Perspectives on Inclusive and Special Education
Full time Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
Part time Master in Education (MEd)
The main aim of this course is to provide an in-depth and critical engagement with the development of, and current issues in, special and inclusive education around the world. This will entail an examination of a range of different theoretical orientations, definitions, identification and assessment procedures.
The route is designed for people who hold, or seek to hold, positions of responsibility for the education of children and young people who experience difficulties in learning. It will be relevant to those who come from a range of backgrounds. Each student will carry out an individually negotiated investigation of a specialist topic, in addition to undertaking set assignments.
Course members' backgrounds are expected to be diverse, and conceptualisations of inclusion, special education and marginalisation will vary. The course will therefore seek to build on participants' understanding of the educational systems and approaches operating in their local and national regions and provide them with opportunities to compare and contrast with developments from across the globe.
The main purposes of the route will be to:
- develop members' understanding of the range of provision for children and young people who experience difficulties in learning;
- compare and contrast special education provision in a number of contexts and countries;
- enable students to understand issues related to meeting educational needs as they emerge from different theoretical, cultural and national perspectives;
- understand the relationships between equal opportunity, social justice and policy formulation, adoption, implementation and evaluation;
- enhance capacities for professional reflection, judgement, decision-making and action to make effective provision for all aspects of individual need
- develop ability to critically engage with the literature on special and inclusive education
- develop ability to use theory to critique, evaluate and understand practice
Students follow a single unified course with four core modules, of these two are introductory and are followed by two advanced modules.
Module 1 (Introduction): What are Special Educational Needs?
Key concepts in education and disability (introductory)
Module 2a (Advanced): Education for All? International Perspectives, Or; Inclusion in Education
Module 2b (Advanced): Developing Policy and Provision;
Module 3 (Introduction) : Meeting special educational needs, curriculum, teaching and learning;
Module 4 (Advanced): Meeting special educational needs, critical perspectives, pedagogy and learning.
Module 1 What are Special Educational Needs? Key concepts in education and disability
This module introduces key concepts, perspectives and theoretical models relating to special educational needs and disability. The history and development of special and inclusive education is explored, including changing understandings of difference, classification, categorisation and labelling. Factors which influence learning are also considered and the relationship between inclusion and exclusion is examined. Module 1 also raises critical questions around notions of choice, quality of life, self-advocacy and participation, for children, young people and adults.
Module 2a Education for All? International perspectives on inclusion in education
This unit will develop students understanding of the range of provisions, from around the world, available for children, young people and adults who experience difficulties in learning. It will assist students in comparing and contrasting the various educational provisions to shed light on their own national contexts. It will also enable students to appreciate the complexities bereft in making cross-national comparisons. This unit will help students comprehend issues related to meeting educational needs as they emerge from different theoretical, cultural and national perspectives. It will also facilitate student's understanding of the relationships between disability, poverty, equal opportunity and social justice.
Module 2b Developing Policy and Provision
This module considers the ways in which different types of support may be provided to children and young people who are seen as having difficulties in learning and/or behaviour. It will explore formal and informal support systems in the context of current policies in the UK and internationally. A range of topics will be considered including learning outside school, the role of adults and pupils in supporting learning in school and multi-agency and collaborative working.
Module 3 Meeting Special Educational Needs: curriculum, teaching and learning
This Module provides an introduction to key concepts in the development of the curriculum for pupils and students with special educational needs. The nature and purpose of different models of curriculum are discussed in the context of an historical overview.Ideas about the curriculum both facilitating and raising barriers to learning are explored. Two sessions are devoted to the development of meaningful access to learning, through processes of curriculum adaptation and differentiation. Further aspects of the assessment process are examined. Later sessions offer introductions to key learning theories and review the implications of these theories for teaching, learning, policy and practice.
Module 4 Meeting Special Educational needs: critical perspectives, pedagogy and learning
This module focuses on 'special education' processes and teaching strategies across the lifespan, and the extent to which they overlap with 'mainstream practice', in order to explore questions about whether or not there is such a thing as a specialist pedagogy. Recent research on the questions of formal and informal learning, specialist pedagogy, and lifelong learning are critically reviewed in relation to those who experience difficulties in learning. The notion of pedagogy that is inclusive of all learners is introduced and explored in detail.