REVIEW OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN JORDAN: CURRENT PRACTICES, CHALLENGES, AND PROSPECTS

This paper will try to provide an overview on Jordan’s special education programs for children with disabilities. Specifically, this paper will describe the emergence and development of special education services and the providers of these services within the context of Jordanian society. The key issues relevant to special teacher education, early childhood intervention, inclusive education and challenges faced by children with disabilities are also presented. The findings indicate that there are many challenges, including funding and support, inadequate instructional resources and techniques, shortage of pertinent knowledge and training, limited cooperation, and sparse data on children and youth with disabilities. This paper uses secondary data gathered from relevant reports, studies, and the understanding and experience of the author. Implications to improve the current special education practices for these students are discussed in this paper.