Based on in-depth analysis of inclusive practice in eight countries, this book addresses the issues that arise when students with disabilities are educated in local schools.

There remains some controversy about how best to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs. Should they be educated in mainstream schools alongside their peers, or does this mean that specialist help and resources are denied to them? This book explores in depth the ways in which this problem has been tackled in Australia, the UK and Canada. It looks at the major issues which have been raised and the types of provisions and resourcing which have been offered, and then goes on to provide a vision of how future education provision might look for pupils with special educational needs.

Much has been written about special education and about inclusive education, but there have been few attempts to pull these two concepts and approaches together. This book does just that: sets special education within the context of inclusive education. It posits that to include, effectively, all children with special educational needs in schools requires an integration of both concepts, approaches, and techniques. It has never been more timely to publish a book that helps professionals who work with schools, such as psychologists, special education professionals, and counselors, to identify effective practices for children with special needs and provide guidelines for implementing these in inclusive schools.

This true story of a boy who must overcome prejudice and weakness to treat a group of special needs children with the respect—and love—they deserve “will give your innards a bear hug. . . . You will read this book with a lump in your throat.” (Lincoln Journal) From Ron Jones, a teacher who started the classroom program that inspired the movie The Wave, comes a memoir about a life-changing summer. Ron expected that his time as a counselor at Camp Wiggin would be filled with sunny days spent hiking, swimming, and boating. But when he arrives on day one, his illusions are quickly shattered. He knew that the kids would be “handicapped,” but he didn’t anticipate having to care for children who can barely walk or see or retain the use of their limbs. At first, the severity of the campers’ disabilities seems too much to bear. But everything changes once Ron gets to know his group—kids who call themselves “the Acorn People” because of the acorn necklaces they wear around their necks. The campers teach him that, inside, they are the same as any average kid, and with encouragement, determination, and friendship, nothing is impossible. “A fantastic and beautiful story.”—Seattle Times “Uncomfortably moving, yet told in surprisingly unsentimental terms. . . . Succinct and tender, it will haunt the reader long after the brief passages have been read.”—Houston Chronicle "Ron Jones' true story of a group of handicapped children at summer camp is one of the most poignant, beautiful and eloquent tales to come this way in a long time."—Flint Journal

This handbook provides a concise overview of special education services in countries across the world, using the Article on Education in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as the analytical frame. The Praeger International Handbook of Special Education presents a concise and clear overview of special education services in more than 70 countries across the world using the Article on Education in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities as the analytical frame. Each chapter offers information about the country in general, followed by sections on the public education system, the private education system, the special education system, teacher training requirements, and barriers to and promising trends in inclusive and special education. The volumes and chapters are organized by the United Nations Geoscheme, with Volume 1 including an overview of the volumes and chapters on countries in the Americas, Volume 2 addressing countries from Europe and Africa, and Volume 3 focusing on countries in Asia and Oceania. This is the most complete exploration of the delivery of supports and services to children and youth with disabilities across the globe available. The volumes do not compare among or between countries, but rather provide a baseline for understanding current special education practices and their relationship with general education and inclusive practices across the globe. Readers will come away with an in-depth understanding of what is happening with regard to the implementation of special education services and Article 24 of the Convention for the Rights of People with Disabilities. This valuable reference set serves researchers, graduate students, and policymakers in special and general education as well as professionals focused on issues of education worldwide and scholars focused on international special education. As such, this handbook will be an important reference source for university libraries, professional associations, and policy entities.