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Concept of Exceptionality in Special Education
1)An exceptional child is he who deviates physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially so markedly from what is considered to be normal growth and development”.
2)Exceptional children may deviate from the norms of their group in various ways—positive, negative and multiple. Positive deviation helps them in excelling or being superior in the field of their deviation. Negative deviations may make them deficient and then disabled in their field of deviation.
3)The term deviation stands for a process or quality and the characteristic of deviating, differing or going away from something that is supposed to be fixed or decided. An exceptional child deviates somewhat seriously from what is supposed to be a normal standard for the possession of the trait in the group of his age and grade peers.
concept of positive and negative deviation in special education
Concept of Positive deviation
1) Deviation of the children with respect to the possession of one or the other traits of their personality in a greater degree on the positive side in comparison to the norms or mean value of that trait among the population of their age or grade peers is referred to as positive deviation.
2)The exceptional children possessing such deviation position may thus excel or demonstrate their superiority in the field of their exceptionality extended to every walk or dimensions of personality, for an instance physical, mental, social, emotional, moral, etc.
3) A child while having positive deviation on the physical track may thus excel in term of the physical and motor capacities.
4)The children deviating positively on the social, emotional or moral aspects, may excel on the social, emotional and moral functioning of one’s personality.
Concept of Negative Deviation
1)Negative deviation may take an exceptional child to drift along the positive side of one’s growth and development.
2)As a result, the child may be found to lag behind in comparison to the peers of his age and grade with respect to his development in one or the other personality dimensions like physical, mental, social, emotional and moral characteristics.
3)The negative deviation brings a quite negative effect on the development and welfare of the individual.
4) The exceptional children attributed with negative deviation are almost found to suffer with significant deficits, deficiencies and incapabilities with regard to their personality.
5) Children may be found to suffer adversely in terms of their physical health, stamina, motor and sensory capabilities turning them into physically disabled, orthopedically impaired, or bringing communication disabilities and chronic health problems to them.
Needs and problems of Exceptional children
Exceptional children have two types of needs and problems.
1)The one is of general nature as felt by the other non exceptional children.
2)The others are of the special nature that are specially associated with the nature of their exceptionality.
Physical and physiological needs of Exceptional children
1)Need for eating and drinking for the satisfaction of hunger and thirst drives, and survival.
2)Need for the intake of oxygen as a matter of essential survival.
Socio psychological needs of Exceptional children
1)Need to love and to be loved.
2)Need for feeling secure and safe
3)Need for social approval.
4)Need for the awareness of one’s exceptionality.
5)Need for being accepted with their exceptionality.
6)Need for getting appropriate education.
7)Need for being independent in life functioning.
8)Need for proper guidance and counselling.
9)Need for getting equal educational opportunities.
10)Need for special equipments and assistive devices.
11)Need for getting incentives and financial assistance.
