Investigation of Educational Plans for Children with Mild Mental Retardation.

1992 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 03301104
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Co-operative Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Education on school subjects and activities
• Research Institution: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
• Principal Investigator: MATUNO Yutaka TOHOKU Univ.,Faculty of Education,Professor, 教育学部, 教授 (70014678)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): NOGUCHI Kazuhito TOHOKU Univ.,Faculty of education,Research associate., 教育学部, 助手 (40237821) ; 西村 章次 埼玉大学, 教育学部, 教授 (60008729) ; 堅田 明義 東京学芸大学, 教育学部, 教授 (60015435) ; 鈴木 宏哉 茨城大学, 教育学部, 教授 (70015436) ; 清水 貞夫 宮城教育大学, 教授 (20006464)
• Project Period (FY): 1991 – 1992
• Keywords: Mildly handicapped / Children with mild mental retardation / Special education / Societal perspective / Developmental perspective / Psycho-physiological perspective

Research Abstract

Much of the initial work in the special education can be traced back to a focus on the mildly handicapped. Despite this fact, much of attraction towards the mildly handicapped seems to have diminished in recent years, reflecting a decrease in population served in the "special class" under the label of mild retardation. Certainly the recognition of severely handicapped as a distinct area have been one of major factors in this apparent decline. This significant change in population of mild retardation, however, alter our traditional view of the "special class" to cause us to analyze the state of affairs in the deliver of educational services for this population and the concept of mild retardation.
Mild retardation have conventionaly refered to intellectual functioning at the upper end of the retardation continuum. The latest revision of AAMD definition, however,notes that the term would be of no use because it doesn't indicate any distinct support. This shift in paradigm remind us to focu s on supports and empowerments rather than level of disability. Given that the students with mild retardation features low performance, at least three research approaches can be propose to clarify their educational needs. These three agenda area: 1) societal perspective; 2) psycho-physiological perspective; 3) developmental perspective. Societal approach will examine low level of achievement in relation to expectancy and curricular content in school system. It will necessiate instructional inovations and redefining educational services. Psycho-physiological approach may bring us new lights on underlying pathogenesis or processes of low intellectual functioning. Developmental approach can contribute to elaborate on similarity or disimilarity of developmental sequences and cognitive structures between normal and low achievers, promoting our understanding instructional sequences and devices for students with mild retardation. Unfortunately many studies remain to be done yet in spite that the pull-out system for the mildly handicapped came into being as one of educational services.