Special Education - Theories and Research, 15 credits

Main field of study

Course level

Advancement level

Course offered for

• Special Educational Needs Programme

Entry requirements

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should:

- have acquired knowledge of special needs education as a concept and a phenomenon in both research and society, and knowledge of national and local control documents.
- be able to demonstrate an understanding of different perspectives on special needs education and special tuition in both inclusive and exclusive organisation of teaching.
- be able to discuss and problematise special education concepts and have a general understanding of the knowledge field.
- be able to account for national and international research
- have acquired knowledge of laws and ethics with relevance to special education activities.
- have acquired an understanding of the work of the teacher for special needs education in preventive special educational activities.
- have developed an ability to reflect theoretically on special educational practice and special educational approaches.

Course content

The course covers special education and approaches to special education from both historical and present-day perspectives. Central concepts that are problematised and discussed in the course are wholeness, participation, inclusion, integration, deviation, normality, differentiation and segregation. Knowledge of the community's and school's encounter with and responsibility for children and adolescents is central to the course, and the laws and statutes regulating this responsibility are studied. An important part of the course is the cooperation and collaboration between different actors and institutions with regard to pupils, which provide an overall view of what the special education work may involve. Further processed in the course are dilemma situations where ethical and legal considerations and positions are taken with the purpose of developing the students' judgement and approach

Teaching and working methods

The teaching takes the form of field studies, student active literature seminars, lectures and oral and written assignments, individually or in groups.

Examination

The course is examined through literature seminars, individual and group course/field assignments, and examination assignments. Both oral and written examinations may occur.

Applies to all courses regardless of grading scale.

• Students failing an exam covering either the entire course or part of the course two times are entitled to have a new examiner appointed for the reexamination.

If the course has a three-graded grading scale (U - VG), following applies:

• Students who have passed an examination may not retake it in order to improve their grades.

The following applies to courses that include a compulsory component:

• If special circumstances prevail, and if it is possible with consideration of the nature of the compulsory component, the examiner may decide to replace the compulsory component with another equivalent component.

If the LiU coordinator for students with disabilities has granted a student the right to an adapted examination for a written examination in an examination hall, the student has the right to it.

If the coordinator has recommended for the student an adapted examination or alternative form of examination, the examiner may grant this if the examiner assesses that it is possible, based on consideration of the course objectives.  

An examiner may also decide that an adapted examination or alternative form of examination if the examiner assessed that special circumstances prevail, and the examiner assesses that it is possible while maintaining the objectives of the course.

Grades

Other information

Planning and implementation of a course must take its starting point in the wording of the syllabus. The course evaluation included in each course must therefore take up the question how well the course agrees with the syllabus.

The course is conducted in such a way that there are equal opportunities with regard to sex, transgender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation and age.

If special circumstances prevail, the vice-chancellor may in a special decision specify the preconditions for temporary deviations from this course syllabus, and delegate the right to take such decisions.

About teaching and examination language

The teaching language is presented in the Overview tab for each course. The examination language relates to the teaching language as follows: 

• If teaching language is Swedish, the course as a whole or in large parts, is taught in Swedish. Please note that although teaching language is Swedish, parts of the course could be given in English. Examination language is Swedish.
• If teaching language is Swedish/English, the course as a whole will be taught in English if students without prior knowledge of the Swedish language participate. Examination language is Swedish or English (depending on teaching language).
• If teaching language is English, the course as a whole is taught in English. Examination language is English.

Department