is broken
 S N child ends up becoming a social
misfit
 Feeling of rejection
 Feeling of inferiority complex
MAINSTREAMING/INTEGRATION

 To integrate means to put some things

together that is putting the

handicapped and the non-handicapped
pupils together in the same
classroom/environment to learn under
the same instructor or teacher.
MAINSTREAMING/INTEGRATION
 The process of bringing PWDs and their non-disabled
counter
 For instance in Ghana there is an
integrated school for the Deaf at
Navorongo where teachers teach the
hearing impaired and the hearing
together and in most cases without an
interpreter or any form of support
services. In cases where some form of
support is provided too it may not be
adequate.
 SPED
 UNESCO (1983) defined SPED as a form of education
provided for those who are not achieving or are
unlikely to achieve in the ordinary educational setting
at the levels of educational, social and other
attainments appropriate to their age, and which has the
aim of furthering their progress towards these levels.
 SPED cont
 An aspect of education that treats people as
individuals and makes allowance for the use of
special equipment and methods of teaching,
according to the strengths and weaknesses of
the individual. For example, if a child is
identified as gifted, he is provided with a
program that encourages him to go on at
his/her own pace, but if the child deviates
negatively, a programme is also designed and
support provided to enable the child benefit
and enjoy been educated. (Adima et al,1981)
 Kirk and Gallagher, (1995) opined that, SPED
is any form of education specially designed
for exceptional students, that is, students
who are not able to respond to and benefit
from programs in regular schools and must
be given special assistance.
 These authors went further to say that the
special assistance includes arrangement of
educational variables leading to
prevention, reduction, or total elimination
of the conditions that produce deficits in
the academic, social and physical
functioning of the child.
 FEATURES OF SPED
 It deals with children who deviate either
positively or negatively from the norm and
because of that have peculiar educational
needs or challenges. These are problems which
relate to the learning, development of
concepts, and learning of abstract concepts
which aids learning. Because of their peculiar
learning needs, the normal classroom is not
conducive for their educational development.
FEATURES CONT.

 Involvement of Specialized teachers

 Special teaching methodology

 The use of multi-disciplinary or

team-work approach
RELEVANCE OF SPED
 Education is a right and not a privilege
as a result no child, no matter his/her
condition should be denied education
because of the disability.

 It is a UNESCO requirement that every

teacher should study SPED in order to
get enlightened on the characteristics,
needs and capabilities of children with
exceptionalities
 Relevance
 SPED has become the bedrock of general
education because about 40% of children in the
regular schools manifest some learning difficulties
for which every teacher must learn to cope with
these difficulties in children.

 When general educators study SPED, they will be

equipped to educate people in their communities
on the needs of special children as well as to teach
parents of how to manage them. The knowledge of
SPED can enable teachers to incorporate ways of
preventing disabilities in their teaching leading to
mass education.
 Relevance cont.
 During teaching, teachers make a lot of
mistakes that they are not aware of. Some of the
mistakes are listed below. They:
Consider all children as the same and therefore
learnt the same pace, have the same
intelligence, the same ability, same background
and therefore learns best with one and the same
method.
Are also unaware that children present
learning difficulties of sensory, physical or
mental impairments.
Mistakes teachers make
Highlight pupils’ weakness and
sometimes humiliate children who
have specific learning problems
through name calling most of which
are derogatory.
Cane and threaten pupils who have
learning difficulties.
 Relevance cont.
 Knowledge of SPED will enable the
teacher become a good advocate in order
to deal and also fight for the rights of
people with disability against
discrimination abuse, and denial.
Relevance of SPED

 The teacher will also be exposed

to the scientific causes of
disability and in so doing help to
disabuse the perceptions and
misconceptions people have
against persons with disabilities
(PWDs) of their traditional
beliefs.
CAUSES OF CHILDHOOD
DISABILITIES

THE CAUSES WILL BE LOOKED AT UNDER THE

FOLLOWING SUB-TOPICS:
 PRE – NATAL
 PERI-NATAL
 POST-NATAL
 PRE-NATAL CAUSES
 Under this we will look at all the things that
can happen to the pregnant woman during the
9 months of conception. But we will be
particular about the first TRIMESTER of
pregnancy. This is because whatever happens to
the expectant mum could have serious
consequences on the foetus. Again at this
period the senses are still in the formative
stages
 PRE-NATAL CAUSES

 Emotional state of the mother

 Attempted abortion

 Substance abuse

 Maternal malnutrition

 Age of the expectant mum

 Blood incompatibility (Rh incompatibility)

 Chromosomal abnormality

 Heredity
 Diseases (3Ms)
 Exposure to radiation
PERI-NATAL FACTORS
 This will cover the period of labour and shortly after
delivery. The factors may include:
 Accident during delivery
 Narrow pelvic of mother
 Pre-mature delivery
 Assisted delivery: forceps, vacuum, sedatives, etc.
 Prolonged labour
 Anoxia
 Infections during delivery
POST – NATAL CAUSES
 Severe head injury
 Old age (Presbycusis)
 Occupational hazards.
 Accidents
 Diseases (3Ms)
 The eight killer diseases
 Infections
 Socio-cultural practices
 Assignment number one

You have been appointed as a minister

of education, justify the inclusion of
Special Education in the curriculum of
teacher trainees.