The special education law defined special education as ‘education conducted to meet the educational needs of special education subjects through the provision of special education-related services and curriculum suitable for the subjects’ characteristics’. Special education has two main features: integrated education and individualized education. It aims to maximize the potential of special education subjects and to improve their mental and physical health. Ultimately, the education is for providing each handicapped student the foundation for a happy and social life as an independent and productive person.
At Korea National University of Education (KNUE), the Department of Special Education was established in 2021. The department aims to cultivate remarkable experts in the special education field by educating the philosophical basis and professional knowledge required. Also, it provides opportunities for various field experiences such as voluntary activities and teaching practices in special education institutions for the activities are included in the regular curriculum.
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INTERVIEW We interviewed Youtuber ‘Hyosojak’ who is majoring in Special Education at KNUE. Here are her answers to our four questions: Q1. Why did you decide to major in Special Education? A. During my high school days, I did volunteer work at a special class in my school. On one occasion, I had to ask an in-school special education teacher about how to help an alienated student who has a language disorder. After the conversation with the teacher, I learned how to communicate with handicapped students. Afterward, I continued the volunteer work with the proper communicative tools, and I felt rewarded by observing the meaningful growths of students who had been inactive in the class. That achievement triggered an eagerness to learn the expertise of special education, and become a special education teacher helping disabled students. Q2. What was the most remarkable episode during special education major students' days? A. An in-school special education teacher gave me a remarkable answer to a question: “What can be the difficulty as a special instructor?”, which was “The most painful thing that I have to go through as a special instructor is to accept my limitations in helping disabled students.” I was inspired by the teacher’s deep and strong affection for students from her answer. Q3. What do you think the strengths that the Special Education department of KNUE has? A. I think the most attractive benefit that KNUE S.E dept. has is the sufficient opportunities to meet and talk with S.E graduate students who are current special teachers. They give us informative lectures on disability understanding education in schools as a part of practicum courses. We also had discussions with them to plan activities that our department will carry out on the Day of the Disabled. Most importantaly, a relatively small number of students in a class makes the strong and special bond between classmates. Q4. Are there any difficulties that special education major students go through? A. I’m a freshman, and so I can’t specify the difficulties of studying in the major. But, as the special education department is newly established in KNUE in 2021, we, the 'starters' of our major, have to organize the how things will run in our department. |
Special education is attracting attention as inclusive education is highlighted in national education. KNUE, the only comprehensive teachers' training college in Korea, established the Department of Special Education in the undergraduate school, proving its role to lead education in Korea. As special teachers cultivating program has run in the extended course, the realization of equity in education is nearer by one step more than before.
Installing the Special Education department was such a challenge to KNUE because the major's expertise is related not only to Education but also with Medicine studies, Social Welfare studies, etc.
KNUE overcame the limit point and is expected to take the lead in the development of Korean education by realizing educational equality following the goal of inclusive education.