Contextualization

Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) was
established in the 1932, when Ibn Saud
conquered the majority of the Arabian Peninsula
after a bloody war that lasted three decades
(World Factbook, 2010).
• According to the Royal Embassy of Saudi
Arabia (2010), the education system of Saudi
Arabia has evolved dramatically since its
founding 78 years ago.
• In the beginning, education was the privilege
only of children of elite, wealthy families.
• Currently there is a boom in education facility
construction in Saudi Arabia, with over
twenty-five thousand schools built and more
constructed as time passes
• The curricula are a mix of traditional Islamic
religious education and lessons in many other
fields, usually based on the curricula of
schools in the United States of America or the
United Kingdom.
• The schedule of these schools is usually
modeled on the American system, with nine
to 10 months of schooling broken by summer
breaks and occasional time off for religious
holidays (World Factbook, 2010).
The Position of Islam Towards Persons
with Disabilities
• Equality among people is a noble principle
which is sought by human beings in all corners
of the globe.
• In Islam, true competition is not based on
property, race, social status, wealth, color, sex,
or completeness of physical, sensory, or
mental abilities, but, rather, it is based on the
piety to God in word and action.
Regional Differences and Accessibility
• Almost all services and programs are
concentrated in the metropolitan areas, and
thus are not easily accessible to the rural
population or nomadic tribes.
• On the one hand, there are duplications of
efforts in urban areas due to a lack of
communication, coordination and cooperation
among public and private organizations. And
on the other hand, there is a lack of services in
rural areas where 58.7% of persons with
disabilities are reported to live.
• Over the last two decades, the Ministry of
Health has established numerous
rehabilitative services for persons with
disabilities and other residents in the country
(Gaad,2011).
• A majority of these programs offer physical,
occupational, speech and hearing therapy as
well as prosthetic and orthotic services within
the existing modern and sophisticated health
care service system and infrastructure.
• Rehabilitation programs and facilities, as an
integral part of modern health care delivery
services, have received due attention by
government authorities, with services being
made available to all citizens and residents.
Contextualization of Special Education
in the Japan
• In Japan, each person is expected to conform
to societal ways and norms, though there are
exceptions with much of the radical younger
generation and a few individuals that
intentionally mock conformity (Ministry of
Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and
Technology ,2007).
 Cultural Perspective and View of
Disability
• The cultural and societal norms and values
mentioned previously seem to be reflected in
the Japanese view of the elderly and
individuals with disabilities.
• The concept of disability is inconsistent with
the Japanese concept of conformity. From
openly admitting the existence of a disabling
condition to rehabilitation, Japanese people
would historically view such concerns as
family business and see little need to involve
others
• . Pain may even be endured by the person
with a disability as a matter of family honor
(Sharts-Hopko, 2003).
• This way of thinking will influence the
Japanese American way of thinking. Thus,
Japanese may view a disability as a personal
or familial issue and try to keep every aspect
“all in the family.” Unfortunately, one of the
adverse side effects of keeping disability all in
the family is not actively seeking rehabilitation
services.
 Contextualization of
Special Education in Finland
• Finland is a small country of just 5.5 million
people compared to Britain’s population of
almost 57 million (Sahlberg, 2012).
• This is often cited as a significant factor in
Finland’s educational success but simply
noting the size of its population masks the
country’s complexity.
• Finland’s geography and climate, for example,
represent significant challenges for public
policy makers, not least those in education.
• Despite the challenges, daily life continues
throughout Finland whatever the season and
despite the weather and schools stay open all
year long. The warm summer months are a
time when Finns enjoy getting out into the
countryside and pursuing outdoor activities
such as hiking and camping. In winter they
don their skis, skates and warm clothes and
daily life continues
 Key Features

• Education is free of charge and taxes are high.

• All teachers are university educated, most to
master’s degree level, and are regarded also
as researchers, with a strong focus on
developing pedagogical knowledge. They
enjoy full autonomy in the classroom.
• The school system is integrated and inclusive.
Pupils with special educational needs receive
support in schools and there is a student
welfare team in every school. Most pupils
receive mainstream education, with special
schools only for those whose needs cannot be
adequately met in mainstream education.
• The education system is flexible and the
administration is based on the principal of
“Centralised steering – local implementation”.
• The national core curriculum emphasises
the active role of the pupil as the organiser of
his/her own structure of knowledge. Teachers
are free to tailor the curriculum to the needs
of their pupils.
• Municipalities are responsible for
implementation of the curriculum but schools
and teachers enjoy substantial autonomy and
trust.
• There are no national tests, no school league
tables and no school inspections