Foundations of Special Education – An Introduction

Foundations of Special Education introduces readers to the disciplines and perspectives that underpin and inform modern-day special education, particularly of pupils aged five through sixteen years. It illustrates the wide-ranging contributions of these fields, and is essential reading for anyone with an interest in contemporary special education.

The book aims to stimulate a reconsideration of training and support for special educators and others by indicating the complexity of the field. It seeks to encourage multi-disciplinary perspectives and work practices by outlining the sheer range of disciplines involved in the modern-day field of special education.

The disciplines and perspectives covered include legal, medical, social, cognitive, neuropsychological, psycholinguistic, and pedagogical. Main types of disorder and disability are considered from these perspectives, including cognitive impairment, anxiety and depressive disorders, autism, reading disorder, hearing and visual impairment, and disruptive behaviour disorders.