Viewing the Disabled Child in the Sociocultural Milieu

Abstract

L. Vygotsky formulated a theoretical framework for the most comprehensive, inclusive and humane practice of special education. This article starts with a brief historical review of paedology and defectology. These two sciences existed in post-revolutionary Russia and were relevant to contemporary school psychology and special education. Vygotsky had developed many of his major concepts within paedology and defectology. Vygotsky considers handicap as a sociocultural developmental phenomenon where compensation comes from socialization and cultural enlightenment. He showed that a defect varies psychologically in different cultural and social environments. He introduced concepts of 'primary defects' (organic impairment) and 'secondary defects' (distortions of higher psychological functions due to social factors). In his search for alternatives to the standardized tests applied to handicapped students, he introduced the notion of the 'zone of proximal development'. In the area of educating and upbringing of handicapped children, his innovative idea was that the most efficient compensation for the loss or weakness of natural functions can be achieved through the development of the higher psychological functions. In Vygotsky's view, the main objective of special education should be the creation of a 'positive differential approach' that can fully develop a handicapped child's higher psychological functions and overall personality. His idea that a disabled child's development is determined by the social implications of his/her organic impairment creates a new perspective for socialization/acculturation and cognitive development of children with special needs.