Abstract
With a view toward inclusion, Taiwan's special education law has undergone eight amendments since 1984. The learning environment for children with disabilities has also shifted from segregation to integration and inclusion. Currently, the learning environments for special needs education in Taiwan include regular classrooms, resource classrooms, special needs classes, itinerant visits, and special needs schools. To achieve “inclusive education,” Taiwan's elementary and junior high schools are also implementing a variety of approaches. This chapter focuses on “the practice of inclusive education in Taiwan” and discusses the contents of the current “ Taiwanese-type” inclusive education practices and school cases from the development process and status of inclusive education in Taiwan.
TopBackground
As for the current situation of special needs education in Taiwan, the number of students who attend resource classrooms while enrolled in regular classes in regular schools is about 56,235 (accounting for 76% of all students with disabilities), while the number of students enrolled in special needs classes in regular schools is reported to be 6597 (accounting for about 9% of all children with disabilities) (Ministry of Education, 2021). In other words, the condition of students with disabilities in Taiwan is that they attend resource classes while enrolled in regular schools.
With the publication of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) (UN,2006), the Special Education Law in Taiwan has been amended accordingly. With the worldwide boom of “inclusive education,” the implementation of “inclusive education” is also on the rise. The school evaluation criteria have also added the category of “inclusive education”.
Searching with the keyword” inclusive education” in Airiti Library(Reference Search Engine), the number of search results for the 10 years before the revision of the Special Education Law in 2009 (2000-2009) was 93. In contrast, the number of documents in the 10 years after the amendment of the Special Education Law (2010-2019) increased to 221. The authors can see that the research on the practice of inclusive education in Taiwan is also growing in momentum.
This chapter will indicate the practice of inclusive education in Taiwan that include special education advocacy activities and volunteer programs for students in regular classes, interaction and joint learning by subjects for children with disabilities, and inclusive education activities in the classroom field curriculum for all students.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Implementing Inclusion Activities in Class-Field Courses: The children with disabilities and normal children who participate in the classes through a variety of course topics (sports, painting et.).
National Curriculum Guidelines: It is a basis for standardizing the curriculum of school teaching in Taiwan. It was announced for implementation after being reviewed and approved by the Ministry of Education of ROC.
The Special Education Law: The purpose of this Law is to protect the right of the disabilities and the gifted. It is also the mother law related to special education in Taiwan.
Support Services for Students with Disabilities Measures: The measures are formulated based on Article 33 of The Special Education Law in Taiwan. The purpose of this measure is to ensure that the needs of students with disabilities in school can be protected.
Mental barrier-free: It also meant as a psychological accessibility. People treat others (like the people with special needs) without prejudice, and with a positive attitude. Let the people in need live, with or without foresight.
Special education advocacy activities: Approaches to Disabilities Awareness Education. Through experience and cooperation, participants can better understand or increase awareness of disabilities.
Professional related organization personnel: In order to provide better support services for students with disabilities. In addition to special education teachers, health and medical, social work, independent living, and vocational rehabilitation professionals work together to help in learning, living, psychological, rehabilitation training, vocational counseling assessment, and transition counseling and services. For example: speech therapist, psychological counselor, physical therapist.
Interaction and Joint Learning by Subjects: The children with disabilities enrolled in special education classes who participate in the regular class’s lesson. The determination of lesson participation is based on the children with disabilities’ ability and individualized education plan (IEP).