James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2002

ED4890:03

Inclusive Education for Special Needs

Townsville, Cairns, External

HECS Band 1

20 hours lectures, 18 hours tutorials. Semester 1 (on-campus students). External in Semester 1 for Townsville students.

Core subject for all final year teacher education students.

Staff: Dr P Pagliano (Townsville campus ), Dr J Taylor (Cairns campus).

This subject provides preservice teachers with opportunities to develop skills for the recognition and appropriate inlcusion of students with special needs in regular school programs (either early childhood education, primary or secondary). Students with special needs are those who require some form of curriculum and/or environment modification in order to praticipate in the regular classroom in a meaningful way. Students with special needs include those with gifts and talents, learning or emotional/behavioural difficulties or impairments (intellectual, speech and language, vision, hearing and physical). Students wishing to study this subject off-campus should ensure that they are able to access Web-based material. Information on requirements is available from the School of Education.

Learning Objectives:

  1. critically analyse issues related to the education of students with special needs: normalisation, delabelling, integration, inclusion, legislation, policies, appropriate education (both age and level appropriate), quality of life;
  2. show insight and concern for individuals with special needs;
  3. recognise the indicators of a special need and be able to identify appropriate educational assessment, understand the impact on learning and design appropriate educational strategies;
  4. have a working knowledge of ascertainment procedures and “individual education programs” (IEPs);
  5. communicate effectively with the student, parents and specialists.

Assessment by:

Townsville and flexible learning

Assignment (50%); examination (50%).

Cairns

Assignment (60%); collaborative project (40%).