The discussion was about the current problems of remedial education: firstly the definition of remedial education, secondly the relation between medical science and remedial education, thirdly the method to develop rehablitation for the handicapped in co-operation with other various science.
According to one proposer, the notion of remedial education might be the same as special education means. In the field of special education, the word, remedial education is not necessary, because the word, special education could contain the notion of remedial education.
One proposer insisted that remedial education should not be limited in the field of special education, but it should be applied in the education for normal children. Remedial education is human education from which children acquire the essence of human life, and it must be the education in which children could find the value of a human beings. Today there exists non-human education, so it is necessary to change the education into the real remedial education. Because remedial education should be therapeutic education.
The notion of remedial education was discussed widely among the members, though they could not come to a conclusion. But it is not an important matter for remedial education. The matter is that we have to look at the children carefully from our professional view of each field and have to devote ourselves to the way we educate the physically handicapped or mentally retarded in their education. Some proporsers pointed that teachers and doctors were independent of each other and insisted that the co-operation of doctors and teachers was necessay. Teachers are not interested in therapy, and doctors are not interested in education. But it is necessary to establish a new field connecting terapy with education. School psychology in U. S. A. fills the gap between education and the clinic, which is the study mediating between clinical psychology and education. It is necessary to establish this field in Japan. Medical Science by itself does not give enough knowledge and technique for the field of special education or remedial education. And conversely special education by itself does not do so. In the field of education, the ways of observing children and the techniques of teaching are not yet firmly established today. It is important to create the co-operative system after making the independent charge in each field. Doing so. it is important that teachers have to some extent the medical knowledge and the techniques which can be applied to special education. Then special education can be developed more smoothly.
On the other hand, there was an opinion against it. Remedial education does not concern to medical matter but it should be a therapy in education, and medical science itself is a basic but it does not greatly take part in education. Even if medical science is important, it is very difficult for teachers to gain medical knowledge and techniques. There was an opinion that team approach may be necessary to find a way out of the difficulties. But some knowledge of disease and defects is necessary in order to have team approach. The team approach is basically necessary for education of the children who need therapies. To participate in the team approach as a member of it, one should be a specialist who has his own theory and his method which come out of the theory. One who does not have the system of his theory can not have the qualifications as a member. Special qualifications are necessary for a person who would be the chairman of team approach. That is, the chairman's personality-how he has the leadership or how he works with the team members is very important.
