This book should be read by everyone who wants to understand special education today.

New Perspectives in Special Education opens the door to the fascinating and vitally important world of theory that informs contemporary special education. It examines theoretical and philosophical orientations such as 'positivism', 'poststructuralism' and 'hermeneutics', relating these to contemporary global views of special education.

Offering a refreshingly balanced view across a broad range of debates, this topical text guides the reader through the main theoretical and philosophical positions that may be held with regard to special education, and critically examines positions that often go unrecognised and unquestioned by practitioners and academics alike. It helps the reader to engage with and question the positions taken by themselves and others, by providing thinking points and suggestions for further reading at the end of each chapter.

Perspectives covered include:

• Positivism and empiricism
• Phenomenology and hermeneutics
• Historical materialism and critical theory
• Holism and constructivism
• Structuralism and post structuralism
• Pragmatism and symbolic interactionism
• Psychoanalysis
• Postmodernism and historical epistemology

Anyone wishing to gain a fuller understanding of special education should not be without this stimulating and much needed text.

About the Author

Michael Farrell is a widely published private special education consultant. He works with children, families, schools, local authorities, voluntary organisations, universities and government ministries. He has published extensively with Routledge, with recent titles including Debating Special Education, Educating Special Children, Second Edition, and second edition titles in the whole Effective Teacher's Guide series.

Reviews

• 'At last, a book that critically unpacks the theory behind practices in special education...this book complements the ongoing quest for teaching and support strategies that maximize learning and engagement in people with additional support needs of all types. Highly recommended...'

Michael Arthur-Kelly PhD, Associate Professor and Director, Special Education Centre, The University of Newcastle, NSW Australia

• 'A unique text that challenges special educators to examine critical issues and practices in the field.'

Lyndal M. Bullock, Regents Professor - Special Education, University of North Texas

• 'New Perspectives in Special Education provides a much-needed analysis of the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of the current practice of inclusive and special education. Farrell clearly examines positions and practices in the field that typically go unquestioned by practitioners and academics. In so doing he has produced a text that should be essential reading for all teachers, psychologists, other practitioners, administrators and lecturers involved in inclusive and special education.'

Professor Garry Hornby, College of Education, University of Canterbury

• 'This book should be read by everyone who wants to understand special education today. We need more thoughtful treatments of special education like this one so that more people understand the difficult issues involving the accommodation of wide variation in students' abilities and performance.'

James M. Kauffman, Ed.D., Professor Emeritus of Education, University of Virginia

• 'A much awaited book, it offers a balanced and debates view of Special Education and inclusion. Farrell provides the learner with a clear understanding of integration and inclusion and full inclusion. In addition it offers the educator learner an insight into inclusive education and pedagogy. The author carefully presents special education from varying theoretical perspectives, which is uncommon and refreshing. A book that clearly challenges rethinking about how we could be thinking about Special Education and inclusion for the 21st Century.'

Dr Karen P. Nonis, Associate Professor of Early Childhood & Special Needs Education, The National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

• 'The text builds on a growing interest in applying a more deeply theorised approach to understanding the field of special education ... offer[s] a succinct but comprehensive overview.'

Dr Kristine Black-Hawkins, Lecturer, Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge

• 'Dr Michael Farrell succeeds in making the ideas of the various philosophies accessible and understandable, and does so in a vivid and practical manner.'

Dr Gary O' Reilly, Senior Lecturer and Deputy Director, Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology, School of Psychology, University College Dublin

"New perspectives in special education: contemporary philosophical debates brings a unique and critical perspective to a wide range of theoretical and philosophical debates which affect today's complex contemporary global practices in Special Education. Throughout the book, Dr Michael Farrell provides detailed analysis, raises important issues and provokes thought, by offering a comprehensive, academically rigorous, and accessible overview of the theoretical and philosophical positions that inform and affect contemporary Special Education in practice." - Teacher Development, 2013, Vol 17

Book Information
ISBN 9780415504225
Author Michael Farrell
Format Paperback
Page Count 276
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 430g