Teaching Students With Special Needs

Abstract

“It is clear that in an international setting the use of the term ‘special educational needs’ leads to confusion because it means different things for different countries” (OECD, 2005, p. 12). Inclusive education is today more broadly defined as a reform that supports diversity amongst all learners (UNESCO, 2001). Its aim is to “elimi nate social exclusion that is a consequence of attitudes and responses to diversity in race, social class, ethnicity, religion, gender and ability” (Ainscow, 2005, p. 109). For this chapter then, the term will be used to include students with difficulties in learning, students with disabilities, students whose first language is not English and those who are disadvantaged and thus require resources such as specialist personnel and materials so that they can access the curriculum more effectively.