The course is aimed at acquiring the theoretical and methodological principles of Special Pedagogy interpreted as a science of integration and inclusion of people with disabilities and "special educational needs". Here it becomes of particular importance to make a careful critical reflection on the epistemological question of Special Pedagogy, which is to be understood as a science of recognition and enhancement of the educational potential of people with "special educational needs", overcoming the risks of reductionist and technical perspectives, increasingly hegemonic, of the languages of medicalisation and psychologisation of diversity. Of particular importance is the passage from the integrative logic to that of the process of social inclusion. The course aims at mastering the main concepts of diversity, deficit, handicap, integration, inclusion, individualization, personalization, care, help, starting from the analysis of the categories of disabilities, up to the debate on "special educational needs" and on the role played by the socio-pedagogical educator in the light of the recent "Iori" Law. The knowledge of the theories and educational practices concerning the integration and social inclusion of people with disabilities and with "special educational needs" and the related project models to be adopted represents an essential element for the exercise of adequate professionalism. In particular, within the course the attention will focus on the renewed professional identikit of the socio-pedagogical educator, called to enrich his theoretical-practical skills in an inclusive perspective, using the founding categories of educational care and help.

The course will cover the following topics in the order indicated:

- The epistemology of Special Pedagogy: the epistemological debate.

- Special Pedagogy as a science of integration-inclusion of diversity.

- Old and new models of classification of disability.

- The terminological and semantic problem in Special Pedagogy.

- A new interpretation of disability.

- The culture of social integration of people with disabilities.

- The transition from integration to inclusion of diversity in socio-cultural contexts.

- The Special Pedagogy as a pedagogy of inclusion of differences and diversities.

- The concept of "special educational need" according to recent regulations and perspectives.

- People with "special educational needs" and educational and social inclusion.

- The national and international debate on people with special educational needs: open issues.

- For special pedagogy beyond medicalisation

- Special Pedagogy as a science of recognition and appreciation of diversity

- Special Pedagogy as a Science of Educational Care and Helpful Relationship

- Educational care, supportive relationship and existential redesign

- Narration and educational care

- Narration as a "cure" against the drifts of "specialism"...

- The renewed role of the socio-pedagogical educator after the "Iori" Legger

Analytically the course is aimed at the knowledge and understanding of: 

-indicators of quality of social integration

- construction of the integration-inclusion: design models in comparison

- main lines of the ICF bio-psycho-social anthropological model

- personalised educational plan for pupils with disabilities (PEI)

- integration, inclusion and life project

- inclusion: theories and design models

- inclusion, personalization and educational individualization

- inclusive school according to the Index and quality indicators   

- role and competences of the socio-pedagogical educator in the inclusive perspective.

- strengthening of the educational competences of the socio-pedagogical educator with regard to qualitative and quantitative research methods, especially the acquisition of a narrative educational view of diversity, avoiding the risks of medicalisation.

- the socio-pedagogical educator as an inclusive professional: towards a new professional identity

- the socio-pedagogical educator as an educational care and help professional

- implicit and explicit relational didactics and network design

1.   Knowledge and understanding.

At the end of the course the student will have acquired the:

- knowledge of the main lines of the epistemological debate within Special Pedagogy with particular reference to its constitutive elements (problems and methods) and its relationship with other educational sciences;

- ability to identify, define and compare the fundamental characteristics of the theoretical and methodological approaches of Special Pedagogy with particular reference to inclusive school and social processes.

2.   Applying knowledge and understanding.

At the end of the course the student will have to demonstrate the ability to:

- know and understand the concepts and theories of the course;

- recognize the different theoretical approaches and work conceptually with them;

- analyze the characteristics of some inclusive tools related to the school environment, such as PEI, PDP, PAI interpreted in the light of the explored constructs.

3.   Autonomy of judgement (making judgements).

At the end of the course the student will have to demonstrate the aptitude to:

- to use knowledge and concepts that allow to reason according to the plural and open logic of the discipline;

- identify intervention methodologies suitable for different contexts (ICF logic);

- know how to propose hypotheses of intervention and deal with pedagogical cases related to inclusion.

- design inclusive good care and help practices

4.   Communication skills.

At the end of the course the student must have acquired the ability to:

- use the specific vocabulary of the discipline in its meaning of reflection and operational practices in the field;

- know how to communicate with congruent tools faced during the teaching course.

- communicate with the specific disciplinary language with school operators;

5.   Learning skills.

At the end of the course the student will have acquired the ability to:

- analyze and critically evaluate, in their reflexive and epistemological aspects, the constructs of the discipline related to the school environment and beyond;

- investigate independently the problems related to the different educational contexts (school and extra-school);

- to find the necessary sources for the development of reflections and projects aimed at an inclusive perspective;

- construct hypotheses of intervention related to pupils/persons with disabilities and BES.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

The course will be articulated using a "plural" didactics based on frontal lessons; theses and researches; seminars; debates on specific themes; group works, exercises.

Attendance

A course only without the actual going to class.

Course books

P. Gaspari, Pedagogia speciale: questioni epistemologiche, Anicia, Roma, 2012. (pp. 141)

P. Gaspari, L'educatore socio-pedagogico come professionista inclusivo dopo la "Legge Iori", Anicia, Roma, 2020. (pp. 258).

P. Gaspari, Cura educativa, relazione d'aiuto come categorie fondative della Pedagogia speciale: inclusione e nuove professionalità educative, Anicia, Roma (in print)

Assessment

The assessment of the learning will be conducted through the administration of an open-ended written test (short essay on two/three subject areas to be administered at the end of the course) as, in line with the Dublin Descriptors, the objective of the test is mainly to ascertain the ability to

- use knowledge and concepts that allow reflection according to the specific internal logic of the discipline;

- identify and define the main theoretical constructs related to inclusive processes;

- develop some main pedagogical tools;

- demonstrate the ability to construct intervention hypotheses related to people with disabilities and BES.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Not attending students can take advantage of educational materials (articles, essays, diagrams, videos, etc.) registered by the teacher in the Moodle platform, blended.uniurb.it. 

You can contact the teacher by mail and appointment.

Attendance

A course only without the actual going to class.

Course books

P. Gaspari, Pedagogia speciale: questioni epistemologiche, Anicia, Roma, 2012. (pp. 141)

P. Gaspari, Insegnante specializzato al bivio. Riflessioni e critiche per un nuovo "identikit" professionale, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2015. (pp. 193)

P. Gaspari, Per una Pedagogia speciale “oltre” la medicalizzazione, Guerini, Milano, 2017 (pp. 222)

Assessment

The written examination is the of?cial test of assessment, consisting in a written paper with  open questions ( an essay on three thematic areas to be fixed at the end of the course), because, in step with the Dublin descriptors, the test goal is primarily to ensure the ability to:

•  use knowledge and concepts that allow to reflect according to the internal logic of discipline; 

•  identify and define the main theoretical constructs relating to inclusive processes; 

•  develop some main pedagogical tools;

• build options to move for pupils with "BES".

Ongoing monitoring and self-assessment moments are planned.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

During the course, educational exercises will be carried out in small-medium groups of students on educational-didactic design (and not only) developed for students with disabilities in order to acquire elements of formative evaluation of the level of mastery achieved by the students.