障害児の発達と統合教育(<特集II>インテグレーションをめぐって)

抄録

We have the segregated programs for the handicapped children now at school in Japan, but it seems that integration has recently been strongly advocated by some of special education professionals. In this paper the author discusses; Is segregation suitable for the development of handicapped children? Education program is to provide the environmental conditions giving influence on the development of the handicapped. They have two characteristics, one common to, and another quite different from, the nonhandicapped. In order to realize their innate capacities, therefore, education program should be drawn up to give the environmental conditions to them, so that both of their characteristics can fully develop, at the same time. One of the reasons that integration is preferable to segregation is; that in segregation it is difficult at least there seem to be tendencies to restrict the interaction of the handicapped with nonhadicapped peers, because they are one of the most important environmental conditions for the development, especially of personality of the handicapped. But so far we don't have crucial evidences to support the above coclusion. Special education professionals must seek more empirical evidences bas, on wide, systematic, and longitudtnal researches. But the acceptance of integration doesn't necessarily mean the complete abolishment of the traditional special education programs. The reason is that some of the traditional ones should be admitted into integration as parts of it. It should be noted that integration must have the activities within its program to change the negative attitude, towarde the handicapped, not only of the nonhandicapped children but some of teachers themselves. Finally the author briefly comments of the present controversy concerning special classes for the mildly retarded in United States. Whether the trials for integration there can produce some crucial evidences remains to be seen.