Topic: Early Childhood Special Education
Education is one of the most important aspects in the development of a child. The state acknowledges this fact and addresses this issue by providing public education. Public education is accessible for regular students and the government supports it, however there is a considerable number of children that needs special attention especially education. Over the past years the interest of researchers and psychologists on young children with developmental liabilities has risen. According to (2000) studies in neurological imaging and early learning have been acknowledged as a great influence in the development of the structure and physiology of a young brain. And as cited in (2000) correct intervention in children with special needs can improve learning and alleviate the development. These pieces of information became the basis for the development of measures in early intervention and special education programs for children with learning impediments. Unfortunately there is a small number of qualified staff and educators available for may special children. Inadequate facilities and staffing are one of the major issues the early childhood special education is currently facing.
One of the most relevant concerns in the world regarding special education is the preparation of educators and the delivery of the service to the children. In the study of (2003) the authors discussed that because of the rising demand for special education teachers, the preparation programs for the educators were essential in intensifying the time and resources. The authors also wrote that the outcome of the programs encouraged more teachers to complete certification requirements even if they are already under employment and the availability of distance learning makes it easier for teachers in remote areas to gain Special Education (SPED) certificates. And because of these new alternative preparation programs, the number of teachers with a degree in SPED education has increased and will not be decreased anytime soon. However, argued that the traditional preparation via coursework and practicum in which colleges and universities gives, still doesn’t meet the essential intervention and childhood special education community. discussed, as cited in Garrett et al, in his investigation, shortages of personnel is not only the issue but individuals having appropriate credentials still lack the knowledge and capacities needed in meeting the particular needs of “infants, young children and their families.” That is the reason why even regions having rich resources still lack the appropriate services.
Regardless of the fact that the traditional approach in the preparation still remain the appropriate program for a number of students, the colleges and universities needs to amend the programs so that the priorities of non-traditional and working SPED practitioners will be addressed. The practitioners that require additional preparations are grouped into three categories: (a) “the non-certified personnel currently working as SPED systems”, this group comprises of individuals that attained four-year college degrees but still lack the highest standard training or do not have professional certification. (b) “Licensed professionals without early pediatric and family experience,” this group is composed of clinical personnel such as “physical therapists, occupational therapist, speech-language pathologists, special educators and nurses” this group already have a license but may have limited experience in meeting some other special needs. (c) And “early childhood educators working in inclusive settings,” a large number of individuals move their children from natural environments like regular schools to inclusive services, the educators in an inclusive setting must accommodate the needs of the increasing special children. ( 2000)
Another concern is the delivery of the service, Whitten and Campos discussed that over the past years students having impediments are in segregated settings like self-contained classrooms in which these children receive their education. They wrote that the basic assumption in institutions that specializes in special education is that disabled students cannot be instructed in the general education curriculum even if it has enough support. The state laws mandated schools to include students with disabilities in the class together with the non-disabled. But several studies have determined that teachers in general education classrooms are not prepared in the inclusion of disabled students. In addition the SPED teachers and general teachers have no definite idea on their roles when SPED students will be included. The authors said that Special Education is the answer to these problems, teaching special students individually reduces school problems like behavior and achievement problems. The teachers and university professors must be prepared in the changes regarding the special education sector.
Special Education was recognized in Japan on the last part of the 19th century. The establishment of the first special school in the year 1878 in Kyoto, which caters for deaf and blind children, marked the start of special education in Japan. The class for intellectually impaired children was launched in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture in the year 1890. Otherwise stated the special education for children in Japan is over a hundred years old. (2005)
Until the year 1930 there was a considerable increase of special classes for children with different disabilities, and because of the Second World War the special education schools were destroyed. There were only around 100 special schools left after the war ended and all the special classes were closed except for one school in Tokyo. The special education in Japan was reconstructed after World War II, with the basis on the philosophy of democratic education. An education law was enacted new in the year 1947, in which the education system for six years in elementary and three years of middle school was compulsory. The progress of special education after the war was fast. Schools for blind and deaf children were rebuilt and there was an increase in classes for intellectually impaired children. And on the year 1979, special education schools became compulsory. The development of Special Education in Japan after World War II divided in three eras: “the development of special schools and special classes: 1947-1979, Introduction of integrated education, which might be considered dumping: 2000 and the development of special needs education.” (2005)
According to , on the year 1979 there was a rapid and radical movement on integrated education. Radical students in Tokyo Gakugei University occupied the University President’s office and demanded for the abolishment of the Department of Special Education due to the reason that it raises discrimination in the education. Prof. was the only faculty member that upheld the significance of having a compulsory education in special schools because the author believes that compulsory education for special children is the key in receiving proper school education. She added that integrated education received a number of criticisms in the West and was even considered as “dumping,” in which children are placed upon an environment in which they are not prepared to interact and an environment that is not ready to handle their special needs. And during that time Japan was not ready for an integrated education and was regarded as unworkable because the teachers and educators do not have enough knowledge and were not prepared to deliver the proper education for all students with impediments in a regular class. And due to the circumstances at that time the campaign for integrated education gradually vanished. In this contemporary period, a new campaign has begun. Shifting from special education to special needs education is the current movement in special education. The special needs education, “provides appropriate education to all children, in the least restrictive educational environment, including those children who have the most severe and profound disabilities.”( 2005)
Professor Yamaguchi wrote that the developmental periods in the special education in Japan can be analyzed in a dialectical standpoint. The thesis, antithesis and synthesis, she said that from the end of the World War II until the year 1979, Japan increased special education schools for children; education for children having physical disabilities and intellectual incapacities was delivered appropriately. However these children were separated and be put in discriminatory places like special classes. The mistake of this approach was it disregarded the principle of Least Restrictive Educational Environment (LRE). This period is the “Thesis.” The “Antithesis” came after the year 1979, in which a movement on integrated education was created and demanded that children with intellectual and physical disabilities be put in regular classes instantly. The idea of the movement was incorrect since it disregarded the objective of providing suitable education to every child, although wrong, the movement was in the right path to least restrictive education environment. And on the current time period, Japan has started to rectify Special education; this is the “Synthesis” in which it contradicts the “Thesis” and “Antithesis.”
As mentioned earlier, one of the major concerns in Special Education is the preparation of the educators. In Japan the number of children with physical and intellectual disabilities has risen, the special education sector of Japan is trying new approaches in coping adequately the increasing number of students and needs. (1993) discussed the different curriculums and approaches of Japanese colleges and universities in enhancing special education. The authors wrote that the Curriculum in Teacher Education in Japan is conducted the just like the elementary, junior and senior high school. To become a special education teacher, the credits for special education are added to credits of a regular teacher certification. However the authors pointed out the different problems the teacher education in Japan is currently facing. (1) “Reexamination of the philosophy and curriculum of programs which do not impose teacher certificates.” (2) “An alternative plan for a teacher certificate standard based on the new law of teacher certification.” (3) Coordination of the graduate program and the undergraduate program.” (4) “Improvement in the quality of teacher education.” Currently universities and colleges that offer masters degree in special education have increased. The courses in the master’s degree are expected to help in the progress of professional training and increase the level of academic efforts. In the year 1989, internship training was conducted for newly employed regular and SPED teachers. The objectives of the training are to enhance practical teaching skills, raise the sense of mission and provide teachers with a wide scope of expertise. Masawa, Seo and Kusanagi concluded that in order to meet the adequate needs of children in special schools the universities in Japan increased the number of credits needed to get a Special Education teaching certificate. The response for this amendment was positive, however the change was small and the special education sector wants more diverse qualifications for teachers because teachers cater to different disabled children.
The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), has carried out different movements in reforming the special education policy. Professor Yamaguchi enumerated the different movements:
Resource Rooms. This committee was established in 1990, the Chool Education Law was upgraded in the year 1993 in order to include resource rooms in the system of special education. And after the amendment every year the number of children attending resource rooms have raised, as well as, an increase of attendance in special classes and schools. The resource rooms become a bridge between regular class and special class which is a significant move towards inclusive education.
Learning Disabilities (LD) and LD-Like Disabilities. In the year 1992, another committee was established in order to act in response to the petition from a group of parents having children with learning disabilities. The fundamental points on the report were: “(a) Children with LD are children having difficulties in learning and using skills but have no developmental delay (b) A tentative plan was created to identify these children. (c) The listing of teaching types and places for the children. “
Toward Special Education in the 21st Century. This committee was established last 2000. In their final report in 2001, it was reported on how to provide the right education for children having special educational need. The special supportive education is training for children having LD, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) and many more, that are in regular class and needs special supportive education.
Special Supportive Education. The latest Committee, it was established last 2004. In their final report there were several fresh plans presented. (1) the abolishment of special schools that separates the students according to their disability and establishment of community schools that gives support to the disabled children at the same time providing education. (2) Combining special classes and resource rooms to create the special education support rooms. (3) Designation of special educational needs coordinators in primary, secondary and special schools. (4) Establishing in-school committees in order to talk about the necessities of children with learning difficulties. (5) Improving the quality of teachers and (6) Coordination with relevant agencies.
The reforms in the special education sector will have a positive effect on the current curricula of special education schools in Japan. discussed the different models or curricula of Special Education in Japan. The first one is the “Jiritu Katudo,” it is also called “Educational Therapeutic Activities” or “Activities for Living an Independent Life.” The primary and special schools must have it, teaches sensory-motor, orientation and mobility, social skills, auditory and speech training. The new policies in special education will not be a hindrance in this curricula instead a big help because children can interact with children having other disabilities and regular students, they will not feel isolated. Moreover these children will receive better support and greater level of teaching. Another curriculum is the Adapted Physical Education and Sport, in which special education schools adapts and develops new activities and games that will fit to children with disabilities, these physical activities will enable social participation and self-actualization. The new policy will also be a great help in the enhancement of the curriculum because agencies that specializes in physical education and sport will be coordinated. Individual Teaching Plan is to be developed with the cooperation of the parents and caregivers. The plan wants the development of teaching plans in certain areas for every disabled child. If the plan pursues it will be more innovative and less restrictive because there will be more coordination from different sectors. And then, the Assistive Technology, in which the children will use technologies such as computers that is augmented to fit the needs of the children, more high-end technologies will be provided for the students if the policy newest policy will be ratified because there would be coordination in the technology sector, and more technologies suited for these children would be created.
According to the Special Supportive Education plans are already being prepared in small towns in Japan like the Shiki City in Saitam Prefecture, Ashibetsu City in Hokkaido and Tokai Village in Ibaraki Prefecture. Yamaguchi wrote that the Miyagi Prefecture has one of the best plans in Special Needs Education. The plan includes the principle of inclusive education in which the Special Needs Education (SNE) is based upon and all children regardless of disabilities must be in regular schools, with a SNE to support the “regular classes, resource rooms, special classes or special education outside of the regular schools.”
The emerging trend in Special Education in Japan which is the Special Supportive Education is revolutionary because it was able to combine the old view of special education and the integrated school without sacrificing the quality of education that will be delivered to the students. SSE will be successful according to Professor Yamaguchi with the help of Regionalism, in which the schools are promoted all over the region and Parent Power, in which parents with children having disabilities will cooperate the special education will be reformed completely in Japan.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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