Introduction to Special Education

Abstract

The aim of education is for each child to attain the individual potentially regardless of one physical or mental abilities or capability. It then becomes the responsibility of any teacher and significant individual to assist the child to realize the objectives of education as a right of the individual. It is a common knowledge that in any regular classroom, a teacher will come across children who are different from others. The difference may be intellectually, physical, sensory or emotional. In every society, whether formal or informal, within it, there are people or children that have special needs. The needs may be multi various depending on the ability and disability that is inherent in the individuals. This specifically requires early identification in order to nurture or remediate the deficits. Some individuals are disadvantaged either as a result of additional abilities (extra abilities) or less ability, due to endowment, traits, or disability based on the needs and values of a given society. These groups of people that are different from the normal are called exceptional people, and they require special facilities, equipment, methodology and special teacher (with additional knowledge) to meet their unique needs hence the need for special education to take cognizance of all the unique needs of individual through educational appropriate rehabilitation, curriculum planning and method methods hence we have the profession called special education.