Special Educational needs and Inclusive Education
SingaporeSpecial Educational Needs
Special Educational Needs and Inclusion
What is Special Education?
Special education refers to a range of services that can be provided in different ways and in different settings. There’s no “one size fits all” approach to special education. It’s tailored to meet the needs of students with disabilities.
Special education is specially designed instruction that addresses the unique needs of a student eligible to receive special education services.
What is Inclusion?
It is the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, such as those who have physical or intellectual disabilities and members of other minority groups.
Exceptional Children
Who are exceptional children?
• Children with learning and/or behavior problems,
• Children with physical disabilities or sensory impairments, and
• Children who are intellectually gifted
Children are considered educationally exceptional only when it is necessary to alter the educational programme
Their exceptionality ...
Unable to master learning in the traditional way, or places them so far ahead that they are bored by what is being taught.
Require special education and related services to realize their full human potential.
Differ from the norm (either below or above)
Require an individualized program of special education.
Four key terms:
1. Impairment
2. Disability
3. Handicap
4. At risk
Note: Not all children with a disability are handicapped
Exceptional children share certain physical characteristics and/or patterns of learning and behaviour:
1. Developmental disabilities (Mental retardation)
2. Learning disabilities
3. Emotional and behavioural disorders
4. Autism
5. Hearing impairments
6. Visual impairments
7. Physical and health impairments
8. Traumatic brain injury
9. Multiple disabilities
10. Communication (speech and language) disorders
11. Giftedness and special talents
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Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Neurodevelopmental disorders are disabilities associated primarily with the functioning of the neurological system and brain. Examples of neurodevelopmental disorders in children include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, learning disabilities, intellectual disability (also known as mental retardation), conduct disorders, cerebral palsy, and impairments in vision and hearing. Children with neurodevelopmental disorders can experience difficulties with language and speech, motor skills, behavior, memory, learning, or other neurological functions. While the symptoms and behaviors of neurodevelopmental disabilities often change or evolve as a child grows older, some disabilities are permanent. Diagnosis and treatment of these disorders can be difficult; treatment often involves a combination of professional therapy, pharmaceuticals, and home- and school-based programs.
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Intellectual Disability
a diagnosis is given when an individual has problems both in intellectual functioning and the ability to function in everyday activities.
An individual with ID may have problems with speaking, reading, eating, taking care of themselves, or interacting appropriately with others.
Intellectual disability is usually diagnosed before the age of 18. The term intellectual disability covers the same population of individuals who were diagnosed previously with mental retardation in number, kind, level, type and duration of the disability.
While intellectual disability is the preferred term, it takes time for language that is used in legislation, regulation, and even for the names of organisations, to change.
Most children with intellectual disabilities can learn a great deal and as adults may have partially or even fully independent lives. Individuals with intellectual disabilities may also have different physical problems such as seizures, seeing, hearing, or speaking.
Down Syndrome
It is a condition in which a child is born with an extra copy of their 21st chromosome — hence its other name, trisomy 21. This causes physical and mental developmental delays and disabilities.
Fragile X Syndrome
It is a genetic condition that causes a range of developmental problems including learning disabilities and cognitive impairment. Usually, males are more severely affected by this disorder than females.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
It is a condition in a child that results from alcohol exposure during the mother's pregnancy. Fetal alcohol syndrome causes brain damage and growth problems. The problems caused by fetal alcohol syndrome vary from child to child, but defects caused by fetal alcohol syndrome are not reversible.
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Learning Disability
Learning disabilities are due to genetic and/or neurobiological factors that alter brain functioning in a manner that affects one or more cognitive processes related to learning. These processing problems can interfere with learning basic skills such as reading, writing, and/or math. They can also interfere with higher-level skills such as organization, time planning, abstract reasoning, long or short-term memory, and attention. It is important to realize that learning disabilities can affect an individual’s life beyond academics and can impact relationships with family, friends, and in the workplace.
Dyslexia
A specific learning disability that affects reading and related language-based processing skills.
Dyscalculia
A specific learning disability that affects a person’s ability to understand numbers and learn math facts.
Dysgraphia
A specific learning disability that affects a person’s handwriting ability and fine motor skills.
Dyspraxia
It is a form of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a common disorder affecting fine and/or gross motor coordination in children and adults.
Cerebral Palsy
A group of disorders that affect a person's ability to move and maintain balance and posture. It is most common motor disorder in childhood.
Visual Impairment
It means that a person's eyesight cannot be corrected to a “normal” level. Vision impairment may be caused by a loss of visual acuity, where the eye does not see objects as clearly as usual.
Speech Language Impairment
It means a communication disorder, such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment, that adversely affects a child's educational performance.
Deafness/ Blindness
It is defined as “a hearing impairment that is so severe that the child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification.” Thus, deafness is viewed as a condition that prevents an individual from receiving sound in all or most of its forms.
There is an increasing number of children with special educational needs (SEN) studying in mainstream schools.
Thus, what are the most common special needs?
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. Some people with ASD have a known difference, such as a genetic condition. Other causes are not yet known. Scientists believe there are multiple causes of ASD that act together to change the most common ways people develop. We still have much to learn about these causes and how they impact people with ASD.
People with ASD may behave, communicate, interact, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. There is often nothing about how they look that sets them apart from other people. The abilities of people with ASD can vary significantly. For example, some people with ASD may have advanced conversation skills whereas others may be nonverbal. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others can work and live with little to no support.
ASD begins before the age of 3 years and can last throughout a person’s life, although symptoms may improve over time. Some children show ASD symptoms within the first 12 months of life. In others, symptoms may not show up until 24 months of age or later. Some children with ASD gain new skills and meet developmental milestones until around 18 to 24 months of age, and then they stop gaining new skills or lose the skills they once had.
As children with ASD become adolescents and young adults, they may have difficulties developing and maintaining friendships, communicating with peers and adults, or understanding what behaviors are expected in school or on the job. They may come to the attention of healthcare providers because they also have conditions such as anxiety, depression, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, which occur more often in people with ASD than in people without ASD.
Signs and Symptoms
People with ASD often have problems with social communication and interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests. People with ASD may also have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention. It is important to note that some people without ASD might also have some of these symptoms. For people with ASD, these characteristics can make life very challenging.
AUTISM-IMPAIRMENTS IN SOCIAL COMMUNICATION
Difficulty in using and understanding verbal & non-verbal language
Abnormal delay in language development
Absence of facial expressions
Inability to initiate conversation
Inappropriate or no variations in tone of voice
Limited or no speech (Echolalia)
AUTISM-IMPAIRMENTS IN SOCIAL INTERACTION
Inability to handle their own emotions and recognize others’ emotions
Feel distressed if they have to participate in group activities. They prefer to be alone.
Unable to develop relationship with others
No understanding of others’ facial expressions, body language and social cues
AUTISM-IMPAIRMENTS IN IMAGINATION
Difficulty in thinking in abstract terms
Inability to imagine situations that are not a part of their daily routine
Repetitive behaviours or play patterns
Limited set of interests and activities
Inability to generalise skills learnt in isolation
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental health condition that can cause unusual levels of hyperactivity and impulsive behaviors. People with ADHD may also have trouble focusing their attention on a single task or sitting still for long periods of time.
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What is ADHD?
ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. It is usually first diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking about what the result will be), or be overly active.
Signs and Symptoms
It is normal for children to have trouble focusing and behaving at one time or another. However, children with ADHD do not just grow out of these behaviors. The symptoms continue, can be severe, and can cause difficulty at school, at home, or with friends.
A child with ADHD might:
daydream a lot
forget or lose things a lot
squirm or fidget
talk too much
make careless mistakes or take unnecessary risks
have a hard time resisting temptation
have trouble taking turns
have difficulty getting along with others
Types of ADHD
There are three different ways ADHD presents itself, depending on which types of symptoms are strongest in the individual:
Predominantly Inattentive Presentation: It is hard for the individual to organize or finish a task, to pay attention to details, or to follow instructions or conversations. The person is easily distracted or forgets details of daily routines.
Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation: The person fidgets and talks a lot. It is hard to sit still for long (e.g., for a meal or while doing homework). Smaller children may run, jump or climb constantly. The individual feels restless and has trouble with impulsivity. Someone who is impulsive may interrupt others a lot, grab things from people, or speak at inappropriate times. It is hard for the person to wait their turn or listen to directions. A person with impulsiveness may have more accidents and injuries than others.
Combined Presentation: Symptoms of the above two types are equally present in the person.
Because symptoms can change over time, the presentation may change over time as well.
Causes of ADHD
Scientists are studying cause(s) and risk factors in an effort to find better ways to manage and reduce the chances of a person having ADHD. The cause(s) and risk factors for ADHD are unknown, but current research shows that genetics plays an important role. Recent studies link genetic factors with ADHD.1
In addition to genetics, scientists are studying other possible causes and risk factors including:
Brain injury
Exposure to environmental risks (e.g., lead) during pregnancy or at a young age
Alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy
Premature delivery
Low birth weight
Research does not support the popularly held views that ADHD is caused by eating too much sugar, watching too much television, parenting, or social and environmental factors such as poverty or family chaos. Of course, many things, including these, might make symptoms worse, especially in certain people. But the evidence is not strong enough to conclude that they are the main causes of ADHD.
What is global development delay?
The term 'developmental delay' or 'global development delay' is used when a child takes longer to reach certain development milestones than other children their age.
This might include learning to walk or talk, movement skills, learning new things and interacting with others socially and emotionally.
Someone with another condition, like Down’s syndrome or Cerebral palsy, may also have Global developmental delay.
Global development delay and learning disability
For some people, the delay in their development will be short term and can be overcome with additional support or therapy.
In other cases the delay may be more significant and the child will need ongoing support. This indicates they may also have a learning disability.
GDD
GDD is a commonly used abbreviation of global development delay.
What causes GDD?
GDD is usually attributed to genetic abnormalities, such as brain and spinal cord development. It has also been linked to other life events such as preterm birth, infections, and other environmental factors.
Is GDD the same as Autism?
A developmental delay occurs when your child does not reach their developmental milestones at the expected times, whereas autism is a group of complex neurodevelopmental disorders that manifest themselves in early childhood and are characterized by difficulty communicating and forming relationships with others, as well as using language and abstract concepts.
Global Developmental Delay is typically diagnosed in children under the age of five, indicating a delay in a child's development in several areas, including:
-Language or speech
-Vision
-Movements – motor skills
-Social and emotional skills
-Thinking -cognitive skills
When a child has difficulty developing social and communication skills, autism can be diagnosed in addition to Global Developmental Delay.