Description : This course, by nature, is introductory to the scientific field of special education. The main aim of this course is for the students to gain an all-embracing picture of the scientific field of special education. It also aims to form a theoretical basis so as, thereupon, the students will be able to deepen into mo-re specialized issues under other individual specialized courses dealing with the field. In the course, fundamental concepts referring to the field of special education are analyzed (such as: "disability", "impairment", "special educational needs", "integration", and "inclusion"), whereas the principles, goals and objects of special education as a science are described. Additionally, there are references to the history of special education in Greece (1900 until 1981) as well as to the legislative regulations upon which the education of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is organized from 1981 up to today. Moreover, the structure and function of different means of provision for special education that are available for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, in Greece, are presented, and the role of the special education teacher is outlined. Throughout the course the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary character of special education as a scientific field is being accentuated, while, at the same time, the students are given the chance to compose the different approaches existing both in research and everyday educational practice of special and inclusive education.
With the successful completion of this course, the students are expected:
1. to distinguish the principal differences of the fundamental concepts that have been histori-cally developed for Special Education -both internationally and nationally- as well as for the inclusive education, and to apply appropriately the relative terminology;
2. to develop critical thinking and attitude towards deficit means of approach of disability and, as a result, towards students with special educational needs and/ or disabilities;
3. to identify the different means of provision for special education and their function as well as the special educator's role mainly as regards general schools; and
4. to be able to identify policies and practices that either hinder or promote the process of ‘building’ inclusive educational environments with respect to all students (including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities).
Outline : The course provides a complete examination on the following topics:
• Thematic Unit 1: Introduction to the course
• Thematic Unit 2: Defining “disability”, “impairment”, “special educational needs”, “Special Education”, “inclusion”, and “integration”
• Thematic Unit 3: An institutional history of disability
• Thematic Unit 4: The history of Special Education in Greece (1900 until 1981)
• Thematic Units 5 & 6: Legislative frameworks for Special Education in the Greek Context (1981 until today)
• Thematic Unit 7: Formative Assessment
• Thematic Units 8 & 9: Structural and functional characteristics of the diverse forms of special education provision for pupils with identified special educational needs and/or disabilities in Greece (special school, homeschooling, hospital schools, institutions, pull-out program, in-class support) – A presentation and a critical analysis
• Thematic Unit 10: The role of special education teacher in special education and the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary character of Special Education
• Thematic Unit 11: The medical and social model of disability
• Thematic Unit 12: The effects of medical and social model of disability in the education of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities
• Thematic Unit 13: The inclusive pedagogy as a contemporary approach to the education of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities