TERMINOLOGY

Reporter: Brix Daniel P. Volante

CONTENTS
01 Terminology

02
Terminology Relation to
Special Education

03 Scope of Terminology

04 Conclusion
What is terminology?
• Terminology refers in the present context to the terms
used ‘ . . . with a particular application in a subject of
study’ (Soanes and Stevenson, 2003). It is not therefore
about the general use of words but about their particular
use in a specific field although, of course, general and
specific usage may overlap. Terminology helps to shape
and delineate an area of study. In special education, as in
many areas, a starting point and orientation aid is to
familiarize oneself with terms frequently used, for
example, xd through the Internet and published texts.
Terminology in Relation to Special
Education
• It is important in special education that the
meaning and use of terms such as ‘needs’,
‘disability’ and ‘rights’ are understood and if
possible agreed. However, there is potential for
confusion and misunderstanding owing to many
professionals being involved from different
disciplines and areas of expertise. The range of
professions include the following:
• educators including teachers, specialist teachers
of the deaf or blind and classroom aides;
• psychologists who may specialize in clinical,
educational, cognitive, neuropsychological,
psychometric or other spheres;
• Speech and language pathologists;
• physical therapists/physiotherapists;
• occupational therapists;
• audiologists;
• optometrists and opticians;
The Scope of terminology
•This section indicates some ways in
which terminology in special education
may be considered with reference to
connotation,
underextended/overextended terms and,
more broadly, conceptual analysis.
What is Connotation?
• Inclusion The connotation of a word,
distinguished from its literal or primary
meaning, refers to the ideas or feelings that
the word might suggest (Soanes and
Stevenson, 2003). These may be positive or
negative and so an awareness of the
connotations of a term can help engage with
description rather than feeling where it is
helpful to distinguish the two.
Underextended and overextended terms
• Fairness Some terms may be applied in a limited way
(underextended) and others in a very broad way
(overextended), which if unexamined may lead toconfusion. A
term may be underextended. The concept of ‘fairness’ may be
used to argue for the education of pupils with
disability/disorder in ordinary schools. It may be maintained it
is not ‘fair’ to exclude pupils from education in an ordinary
school when they are no different from other children in the
school. The concept of ‘fairness’ is applied in this instance
with the assumption that there are no relevant differences
between pupils with and without disability/disorder. However,
the concept of fairness can be extended to apply to the extent
to which it is ‘fair’ to educate pupils in ordinary schools, where
there is a relevant difference between pupils with and without
disability/disord
Fuller Example: Needs
• The concept of ‘need’ is central to some
understandings of special education. This
section distinguishes between ‘needs’ and
‘wants’, discriminating between goal-directed
needs and unconditional needs. The section
suggests that a lack of clarity in the term,
‘meeting needs’, may lead to the
overidentification of supposed special
educational needs.
Fuller Example: Needs
• A child with profound cognitive impairment may
need a small-steps curriculum and related
assessment in order to progress and have the
progress recognized.
• A child who is blind may need Braille in order to
learn to read.
• A child who is deaf may need help and support
with communication in order to be able to
communicate effectively
Fuller Example: Discrimination
• This section considers discrimination, firstly
indicating the contested nature of equality of
opportunity and contrasting the perspectives of
‘justice as fairness’, and a ‘rights view of social
justice’. It then examines ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-
up’ views of discrimination and their relation to
equality of opportunity. Finally, a different view of
discrimination is examined that does not depend
on equality of opportunity arguments, but sees
discrimination as failing to ensure someone is in a
‘good-enough’ position.
Fuller Example: Rights
•This section looks at a view of ‘rights’ that
relates it to duties, placing the term in a
social context. It considers whether an
alternative view of rights as more
individualized rather like a possession
can have potential negative
consequences such as the proliferation of
rights that may reduce their credibility.
• Rights and special education As in many other spheres,
in the field of special education various supposed rights
have been claimed. There is the ‘right’ to have particular
provision such as speech and language therapy and the
‘right’ to one-to-one tuition if the pupil is falling behind.
There is the ‘right’ to be educated in an ordinary school,
claimed by those who regard inclusion as synonymous
with mainstreaming; there is the ‘right’ for deaf children
to be educated in a special school for those who believe
that deaf people form a linguistic minority whose form of
communication ought to be encouraged.
Conclusion
• The analysis of terms used in special education such as
‘inclusion’, ‘fairness’, ‘barriers’, ‘needs’, ‘discrimination’ and
‘rights’ may help avoid concealed arguments about terminology
and enable debates to move on to matters of substance. Given
the contentious nature of much of special education, this does
not, of course, guarantee agreement on the matters of
substance. However, it can help ensure that the differences of
opinion are more apparent and open to debate.
THANK YOU