**2. Communication problems**

Effective communication means that the person, someone communicates with, totally understands the speaker. Verbal and written messages are conveyed by means of **linguistic systems or symbols, or else words,** which represent a thought, a concept, an object or an experience. (Mandy, H (2009) The system requires **a receiver** and **a sender** operating (tuned) in the same wave band. Linguistically, the wave band is the word. In case communication process uses words of confusing or unknown meaning there is no communication and hence understanding. Unfortunately, this negative phenomenon happens in the area of persons with disabilities.

For decades various terms about 'Special Education" are used based on traditional practice rather than a scientific term to describe the situation. The term "special" is used to characterize the educational process of persons with disabilities. Yet, "special " means distinguished, better than normal. Vocational Schools offer many special courses, say for plumbers, electricians or other professionals. All these people are not necessarily disabled Misused terms and terms recommended as appropriate are cited here below (Table 2).


Table 2. Misused and recommended terms for persons with disabilities, Source: Author's proposals

the economic point of view it is more interesting to pay for increasing the productivity of the work force rather than paying unemployment benefits which will provide social benefits to

 **SAMPLE 138 100.00% RESPONSES I quite agree 58 42.03% I agree 50 36.2% I doubt 05 3.62% I disagree 20 14.50% I do not know 5 3.62%**  Table 1. People with disabilities accepted in the work place . Sourse: Author's research team

Effective communication means that the person, someone communicates with, totally understands the speaker. Verbal and written messages are conveyed by means of **linguistic systems or symbols, or else words,** which represent a thought, a concept, an object or an experience. (Mandy, H (2009) The system requires **a receiver** and **a sender** operating (tuned) in the same wave band. Linguistically, the wave band is the word. In case communication process uses words of confusing or unknown meaning there is no communication and hence understanding. Unfortunately, this negative phenomenon happens in the area of persons

For decades various terms about 'Special Education" are used based on traditional practice rather than a scientific term to describe the situation. The term "special" is used to characterize the educational process of persons with disabilities. Yet, "special " means distinguished, better than normal. Vocational Schools offer many special courses, say for plumbers, electricians or other professionals. All these people are not necessarily disabled Misused terms and terms recommended as appropriate are cited here below (Table 2).

**Misused Terms Recommended Misused Terms Recommended**

Table 2. Misused and recommended terms for persons with disabilities, Source: Author's

Mental retardation (Low IQ)

Handicapped

Exceptional persons (Extremely good) Developmental Disabilities

> Physically Challenged

Persons with Disabilities

Education

Special Needs Particular Needs Physically

Impaired (accepted term)

disabled individuals but will not produce any economic output.

**2. Communication problems** 

Special Education Alternative

Handicapped (offensive term)

proposals

with disabilities.

As seen in the above table, the difference between the traditional terms usage and the purely scientific ones is very important in communication. The use of terms not easily understood or creating confusion may have serious impacts on the lives of persons with disabilities. For example, the use of the terms handicapped, exceptional. retarded and other result to confusion. It is, certainly, for this reason that the most authentic world organizations refer to persons with disabilities The United Nations Organization (UNO) in 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2001, the Council of Europe in 2006, and the Employment and Social Affairs of EU27 in 2010 define persons of any form of impairment as disability .The paradox about the terminology used is that most of the member countries of these world organizations, though signatories of the relative agreements continue to use terminology which was adopted many decades ago.

Presumably, they stick to the traditional terms which have been in use since decades, instead of using the scientific terms which from the communicative point of view are more effective. It is, therefore, important that definitions used to describe persons of any sort of impairments should be universally accepted to ensure clear understanding. **In science,** there is not a matter of **traditional pursuit,** but a **purely scientific discourse. Tradition is a longestablished way of defining the various terms related to persons with disabilities. On the other hand, scientific ways of defining terms conform with the principles or methods used in describing specific situations.** 

During the early years in the history of "Special Education" various scientists, mainly psychologists, classified people into groups according to their disabilities. As a result of this movement, the following categories have been registered by Heward & Ortansky. (1984)


The lack of linguists in the process of defining the various impairments is obvious and has resulted to the creation of misunderstandings among everybody concerned with special education A typical example of the confusion created by the variety of definitions concerning the various disabilities among the EU27 countries is the dicision of the European Union to assign to the Brunel University (Mablett, D.,2009) to perform a comparative analysis of the definitions of disability used in the social security and employment area across the European Union member states

What is astonishing in the whole defining process is that the predominant term of these persons with disabilities is **exceptional persons.** A simple survey in five on-line dictionaries of English Language randomly selected revealed the confusion the term **exceptional** creates to parents, educators, medical people and others because the form exceptional has contrasting meanings as explained in the dictionaries:

Language Disabilities: Myths and Misconceptions vs. Reality 7

courts trying to force the states to provide an equal educational opportunity to these

The compulsory education for normal children (1909) was extended to all children in

Beginning in the late 1960 and early in 1970, parents and advocates for students with disabilities began to use the courts trying to force the states to provide an equal educational opportunity to these students. (Yell, M.,(2006). Among these e cases the following are worth

• Declared the track system for Special Education placement unconstitutional because of

• Supported the right of individuals to have appropriate treatment within state

In the period of 1958 to 1975, Heward, W. & Orlansky, D., (op.cit,) reported that four

• P.L. 85-926 (1958): Provision of funds for training professionals to train teachers of the

• P.L. 88-164 (1963) Funds for training teachers of other handicapped persons, including

• P.L. 91-320 (1969) Definition of Learning Disabilities and provision of funds for state-

The emergence of initiatives related to persons with disabilities towards the integration accomplished in the 20th century followed a fascinating pathway from the 16th century in Spain through the Age of Enlightenment in 17th century France and England to 18th –century

Following the decisions of all world organizations to refer to all forms of impairments as **disabilities,** a term which is readily accepted by the legal associations of persons with disabilities, it is more than confusing to continue to use this term when referring to all the forms of this learning problem. I would propose that we use instead of the term **learning** 

**Then, learning impairments** will consist of **slow learners, learners with disorders, learners** 

It is accepted that all children or adults learn at different rates. Yet, some persons though slow learners do not have a learning deficiency. Slow-learners fail in their studies, regardless of the level of education, because of their low intellectual abilities. They may have a wide range of abilities and a variety of characteristics depending on their background.

• P.L. 87-276 (1961) Funds for training professionals to train teachers of the deaf.

• Established the right of all children to an equal opportunity to education.

important public laws out of the twelve which were passed refer to:

discrimination against black and poor children.

level programmes for learning disabilities.

**4. Classification and definition of terms** 

**with difficulties and learners with disabilities** 

issues in Europe and North America.(Winzer, M., op.cit)

**disabilities** for the whole category the term **learning impairments.** 

students (Yell, M.,(2004).

mentioning:

institutions.

retarded.

**4.1 Slow learners** 

intellectually disabled.

England in 1913 and in USA in 1918.

	- Being unusually excellent, superior. ( an exceptional violinist) [+]
	- Being physically ore especially mentally handicapped. Special schooling is required. [-]
	- Having much more than average intelligence, ability or skills. (an exceptional memory) [+]
	- Deviating widely from the norm as of physical, mental ability. [-]
	- Well above average, extraordinary. (an exceptional talent) [+]
	- Below normal in intelligence [-]
	- Extremely good or impressive in a way that is unusual [-]
	- Better than average, superior ( an exceptional skill) [+]
	- Deviating from the norm, as having above or below average intelligence. [+/-]

Now picture that you receive a letter from your daughter's school informing you that "**your daughter is exceptional".** What will you do? *Will you jump for joy?* or *will you feel bitterness?* 
