Special Education in
China
SUSAN FAHEY
&
MARIO MARTINEZ
SPECIAL EDUCATION

China has 1,540 schools for special education, with
375,000 students
– More than 1,000 vocational training institutes for disabled
people,
– nearly 3,000 standard vocational training and education
institutes that also admit disabled people
– More than 1,700 training organizations for rehabilitating hearingimpaired children
– Over 100,000 trained and in-training children.
– In 2004, 4,112 disabled students entered ordinary schools of
higher learning.
– Of disabled children receiving special education, 63.6 percent of
total recruitment numbers and 66.2 percent of enrollment were
in ordinary schools or special classes thereof.
Special Education
•These children have the right to
receive systematic school education
•The number and scale of China’s
existing special education schools
cannot satisfy enrollment requirements
•State’s financial and material
resources do not permit building special
education schools.
•Regular schools must begin to enroll
children with disabilities in regular
classes otherwise these children will
not receive an education.
Milestones and Laws

Confucian text Liji ( Book of
Rites)
– People should respect each others’
parents, and treat others’ children
like their own… handicapped and
sick should also be supported
(Pang & Richey, 2006).

19th Century
– U.S. and European missionaries
help establish special schools
Milestones and Laws

1912
– First school established by Chinese to help
special needs students.
– Zhang Jian established a training school for
teachers of the blind and deaf
– special school for blind and deaf students
 Trained students to help themselves by placing
priority on vocational education, teaching general
knowledge and focusing on Chinese traditions of
self-respect and independence.
Milestones and Laws

1949-People’s Republic of China
– Government placed importance on education
of children with special needs.
– State instituted a series of laws and
regulations to safeguard the rights to
education of the disabled and begin reform
process.

1970’s
– Special schools for children with special needs
began to be established (separate from
regular education schools)
Milestones and Laws

1985
– National Conference on Education
 Recognizes the importance of special education
and needs of special education children.

1986
– Compulsory Education Law
 Mandates the teaching of special needs students.
 Mandates local governments to set up special
schools or classes for special needs students.
Milestones and Laws

1987-1988
– Learning in the Regular Classroom (LRC)
begins
 Children with disabilities integrated into general
education classes.
 A necessity for special needs children who do not
live in areas where special schools are present or
where families cannot afford these special schools.
– First Internal Work Conference on Special
Education
 Calls for special classes attached to regular
schools.
Solution and Current Status
Learning in the Regular Classroom (LRC)- Inclusive
Education
 Begins in 1987
 Has more than 8 million school-age children with
disabilities.
 To change special education from a single and
unitary form of schooling involving special
education schools to a diversified form that
consists primarily of LRC and special education
classes backed up by special education schools.
Current Status
LRC
–Provides children and adolescents
with disabilities with more
opportunities to go to school.
–Greatly accelerates the
development of compulsory
education.
LRC Implementation and Promotion
Methods
1.
2.
Include all children and adolescents with
special needs who can adapt to studies
and life at ordinary schools.
Enrollment in nearby schools.
•
•
Age of LRC enrollment the same as for
ordinary children.
Age limits (for school attendance) extended
for special circumstances
LRC Implementation and Promotion
Methods
3.
Teaching materials and teaching strategies
•
•
Same materials used for special education
students as general population-adjusted to the
special education student needs
Teachers modify their lessons/individualize
teaching based on:




Children’s aptitude
Individualized Education Plans
Collective teaching with increased individual tutoring
for LRC students.
Resource Room Teachers
LRC Implementation and Promotion
Methods
Teacher qualifications and professional
requirements:
4.
•
•
•
Have basic knowledge in and basic skills in special
education.
Must understand basic principles of LRC education.
Resource Room Teachers
 Specialized training in special education
 Main task is to help students with disabilities
conduct remedial studies, guide students in using
of auxiliary appliances, conduct rehabilitative
training and cultivate social adaptation abilities.
 Assist LRC teacher in developing and evaluating
IEP.
Needs
Training of teachers in special education
and differentiating instruction strategies
for teachers teaching special education
students in LRC.
 Smaller class sizes:

– In key secondary and elementary schools in
some cities, there are on average about 50
students and sometimes 60-75 students.
With 2 students with disabilities in the
classroom, teachers may not be able to meet
the needs of LRC students.
Needs

LRC students need
support in
Communication
Self-help
Social skills
Study methods
Everyday life
adaptation
– Health
– Safety

Support system to
include
– Family education
– Help to families
– Facilities adapted to LRC
students
– Community support
– Coordination from medical
workers
–
–
–
–
–

To be successful, support
system must be
coordinated with
education and training.
CURRICULUM REFORM
Reforms

Curriculum Reform Objectives
– Reforming the excessive emphasis on
knowledge transmission in current curricula
– Curricula should promote the physical and
mental development of each student.
– Cultivate the desire and ability to engage in
lifelong study.
Curriculum Reform
1.
2.
Comprehensiveness, flexibility and
diversity in curriculum structure.
Lessen rigidity in disciplinary divisions of
traditional curricula and classical
contents and strengthen links among
curriculum contents, social and science
tech developments and students’ lives
Curriculum Reform
Correct teaching materials to include regional
and cultural information and address social
development, science and technology-give
teacher material more variety.
Curriculum
3.
4.
•
Lessen

•
Importance on acceptance, memorization, and imitative
learning in the teaching process
Promote

Multiple learning activities among students (active
participation, communication, cooperation and inquiry and
research)
Curriculum Reform
5.
Assessments
•
•
6.
Reform assessments that emphasize
knowledge memorization and the functions
of selection and screening.
Set up multiple assessment criteria and
methods of evaluation (formative
evaluation)
Decentralize curriculum policies and
establish a policy for management at
three levels- state, local and school-and
improve curriculum’s adaptability.