DSC-2026: SA-SPECIAL EDUCATION

Part – I: Sections A & B

A. General Knowledge and Current Affairs (10 Marks)

Official listing of national, international events and contemporary current affairs developments.

B. Perspectives in Special Education and Inclusive Education (5 Marks)

• Meaning and definition of Educational Philosophy
• Relationship of philosophy with educational practices
• Overview of major educational philosophies:
  • Idealism
  • Naturalism
  • Pragmatism
  • Humanism
• Prominent Western Philosophers and their contributions:
  • John Dewey
  • Kilpatrick
  • Rousseau
• Prominent Indian Philosophers and their educational principles:
  • Mahatma Gandhi
  • Sri Aurobindo
  • Rabindranath Tagore
  • Swami Vivekananda
• Other prominent contributors like Jean-Marc-Gaspard Itard, Helen Keller etc.

• Types of educational agencies:
  • Formal
  • Informal
  • Non-Formal
• Modes of Education:
  • Regular
  • Open
  • Distance & Online
  • Blended Learning
• Types of Schools and Learning Contexts:
  • Regular School
  • Inclusive School
  • Special School
  • Home Education & Home-based Programmes
  • Family, Community, and Mass Media
• Role of Governmental Organizations:
  • NCERT
  • SCERT
  • NCTE
  • UGC
  • Ministry of Education
• Role of National and International NGOs in promoting education for children with disabilities

• Historical perspectives of Disability National and International & Models of Disability
• Education of children with special needs
• Addressing diverse learning needs
• Concept and types of diversity, Inclusion and Models of Inclusion
• Marginalization vs. Inclusion, Changing Practices in Education of Children with Disabilities, Segregation, Integration & Inclusion, Diversity in Classrooms
• Principles & barriers of Inclusive Education: Universal design of learning
• Differentiated teaching, Co-Teaching Methods
• Role of Stakeholders (Family, School etc.) of Inclusive Education & their responsibilities
• Role of Community in inclusion, Resource Mobilization for Inclusive Education

• Indian Constitution and Education: Directive Principles, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Constitutional Provisions on Education, Article 21A (Free and Compulsory Education, 2002)

• The University Education Commission (1948 – 1949), the Secondary Education Commission (1952 -1953), Kothari Commission report (1964 – 1966)
• IEDC -1974, DPEP, PIED, SSA, RMSA, IEDSS, National Education Policy 1986, Mental Health Act -1987, Plan of Action 1992 NCF 2005, National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, NCFFS 2022, and NCFSE 2023
• RTE Act 2009 and Amendments, RCI ACT -1992, National Trust Act -1999, National Policy for Persons with Disabilities -2006, PWD ACT -1995, RPWD ACT -2016
• Ensuring Equality of Opportunity and Inclusive Education: At elementary, secondary, and higher education levels

• Meaning, Concept of Diversity and Inclusivity
• Women and Girl child with disability
• Meaning and Definition of Inclusion, Principles of Inclusion, Issues and Trends.
• Integration vs. Inclusive education
• Barriers and facilitators of Inclusive education
• Importance of early identification and intervention for inclusion
• Foundational Literacy for Inclusive Education
• Need and Types of curricular adaptations
• Inclusive practices-Adaptations, accommodations and modifications
• Differentiated instructions and Universal Design of Learning
• Collaborations for inclusive education, Special schools and Inclusive schools
• Special educators and general teachers
• Social Welfare Department and Department of Education and other concerned departments
• Teacher education programmes in Special Education
• Human Right based disability
• Services of Voluntary organizations and Govt. agencies

Part – I: Section C

C. Psychology with Reference to CWSN (5 Marks)

• Approaches to Human Development – Theoretical Approaches to Development, The Early Years, and Adolescence stages- Transition into Adulthood.
• Psychosocial Aspects and Disability- family issues
• Psychology and Learning – Intelligence- Educational Psychology- Relevance and scope Basic principles of learning -Thorndike, Pavlov, Skinner, Bandura, Piaget and Vygotsky.
• Learning styles and Types of learners, Motivation.
• Socio-cultural factors affecting learning, Implications for children with special needs
• Psychological processes and their implications for children with different disabilities:
  • Attention: Concept and factors affecting attention in classroom
  • Perception: Concept and factors affecting perception
  • Memory: Types and strategies to enhance memory of children
  • Intelligence: Definition, meaning and significance of IQ, Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences
  • Motivation: Intrinsic, Extrinsic, factors affecting motivation
  • Applied Behavioral analysis: Types, Strategies, Management

Part – II: Section D

D. Category of Disability Specialization (45 Marks)

Disabilities Covered: ID, HI, VI, SLD, ASD, CP with MD

• Concept, Meaning and Definition of Handicap, Impairment, Disability, Activity limitation, Habilitation and Rehabilitation
• Categories (Benchmark Disabilities) & the legal provisions for PWDs in India, An overview of causes, Prevention
• Prevalence & Demographic Profile of Disability: National and Global Concept, Meaning and importance of Cross Disability Approach and interventions
• Definition, Nature, Classification, Causes, Prevalence & Incidence, Anatomy and Physiology, Screening, Assessment & Evaluation Procedures-PRASHAST, Importance and Domains of Early identification, Expanded Core Curriculum, Tools of Evaluation, Sensory Training, Communication – Linguistic and Non Linguistic, Assistive Technological Advancements, Amplification Devices, Challenges and issues concern with the disabilities, Management of Learning, Vocational Rehabilitation, Transition from home to school& Job Replacement, Guidance & Counseling and other educational implications for:
  • Visual Impairment (VI)
  • Deaf -blindness (Db)
  • Specific Learning Disability (SLD )
  • Intelability Disability (ID)
  • Hearing Impairment
  • Speech and Language Disability
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
  • Cerebral Palsy (CP)
  • Amputees, Polio, Spinal Cord Injuries,
  • Spina -bifida and Muscular Dystrophy
  • Multiple Disabilities and other Disabling Conditions (MD)

• Evidence Based Practices for Early Intervention
• Inclusive Early Childhood Education (ECE): Principles of ECE practices, Service delivery models in early intervention, Importance of Universal Designs of Learning (UDL) Practices for Inclusive ECE Programs
• Individualized Educational Programme, Concept, components of Individualized Educational Programme (IEP) and Individualized family support programme (IFSP)
• Developing IEP for home – based teaching programme, Special school setting and inclusive school setting
• Teaching strategies for group teaching in special schools, individual, small group and large group instruction
• Class room management – Team teaching, Shadow teaching, Peer tutoring and cooperative learning, Use of Positive Behavioral Intervention Strategies (PBIS)
• Therapeutical Services and intervention strategies.

• Human resource development in disability sector –Current status, Needs, Issues and the importance of working within an ethical framework
• Role of International bodies -International Disability Alliance (IDA), UNESCO, UNICEF, UNDP, WHO in Disability Rehabilitation Services
• International Conventions and Policies such as UNCRPD, UNESCAP, Salamanca declaration, MDGs and SDGs
• Biwako Millennium Frame Work, CBM, ICEVI
• Role of National Institutes -AYJNISLD, ISLRTC, NIEPID, NIEPMD, NIEPVD, NILD, NIMHR, PDUNIPPD, SVNIRTAR in Disability Rehabilitation Services
• Government welfare schemes and provisions for Children with Special Needs.
• Cross Disability and Inclusion.

• Types of educational evaluation -Assessment tools for students with disabilities
• Assistive devices and Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) devices

• Meaning and scope of Information and Communication Technology
• Technological input store devices for disabled
• Major ICT devices & Evolution of ICT
• Hardware, Software

• Screen Reading Software in Computers and Mobile Devices
• Online Accessible Libraries
• Accessible Software Apps for Mobility using GPS location finder, object recognition, recreation and games

• Keyboard operations
• Basic Windows Operations
• Ease of Access operations
• Using application software – MSOffice–Calculator, Language, Input methods and Calendar

• Internet search, drive operations (Google Search and Drive)
• E-mail operations
• Use of speech synthesizers
• Adaptive devices for input access, reading and operations of persons with disabilities Using internet, chat, social media, online meetings for learning and teaching purposes.

Part – II: Section E

E. Methodology in Special Education and Inclusive Education (15 Marks)

• Meaning, Definition, Concept and Principles of Curriculum
• Types and Approaches of Curriculum Designing
• Curriculum at Secondary, Pre -vocational and Vocational level
• Need for Curricular Adaptation, Accommodation and Modification for Pre – academic, academic, Curriculum, and Co-Curriculum
• Need for Adaptation, Accommodation and Modification for School Subjects
• Types and Approaches of Teaching Strategies, TLM, Multi-Sensory Approaches and Evaluation
• Intervention for mal-adaptive behaviour

• Curriculum – Concept, Types and Models
• Approaches and Steps for Curriculum designing
• Developing Literacy Skills: Reading and writing
• Curricular Adaptation – Meaning and Principles
• Need Assessment and decision making for Adaptation
• Adapting Curriculum – Content, Teaching -learning Material, and Instruction
• Types of Adaptation and Process
• Adaptation and Accommodations in Student’s Evaluation and Examinations
• Curricular Evaluation: Factors, Methods and Tools for Curricular Evaluation
• Strategies for Early Intervention of Hearing Loss
• AVT & Auditory Training
• Speech Intervention Strategies
• Communication and Language Teaching Strategies
• Technology for management – Speech
• Technology Facilitating Education

• Curriculum approaches, types of curriculum, Teaching Functional Academics Skill, Teaching of Independent Living Skills
• Curricular adaptation – Need, Importance and Process, Planning of lessons for teaching
• Expanded Core Curriculum, Individualized Education Program writing
• Pedagogical Strategies – Cooperative learning, Peer tutoring, Reflective teaching, Multisensory teaching Approaches and Strategies
• Intervention – Concept, Scope and Importance
• Intervention for lately blinded students
• Role of Special teachers/educators: Mediated teaching -learning, Preparation and use of TLM and adaptive TLM for Visually Impaired
• Expanded Core Curriculum & Concept Formation: Teaching of BrailleBraille and other devices, types and relevance, Sign Language, Sensory Training, Teaching of Orientation and Mobility, Teaching of Daily Living Activities, Social Skills and Assistive Devices and latest trends in Special education
• Adaptation of Physical Education activities

• Curriculum design – Concept, Definition and Principles
• Types of Curriculum – Core, Collateral, Support, Hidden Curriculum, Hierarchies
• Instructional Planning: Adaptation, Modification, Accommodation
• Assessment & Evaluation: Tools of evaluation – Rubrics grading, marking schemes
• Strategies for developing word recognition skills, Fluency and comprehension
• Strategies for developing handwriting, spelling and written expression
• Strategies for Reading and writing across the curriculum
• Strategies for differentiation and inclusion in the classroom
• Educational interventions for Processing Deficit
• Interventions for Mathematics
• Intervention in Life Skills
• Technology for Classroom Engagement

• Adaptation of curriculum for children with ASD
• Orientation to Curriculum Development
• Curricular focus for CwASD
• Types of adaptation needed for children with ASD
• Stages of adaptation; accommodation & modification
• Teaching Methods and Strategies
• Accommodation of co-curricular activities and learning material
• Methods of evaluating children with ASD- Behavioral Approach, Developmental Approach, Cognitive Approach, Social Approach

• Principles of teaching, Teaching method
• Principles of reinforcement, Selection and use of TLM
• Evaluation – Strategies and Approaches e.g., Joint Attention, Symbolic Play, Engagement & Regulation (JASPER), Learning Experiences and Alternate Program for Preschoolers and their Parents (LEAP), Early Start Denver Model (ESDM)
• Promote participation/access across classroom and beyond – Physical considerations – space, seating and positioning, storage of students’ devices such as wheelchair/AAC equipment, duration, adapted equipment, manipulative/s and personalized. Strategies related to schedules and duration – based on student’s levels of arousal
• Adapt or Modify lessons teaching learning materials, and evaluations for teaching Literacy, Numeracy and Functional Academics including using multi -media wherever appropriate
• Adapt or Modify performance and proficiency standards in subject learning through accommodations and exemptions, promote social skills, (e.g., Art educational activities, social stories, Comic strips, Peer-Mediated Programmes)
• Strategies and Approaches (e.g., Conductive Education, Motor Learning Practices beyond therapy, Response to Intervention
• Different teaching methodology of subject areas in inclusive schools – teaching in regular schools where children with CP are included, Use of UDL to teach in regular elementary classes

• Aims, concepts, principles of curriculum development with reference to persons with disabilities
• Types and approaches of curriculum development
• Curricular and Co -curricular Material Adaptation
• Teaching Methods, Approaches and Strategies for Sensory Impairment.
• Classroom Management
• Types of evaluation
• Therapeutic Intervention Strategies
• Universal Design in Learning
• Access to Computer