Chapter 1
The concept of special education

Chapter 2
The concept of special needs children

Chapter 3
visual impairment

1.
Definition and Classification of Visual Impairment 27
2.
Causes and Diagnosis of Visual Impairment 29
3.
Characteristics of Children with Visual Impairment 35
4.
Educational Support for Visually Impaired Children 37

Chapter 4
hearing impairment

1.
Definition and Classification of Hearing Impairment 45
2.
Causes and Diagnosis of Hearing Impairment 47
3.
Characteristics of Hearing Impaired Children 51
4.
Educational Support for Hearing-Impaired Children 55

Chapter 5
Physical and health disabilities

1.
Definition of Physical and Health Disabilities 65
2.
66 Causes of Delay and Health Disorders
3.
Characteristics of Children with Physical and Health Disabilities 73
4.
Educational Support for Children with Physical and Health Disabilities 75

Chapter 6
intellectual disability

1.
Definition and Classification of Intellectual Disability 85
2.
Causes of Intellectual Disability 89
3.
Characteristics of Children with Intellectual Disabilities 91
4.
Educational Support for Children with Intellectual Disabilities 97

Chapter 7
autism spectrum disorder

1.
Defining and Identifying Autism Spectrum Disorder 107
2.
Causes of Autism Spectrum Disorder 111
3.
Characteristics of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder 112
4.
Educational Support for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder 115

Chapter 8
emotional and behavioral disorders

1.
Definition and Identification of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders 127
2.
Causes of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders 130
3.
Characteristics of Children with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders 133
4.
Educational Support for Children with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders 137

Chapter 9
communication disorder

1.
Definition and Classification of Communication Disorders 149
2.
Causes of Communication Disorders 154
3.
Characteristics of Children with Communication Disorders 155
4.
Educational Support for Children with Communication Disorders 157

Chapter 10
learning disabilities

1.
Defining and Identifying Learning Disabilities 165
2.
Causes of Learning Disabilities 171
3.
Characteristics of Children with Learning Disabilities 172
4.
Educational Support for Children with Learning Disabilities 177

Chapter 11
gifted children

1.
Definition of Giftedness 185
2.
Identification and Classification of Gifted Children 188
3.
The Origin of Giftedness 191
4.
Characteristics of Gifted Children 192
5.
Gifted Children Education Support 195

Chapter 12
developmental delay

1.
Definition of Developmental Delay 205
2.
Diagnosis and Evaluation of Developmental Delays 208
3.
Classification and Characteristics of Developmental Delays 209
4.
Educational Support for Children with Developmental Delays 215

Chapter 13
Operation of individualized education plans

1.
Definition of an Individualized Education Plan 225
2.
The Need for Individualized Education Plans 225
3.
Legal Basis for Individualized Education Plans 226
4.
Establishment and Operation of the Individualized Education Support Team 228
5.
Individualized Education Plan Components 230

Reference 237

3rd edition
preface

After teaching "Introduction to Special Education" to prospective teachers at a university for quite some time, at some point I began to think that I needed my own lecture notes.
So, six years ago, we first created this textbook to help students who were just beginning special education learn more efficiently.

Even at the time, many excellent introductory books on special education had already been published, but it was somewhat difficult to convey all the key concepts and contents of special education within the limited two-hour class time per week.
Especially for students preparing to become general education teachers, special education-related terminology and theories often felt unfamiliar and difficult.
Reflecting these practical limitations, this textbook focuses on reducing the burden of note-taking for students and conveying key concepts clearly and concisely, rather than pursuing academic depth.

This third edition includes specific examples of changes in domestic and international special education laws and policies, as well as teaching strategies.
In addition, the 'Concept of Special Education', which was previously covered through the use of separate materials, was added as a chapter, and it was discussed that, unlike in the past when it was focused on 'normalization', today it is expanding to 'inclusive education' that respects the diversity and rights of learners.
Through this, we have designed the program so that prospective teachers can understand that special education is not just education for children with disabilities, but rather a practice for creating an educational environment where all children are respected.

Additionally, as the number of students taking the course has increased recently, we have also put in effort to explain and break down terms and concepts in a more easily understandable way.
In particular, the newly included chapter on 'Developmental Delay' covers the importance of early intervention with real-life examples, so that even students without a pedagogical background can naturally accept the need for early intervention.

In addition, in this textbook, ‘child’ is defined as all persons under the age of 18 according to Article 3 of the Child Welfare Act and the standards of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
Accordingly, the term ‘children’ is used throughout the textbook to encompass not only school-age children but also special education students in infancy and early adolescence.
In some content, terms such as 'student' and 'infant' may be used together depending on the context, but it is assumed that all of these fall under the category of 'child'.

I believe that special education should no longer be the exclusive domain of specialists in specific fields, but rather a "language of the field" that we all must consider and practice together.
As more and more children with special needs are integrated into regular schools and participating in classes, we hope this textbook will serve as a foundational resource for various educational professionals, including general education teachers, special education teachers, counselors, health teachers, and nutrition teachers, to understand and appropriately support children with special needs.

Finally, we ask for your understanding regarding the fact that we were unable to obtain prior consent from each and every author and publisher of references during the manuscript preparation process.
I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the publishing staff who worked hard behind the scenes to bring this book to the world.

September 2025
Park Hyun-joo