A definition and discussion on special education Essay

A definition and discussion on special education - Essay Example Basically, special education is in line with acceleration programs for the gifted and talented students and the enrichment programs for fast learners (Slavin, 2008, p.379). The development of special education can be considered as a positive advancement in the social structure and norms. This can be attributed to the fact that before the 1800s, the people with disabilities such as the retarded, the mentally ill, deaf, blind and physically challenged are maltreated and considered to lack the chance to be educated. The maltreatment even became extreme due to superstitions. People with disabilities are even being killed at some point specifically during the era of witch hunts (Sacks, 2001, p.2). During these period although the advocates of education for all groups of people are few, the roots of special education can be considered to have started with certain educators who saw the importance of providing education for the survival of people with disabilities. Included in the educators are Ponce de Leon who educated deaf students to communicate, Pablo Bonet of Spain who established finger spelling for the blind, Jacob Rodriguez Pereire who made sign language simpler and made a machine for calculation and arithmetic and most importantly John Locke who is an important personality in the field of education and was able to differentiate idiocy or metal retardation from insanity or mental illness.