Education is not a privilege, rather a human right. This becomes even more pertinent when talking about individuals with special needs. The aim is to provide quality education without discrimination on grounds of different abilities.
The term “special education” refers to individualized programs designed to address the needs of students with disabilities. The intent is to enable individuals with special needs to reach their fullest potential.
History of Special Education globally:
While it is not entirely clear where the true origins of Special Education lie, efforts to educate children with special needs (emotional, physical or learning) can be traced as far back as the 14th century.
1578 - Pedro Ponce de Léon (Spain) created the first documented experience about education of deaf children
1760 - Abbé Charles Michel de l’Epée (Paris) created the “Institut pour sourds” (Institute for deaf)
1829 - Louis Braille invented “Braille script” for the visually impaired
1894 – Morgan, a general practitioner in Sussex, England, published the first case of what is now known as Dyslexia in the British Medical Journal
1922 - The Council for Exceptional Children was founded, championing the right to education for all children, regardless of their disabilities. Today, it is one of the largest special education advocacy groups in the world
1943 - Dr. Leo Lanner, an Austrian-American psychiatrist of John Hopkins University, was the first to classify the Autism Spectrum Disorder
1973 - Rehabilitation Act required accommodations for disabled students in schools
1990 - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was passed
2002 - No Child Left Behind Act was passed
Evolution of Special Education in India:
The early origins of special education in India started with Christian missionaries and nongovernmental agencies serving the visually, hearing, and cognitively impaired. After independence from Great Britain in 1947, the Indian government became more involved in providing educational, rehabilitation, and social services.
Initiatives aimed at change:
India has initiated many programs for special needs; the government and private sector have both made efforts in this regard.
Government Initiatives:
Persons with Disability Act (1995) – ensured that people with special needs received equal opportunities at education, employment, vocational training and rehabilitation.
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) - the goal is to make education of children aged 6–14 a fundamental right.
Right to Education (RTE, 2010) - grants children aged 6–14 the right to free and compulsory education. An Amendment in 2012 makes explicit provisions for disabled children.
National Education Policy (1986 and latest revision, 2020) – strongly advocates an inclusive outlook with special emphasis on training teachers to cater to varying learning needs.
Private Initiatives:
Several companies and NGOs have taken steps for improving the life of those with special needs. Funded by corporate donors or as CSR initiatives, they aim to provide them with jobs, education and improved accessibility. Some of these include Pankh, Association of People with Disability and several other privately funded organisations.
During more recent times, systematic efforts took place in providing educational and vocational opportunities to individuals with disabilities in India. Starting with Christian missionaries in the 1880s, the charity model became part of the special schools they established (Alur, 2002). For instance, formal educational institutions were established for the blind in 1887, for the deaf in 1888, and for mentally deficient in 1934 (Misra, 2000). After these early establishments in the late 19th century.
or early 20th century, a growth was seen in the establishment of these institutions in the latter half of the 20th century.