Both groups of children face especially challenging futures: the former have difficulties performing the simplest tasks, the latter require complex educational support, and both groups have problems integrating into society and workplaces. Success for these children rests in large part upon an educational support system—usually called "special education"—designed to meet their critical needs.
Such a system is costly. For developing societies undergoing major social, economic, and political transformation, special education programs are a low priority. Solving widespread illiteracy, for example, demands financial attention long before major funding can be spared for such a small segment of society, no matter how deserving.
But when a society achieves greater economic wealth and social maturity, it gives these sometimes "marginal people" a chance to receive the best education and training possible so they can develop their full potential.
This has happened in Taiwan. From modest beginnings in 1953, the system of special education has steadily grown in size and quality. Challenges remain, as indicated in the following article by Dr. Mao Lian-wen, president of Taipei Municipal Teachers College. But it is also clear that the government has made "special education" a higher priority.
The evolution of Taiwan's special education system can be divided into four stages. The first lasted from about 1949 to 1960. During this period, the overall concern of educators was to bring universal access to elementary education and eliminate illiteracy. The special education programs were concentrated in only a small number of schools for the deaf and blind.
During the second stage, from 1961 to 1970, the government initiated several trial programs for the disadvantaged. Steady economic growth brought greater stability to society and permitted more resources to be channeled into education. Besides improving schools for the deaf and blind, the government began experimental classes in the primary and junior high schools for retarded children, the physically handicapped, and those who were hearing-impaired. At this time, plans were made to integrate visually handicapped students into the mainstream of educational programs.
The boom period of special education, the third stage, lasted from 1971 to 1980. Since a full platter of special education programs had been tested and were already functioning in selected schools and institutions, the Ministry of Education drew up a master plan for extending these services throughout Taiwan. In 1974, the Ministry drew up the "Six-Year Plan of Developing Special Education," designed to rationalize the overall development of these services to disadvantaged groups. The plan worked wonders. Within a few years, the government completed the first nationwide investigation of the target groups, established departments of special education in normal colleges to train teachers, and organized national and international conferences on special education issues. These steps brought greater sophistication to all the programs then underway.
Arts and crafts help stimulate mentally handicapped children and promote greater self-confidence and physical coordination.
Since 1981, special education in the ROC has entered a fourth stage, one of maturity. Especially after the 1984 "Law of Special Education" and related laws and regulations were promulgated, the goals for special education became attainable with a rational system, additional funding, and more trained personnel.
These programs are now divided into two major categories of special education: one focuses on the physically and mentally handicapped, the other on gifted children whose exceptional intelligence or talents require specialized educational resources.
Physical and mental handicaps are divided into 10 categories: (1) mentally retarded; (2) visually handicapped, including the blind and those with poor vision; (3) aural handicapped, including the deaf and hard of hearing; (4) speech disorders; (5) physically handicapped; (6) chronically sick or weak; (7) character disorders; (8) behavioral disorders; (9) learning disabilities; and (10) multiple handicaps.
Those children entitled to gifted educational programs fall into three categories: those with demonstrated excellence in general educational abilities, athletics, or special talents (such as art and music).
After the government extended compulsory education to nine years in 1968, the educational programs for deaf and blind children already in place were augmented with special classes for other categories of handicaps. Classes for retarded children and those with learning disabilities and speech handicaps were gradually established in selected primary and junior high schools. At this time, higher priority was still given to setting up classes for retarded children.
Recently, in a move to guarantee the rights of all children to equal education, the Ministry of Education declared that primary and junior high schools cannot deny admission to handicapped students, and that children with multiple handicaps can arrange to attend special schools or classes. Only those children who have severe handicaps are sent to special institutions designed to handle their particular needs.
Assistance to children with exceptional intelligence and talent follows the "Research and Experimental Plan for Educating Exceptional Primary School Students" implemented by the Ministry of Education in 1973. The plan focuses primarily on those students who "demonstrate outstanding general ability," meaning those who have a high IQ. In 1979, this plan was extended from primary to junior high schools, and then to senior high schools in 1986.
Programs for "gifted" students thus far have focused on the sciences. Since 1982 the Ministry of Education has implemented its "Program of Guidance for Gifted High School Students in Mathematics and Natural Sciences" in order to identify those students who should participate in special accelerated classes. The "talented" category of children includes those who have demonstrated excellence in music, painting, dance, and athletics. Primary, junior, and senior high schools already have special classes in place to serve these students.
Special education, whether for handicapped students or those with exceptional abilities and talents, requires unique educational services. Expectations and methods of meeting student requirements vary considerably, and the government has thus far implemented four types of services: special schools, special classes, resource rooms, and integrated education programs.
Special schools target specific groups of handicapped children. This category has the longest history in Taiwan, and at present there are four schools for the deaf, three for the blind, three for the mentally retarded, and the Jenai school for students with severe limb handicaps.
Special classes, which were instituted in 1962, are integrated with selected public schools, but are self-contained. Each class has two or three teachers who share responsibility for the students. Over the past 10 years, Taipei's Chungshan Primary School has evolved into one of the main facilities for special education programs. In addition to its special class for the mentally retarded, there are also several classes for the deaf and physically handicapped.
Resource rooms are actually part-time special classes. During most of the school day, exceptional students and those with mild handicaps attend regular classes. Resource rooms, as the name implies, offer special services in primary and junior high schools for both gifted students and those with learning disabilities, speech handicaps, and hearing impairments.
Attitudes in flux—an exhibit of arts and crafts by disadvantaged children helps educate the public about the skills and abilities of the handicapped.
Integrated education programs combine special students with those of average intelligence. But at selected times during or after normal school hours, educational specialists give additional instruction. Programs of this nature thus far focus on visually handicapped students. Since 1967, the Taiwan Provincial Government has carried out its "Integrated Education Program for Visually Handicapped Children" with the assistance of the American Foundation for Overseas Blind. As a key step in this plan, the Taiwan Provincial Teachers College established the first training courses for teachers of the visually handicapped.
There are other sources of assistance as well. For example, the Taipei Private Friendly Rehabilitation Club and the Rehabilitation Center of the Veterans Hospital supply related professional services and medical treatment. These and other government welfare institutions and private charitable organizations also provide consulting, research, and guidance services.
Administrative support for special education comes from the government at the central, provincial (or municipal), and local levels. Overall responsibilities at the central level are divided among the Department of Social Education in the Ministry of Education, the Department of Elementary Education, and the Department of Secondary Education. The other levels have similar divisions of responsibility.
A major ingredient for success in special education lies with those at the front line of contact, the teachers. The government is steadily increasing the quality of its educational programs for these especially dedicated personnel. In the formal educational system, the National Taiwan College of Education, the Taipei Municipal Teachers College, and the Taiwan Provincial Tainan Teachers College now have undergraduate departments of special education. Graduate school training in the field is offered at National Taiwan Normal University and National Taiwan College of Education.
In addition, the Health Education Department of National Taiwan Normal University has a series of training courses on serving the hearing handicapped, and the Educational Psychology and Guidance Department offers courses in the teaching of retarded students and others requiring similar special education.
But the demand for sophisticated special education services has thus far outpaced the supply. In order to solve immediate needs, the government has instituted short-term in-service training programs for regular classroom teachers, who then are assigned responsibilities in special education classes. For example, the Provincial Tainan Teachers College trains teachers for visually handicapped students in integrated classes, and the Provincial Taipei Teachers College has a similar program for teachers of retarded children. In addition, each normal college has a Special Education Center to assist with special education guidance in the primary and high schools and to provide in-service training.
The immediate future of special education in Taiwan looks bright indeed. Both government and private organizations have cooperated to move the system into a stage of growing maturity. But there is still room for considerable improvement. Although special education services have steadily expanded in number and quality, they do not reach all the children that need them. Moreover, some handicapped children, such as those with learning disabilities, behavioral problems, or multiple handicaps, thus far have received inadequate attention. Other tasks at hand include developing better teaching materials and methods; establishing better testing methods to identify and evaluate children needing special attention; and upgrading teacher preparation for this challenging field.
In a similar vein, greater attention must be given to public health issues, such as ensuring better services during and after pregnancy to mothers who face high-risk birth situations. Such services should include extensive health examinations coupled with better adult education. These developments might be aided by combining units providing medical treatment, social welfare services, and education.
Commitment by the government and the private sector to providing better special educational services is now assisted by Taiwan's rapidly rising economic status and standard of living. With sufficient attention to these services, the next step of development could well be a "model stage," where all children who suffer from handicaps or have exceptional talents and intellectual skills can expect to receive the best support possible.