Development of special education and physical education for students with disabilities in Hong Kong and Mainland China

Development of special education and physical education for students with disabilities in Hong Kong and Mainland China

• Chen, Shihui The Hong Kong Institute of Education
• Jin, Mei The Hong Kong Institution of Education
• Zhang, Jia Bei

2006

2006 AAHPERD National Convention and Exposition (2006: Salt Lake City, UT)

• E Special Education
  • EA Education for Students with Physical Disabilities
• P Social Context of Education
  • PB Comparative Education

Professional Preparation Multiculturalism/Cultural Diversity Adapted Physical Activity

• Hong Kong
• China

• 1997.7 onwards

• Unknown or Unspecified

The purpose of this study was to analyze the related information of special education and physical education programs for students with disabilities in China. The analysis was conducted based on the survey and review of literature published in Hong Kong and Mainland of China. The review of literature primarily focused on two types of analyses, the analysis of existing modes of educational systems and the analysis of factors associated with the direction and trends of special education. The first type of analysis revealed that both Hong Kong and Mainland are closely following the international trend to integrate students with disabilities into regular school settings through whole school approach and inclusion. Meanwhile, the development of separate special educational setting also continues to gain its momentum to cater students' special need at the separate settings, and the rate of development is even faster than integration mode in both Hong Kong and Mainland. The second type of analysis indicated that government policies, positive attitudes, training from current teachers, and students at teacher preparation program are the important factors that influence educating students with disabilities in regular settings. Although China is moving toward including students with disabilities into regular school settings, special education program in Hong Kong and Mainland are different. Currently three modes of special education being operated in Hong Kong are appropriate to meet parents' right to have choices to determine their children's education. However, adapted physical education preparation mode in both Hong Kong and Mainland might need to take serious consideration on its direction and approaches in relation to equalization and nondiscrimination. School and community physical activity should be addressed for all people with disabilities, not only for a few athletes who can get gold medals. It was also found from the results of survey and published studies that some teachers lack of training to provide appropriate education to meet students' special needs in regular school settings. The study argued that administrators must carefully select an appropriate mode based on their school's situations to educate students with disabilities in regular settings. For those schools that are currently promoting an integrated or inclusion program, learning environment must be well prepared before including students with disabilities into the setting. Without well prepared support services, students with disabilities will not benefit from these educational environments. In addition, guidelines and suggestions on the preparation of learning environment for integrating students with disabilities in the regular school settings were also described.

Paper presented at the 2006 AAHPERD National Convention and Exposition

• English

Conference Papers

https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/bibs/2a488720

2016-01-07