Special Education and the Future: Advancing Values

Abstract

It has become increasingly apparent that one's perception of issues depends largely on his or her personal history. Human beings, professionals, and stakeholders vary in their perspectives, strategies, and solutions. Rather than arbitrarily selecting issues or seeking consensus among interdisciplinary but disparate groups, it is critical to examine the broader array of values and issues that impact learners with exceptionalities and the future of special education. In addition, it is important to conceptualize effective techniques to reverse traditional problems or difficulties while considering the “cycles” of change in general and special education. These cycles are based on the view that educational perspectives have their time since they come and go. When they are innovative, they become the status quo and become finally obsolete as the next group of methods, beliefs, and educational initiatives takes hold. In special education, we have fundamental values that must be respected and followed to deliver services to learners with exceptionalities. These values are sometimes not valued by ill prepared and unprepared professionals, especially since good professionals believe in change. This chapter focuses on how these values can be respected to protect and advance special education and education as a whole.

Citation

Obiakor, F.E., Obi, S.O., Obiakor, G.C., Aluka, I.J., Mbagwu, E., Obi, S., Amadife, N. and Clay, P. (2024), "Special Education and the Future: Advancing Values", Obiakor, F.E. and Bakken, J.P. (Ed.) Special Education (Advances in Special Education, Vol. 38), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 225-235. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0270-401320240000038014