Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Historical Perspectives

Why to study this topic and where to get some useful information?

This chapter is an opening of for the course Special Education 1. Beside the main study text and presentation, you may use some of the materials below to extend your knowledge about disabilitity, history and public attitudes towards people with disabilities.

First, have a look at the history of disability: from 1050 to the present day

• There is a link that provides a very nice summary of the history of disability including posters, laws, photos, etc.
• http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/discover/people-and-places/disability-history/

Next, find out about the meaning of the word "Handicap"

• This link provides an interesting reflexion about the term "handicap", which is not used any more in neutral way.
• http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/~ronald/HandicapDefinition.htm

Discuss with your colleague about next topic

How did people with disabilities participated in the life of a community during diferent phases of history – ancient Greece, The Middle Ages, the 2nd World War and today? Use the information from the websites above, read examples of terminology in the sub-sylabi and discuss with your colleague about the roles and lives of people with different types of disabilities in the course of history. 

Literature where you can find out more about the history of disability

EYLER, Joshua. Disability in the Middle Ages. Surrey: Ashgate Publishing Group, 2010. 248 p. ISBN 9780754668220.

GLEESON, Brendan. Geographies of Disability. Florence: Routledge, 1999. 266 p. ISBN 9780415179096.

SHERRY, Mark. Disability Hate Crimes: Does Anyone Really Hate Disabled People? Surrey: Ashgate Publishing Group, 2010. 183 p. ISBN 9781409407812.

What are Special Needs?

• the individual requirements (as for education) of a person with a disadvantaged background or a mental, emotional, or physical disability or a high risk of developing one
• for more information about this important notion see: http://www.scoilnet.ie/info_specialneeds.shtm

​Quote - what is inclusion?

„Inclusion – the process of taking a special needs individual and including them in a typical education setting – is a tough, delicate, and extremely complex subject to address. Each situation is unique to the child as well as the desired setting – which can change year to year.“ (Ackerman, L. 2012)

How is inclusion defined?

Inclusion is seen as a process of addressing and responding to the diversity of needs of all learners through increasing participation in learning, cultures and communities, and reducing exclusion within and from education. It involves changes and modifications of content, approaches, structures and strategies, with a common vision which covers all children of the appropriate age range and a conviction that is the responsibility of the regular system to educate children.

Homework

Read the BBC article from this link http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/3478721.stm and write down three reasons why to put a child into mainstream school and three reasons why to put a child in special institution. Upload your answer into the Homework Vault of this course (Odevzdávárny) below.