Special Education (Taught in Chinese)

No.

Research Directions

Research Scope

Principles and Developmental History of

Special Education

Adopting qualitative research methods, this direction focuses on fundamental issues in special education, including core concepts, developmental history, policies and regulations, institutional models and future trends of the discipline.

Inclusive Education for Young Children

with Special Needs

It covers early identification, developmental assessment and educational placement of preschool children with special needs; additional research topics include quality evaluation, environment design, classroom management, behavioral support, curriculum and teaching adaptation, and the formulation of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in preschool inclusive settings.

Learning and Developmental Science of

Children with Special Needs

Using experimental research methods, researchers compare the developmental characteristics and learning potentials of children with diverse special needs and typically developing children from behavioral, psychological and physiological dimensions, providing theoretical foundations for the education and development of children with special needs.

Curriculum and Instruction for Children

with Special Needs

Based on action research, this direction explores curriculum standards, textbook development, instructional practices and teaching resource library construction for functional literacy, functional mathematics and daily living adaptation courses in special education schools, especially schools for students with intellectual disabilities.

Special Education (Taught in Chinese)

I. Discipline & Program Overview

The discipline of Special Education at Zhejiang Normal University boasts a development history of more than 20 years in teaching, talent cultivation and scientific research. The faculty team for the Special Education major was established in 2004, and the first Master’s program in Special Education in Zhejiang Province was approved in 2006. In 2012, Special Education was designated as a Key Discipline at the University Level.. In the same year, the Zhejiang Special Education Teacher Training Center was founded with the approval of Zhejiang Provincial Department of Education, and the discipline undertook the demonstration project of the National Training Program for Core Special Education Teachers initiated by the Ministry of Education. In 2013, the university was included in the second-phase national construction list of Special Normal Education Institutions, upon the joint approval of the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Education. In 2015, the project Construction of Special Education Teacher Training Base Integrating Medicine and Education was approved as a key teacher training base project under the 12th Five-Year Plan of Zhejiang Province. In 2016, the College of Special Education of Zhejiang Normal University was founded, operating under a dual-brand system alongside the Hangzhou College of Early Childhood Education with one integrated administrative team. In 2019, the college took the lead in establishing the Inclusive Education Branch of China Education Association for International Exchange, whose secretariat is affiliated to our college. At present, Special Education is a Zhejiang provincialfirst-class discipline. It hosts the sole Master’s program in Special Education within the province and is recognized as a National First-Class Major Construction Site. The major has been rated Grade A (5-star, the highest tier) in major national university discipline rankings. The core teaching team of the Special Education discipline consists of 20 members, all holding doctoral degrees. Their expertise covers special education, medical rehabilitation, developmental psychology, cognitive neuroscience, curriculum and instruction theory and other fields, forming an interdisciplinary academic advantage. Among them are 2 professors, 6 associate professors and 8 master’s supervisors. One member is on the Instruction Committee for Special Education Teacher Training of the Ministry of Education, three are Zhejiang “151 Talent” recipients, and two are young academic leaders of the university. There are also 3 off-campus practice supervisors, all Special-Grade Teachers of Special Education in Zhejiang Province. Adhering to the core philosophy of “Student-centered Education, Teacher Ethics as Priority, Competence as Focus, Lifelong Learning”, this postgraduate program designs courses aligned with the literacy and competency requirements for Master’s students in Special Education. The curriculum features fundamental, scientific, integrated and cutting-edge content, aiming to cultivate students’ critical thinking, core professional competencies, comprehensive innovation capacity and sustainable development capabilities.

II. Duration of Study

The program has a standard duration of 3 years, with a maximum study period not exceeding 5 years.

III. Research Directions

No.	Research Directions	Research Scope
1	Principles and Developmental History of Special Education	Adopting qualitative research methods, this direction focuses on fundamental issues in special education, including core concepts, developmental history, policies and regulations, institutional models and future trends of the discipline.
2	Inclusive Education for Young Children with Special Needs	It covers early identification, developmental assessment and educational placement of preschool children with special needs; additional research topics include quality evaluation, environment design, classroom management, behavioral support, curriculum and teaching adaptation, and the formulation of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in preschool inclusive settings.
3	Learning and Developmental Science of Children with Special Needs	Using experimental research methods, researchers compare the developmental characteristics and learning potentials of children with diverse special needs and typically developing children from behavioral, psychological and physiological dimensions, providing theoretical foundations for the education and development of children with special needs.
4	Curriculum and Instruction for Children with Special Needs	Based on action research, this direction explores curriculum standards, textbook development, instructional practices and teaching resource library construction for functional literacy, functional mathematics and daily living adaptation courses in special education schools, especially schools for students with intellectual disabilities.

IV. Supervisor Directory

https://hys.zjnu.edu.cn/szdw/list.htm

V. Degree Courses

Educational Research Methods, Principles of Education, Theories of Child Development, Fundamental Theories of Special Education, Academic Norms and Thesis Writing, etc.