Special needs education in the ordinary classroom

The course provides an understanding of special needs educational work in the ordinary classroom and skills in facilitating and implementing special education that promotes community and inclusion for the student. Students are given the opportunity to reflect on the consequences of various practical dilemmas at the intersection of knowledge, ethics and politics. The purpose of the course is to develop the special needs educator's professional awareness and sense of professionalism.

Students will gain insight into how to include students with special needs in collaborative learning with other students, and in strategies to facilitate a learning environment that accommodates students with special needs. The course provides knowledge of and skills in teaching that promotes varied physical and emotional learning experiences, and different sensory impressions as a basis for student learning.

The student's experience of, and participation in, their own education and schooling is central to promoting empowering learning processes for students with special needs. Student participation in adapted education is therefore a key theme in the subject.

The teaching will be based on the students' own experiences with inclusion work in the classroom, so that they can develop new knowledge in the span between practice and theory.

Knowledge

The student

• has knowledge of physical and emotional learning experiences and how these can be used in adapted education for students with special needs
• has an understanding of special needs educational work with the intention of promoting positive experiences of inclusion for the students

Skills

The student

• can facilitate and carry out special education that promotes community and inclusion for the student
• can encourage and facilitate the student's participation in adapted education

General competence

The student

• can reflect on special educational dilemmas at the intersection of knowledge, ethics and politics
• can use own experience and professional perspective to develop special needs educational action and responsibility
• can promote empowering teaching and learning processes for children with special needs

The course is completed with three physical sessions. Forms of learning: Lectures and workshops with good opportunities for participant activity, reflections, discussions in small groups and in plenary, exercises, and guidance related to exam texts. There will be digital meetings focusing on students' work between sessions.