Introduction to special education

The term 'special educational needs' (SEN) has a legal definition, referring to children who have learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn or access education than most children of the same age. Many children will have SEN of some kind at some time during their education. Help will usually be provided in their ordinary, mainstream early education setting or school, sometimes with the help of outside specialists. It is envisaged that this book will be useful to education students as it identifies different types of disabilities and highlights strategies to be used in accommodating pupils with such disabilities in ordinary classrooms. It is divided into two units. Unit One dwells on basic terms and concepts and historical developments in special education, while Unit Two presents types of disabilities, their causes, and educational implications of children with such disabilities. The textbook ends with Unit Three which is basically on the mainstreaming of students with special needs in the ordinary classrooms situations.