Special Needs & Definition of Terms
Cont.
All people exhibit differences from one another in terms of their physical
attributes (e.g., some are shorter, some are stronger) and learning abilitie
s (e.g., some learn quickly and are able to remember and use what they
have learned in new situations; others need repeated practice and hav
e difficulty maintaining and generalizing new knowledge and skills). The
differences among most people are relatively small, enabling these peo
ple to benefit from the general education program.
The physical attributes and/or learning abilities of some people, however
—those called exceptional People—differ from the norm (either below or
above) to such an extent that they require an individualized program of
special education and related services to fully benefit from education.
Cont.
The term “exceptional” includes people who experience difficulties in
learning as well as those whose performance is so superior that modifi
cations in curriculum and instruction are necessary to help them fulfill t
heir potential. Thus, exceptional people is an inclusive term that refers
to people with learning and/or behavior problems, people with physi
cal disabilities or sensory impairments, and people who are intellectua
lly gifted or have a special talent.
The term students with disabilities is more restrictive than exceptional s
tudents because it does not include gifted and talented people. Lear
ning the definitions of several related terms will help you better unders
tand the concept of exceptionality.
Cont.
Special Needs is a term used in clinical diagnostic and functional develo
pment to describe individuals who require assistance for disabilities that
may be medical, mental, or psychological. The term Special Needs in th
e education setting comes into play whenever a person’s education pro
gram is officially altered from what would normally be provided to stude
nts through an Individual Education Plan.
Special needs are special educational requirements of those with learnin
g difficulties, emotional or behavioral problems, or physical disabilities. Th
ese are conditions or factors that hinder normal learning and developm
ent of individuals. The hindrance can be temporary or long-life condition
s that do not allow proper progress of an individual because of factors lik
e disabilities social emotional, economic, health and political conditions
Cont.
Special needs education is education which provides appropriate mo
difications in the curricula, teaching methods, teaching learning resou
rces, medium of communication or the environment to meet the edu
cational needs of children with special needs
Special education is instruction that is specially designed to meet the
unique needs of children that result from having a disability so they ma
y learn the information and skills that other children are learning. The d
efinition of special education comes from IDEA, the Individuals with Dis
abilities Education Act.
Often times, special education is referred to as a place or location. It i
s not – special education is a service that is provided to your child bas
ed on his/her needs.
Inclusion in education is an approach to educating students with spe
cial educational needs. Under the inclusion model, students with speci
al needs spend most or all of their time with nondisabled students.
Cont.
Inclusive education happens when children with and without disabilities
participate and learn together in the same classes. Research shows that
when a child with disabilities attends classes alongside peers who do not
have disabilities, good things happen.
Exceptional people refers to individuals who differ from societal or comm
unity standards of normalcy. These differences may be due to significant
physical, sensory, cognitive, or behavioral characteristics. Many of these
children may require educational programs customized to their unique n
eeds. For instance, a youngster with superior intellectual ability may requi
re services for students identified as gifted; a child with a visual impairme
nt may require textbooks in large print or Braille.
Cont.
Inclusive education happens when children with and without disabilities
participate and learn together in the same classes. Research shows that
when a child with disabilities attends classes alongside peers who do not
have disabilities, good things happen.
Exceptional people refers to individuals who differ from societal or comm
unity standards of normalcy. These differences may be due to significant
physical, sensory, cognitive, or behavioral characteristics. Many of these
children may require educational programs customized to their unique n
eeds. For instance, a youngster with superior intellectual ability may requi
re services for students identified as gifted; a child with a visual impairme
nt may require textbooks in large print or Braille.
Cont.
Impairment- This is the damage to apart of the body either through acci
dents, diseases, genetic factors or other causes. This leads to the loss or
weakening of that part of the body Special needs
Disability, refers to an inability or a reduced capacity to perform a task in
a specific way. A disability is a limitation imposed on an individual by a lo
ss or reduction of functioning, such as the paralysis of leg muscles, the ab
sence of an arm, or the loss of sight. It can also refer to problems in learni
ng. Stated another way, a disability might be thought of as an incapacit
y to perform as other children do because of some impairment in sensor
y, physical, cognitive, or other areas of functioning. These limitations only
become disabilities when they interfere with a person‘s attainment of his
or her educational, social, or vocational potential.
Cont.
Handicap refers to the impact or consequence of a disability, not the co
ndition itself. In other words, when we talk about handicaps, we mean th
e problems or difficulties that a person with a disability encounters as he
or she attempts to function and interact with the environment.
We would like to extend this definition and suggest that a handicap is m
ore than just an environmental limitation; it also can reflect attitudinal limi
tations imposed on the person with the disability by people without disab
ilities.
Children at-risk, professionals generally mean individuals who, although
not yet identified as having a disability, have a high probability of manife
sting a disability because of harmful biological, environmental, or geneti
c conditions. Environmental and biological factors often work together t
o increase the likelihood