Systematic Review on Chinese Special Education and Inclusive Education: China's Solution in Globalization

Research on the special education governance system

The special education governance system plays an important role in promoting the high-quality development of special education, the core of which lies in the establishment of management systems and rules. This dimension includes keywords like “special education,” “social support,” “medicine-education integration,” “special children,” and “people with disabilities” (see Table 2). The research content is primarily reflected in top-level national planning to comprehensively construct a modernized special education system. Since 2012, major special education-related policies and systems promulgated by the state include the National Special Education Promotion Plan (2014–2016), The Second Phase of the Special Education Promotion Plan (2017–2020), the Action Plan for Promoting Special Education During the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan Period, Regulations on Education for Individuals With Disabilities, and Guidelines on Strengthening LRC for Children with Disabilities in Compulsory Education. Such policies and systems have provided a strong guarantee for the continuous improvement of the special education system and the quality of special education (Tang, 2021).

The research findings in this area are mainly manifested in the following. First, the special education system has been improved. On the basis of ensuring compulsory education, the system has accelerated the extension of both special education to both the preschool and senior high school levels to support the entire process of education for those with disabilities. The traditional “spindle-shaped” mode of “big in the middle and small at both ends” (i.e., the scale of compulsory education is big, while preschool and high school education is small) has developed into a “trapezoid” mode with a more reasonable structure and smoother connection (Zhang & Deng, 2022).

Second, the educational management system has been improved. Since the Eighteenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China, a work mechanism for special education led by the government, with government departments performing their duties and the public participating in the work, has been established (Cheng, 2021).

Third, educational targets now cover all types of disabilities. In addition to the three traditional types of disability, more categories—such as cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and multiple disabilities—have officially been included in the scope of special education (Wang, 2017).

Fourth, formal education placement is now organized scientifically and orderly. Regulations on Education for Individuals With Disabilities specify the guiding ideology of inclusive education in the form of a legal system in the General Provisions. In recent years, governments at all levels have continuously worked to improve the LRC system, with more than 50% of students with disabilities enrolled in regular education schools as a result (Chen et al., 2022). China has thus formed a development pattern with LRC in regular education schools as the main body, special education schools as the backbone, and home delivery and distance education as supplements.

Fifth, the combining of medicine and education has become the focus of debate and research. Scholars who are supportive of the integration of medicine and education believe that promoting the reform of special education through the support of medical and rehabilitative services is a feasible response to the predicament of traditional teaching programs and methods being ineffective in educating those with special needs due to the structure change of education targets in schools of special education in China (Liu, Liu, Ma et al., 2021; Zhang, 2013). Those who disagree argue that combinations of medicine and education have undermined the social and educational model upon which the discipline of special education is based (Deng & Lu, 2012; Lu, 2013; Sheng, 2014).

Research on inclusive education

Table 2 lists the keywords relevant to this dimension, such as “inclusive education” and “LRC.” LRC is an educational innovation that improves the schooling access of children with disabilities in China. LRC can thus be regarded as a Chinese response to inclusive international education. This study mainly focuses on the following three aspects.

First, the discussion focuses on the localization of inclusive education. Some scholars believe that the theory of Chinese special education should be based on the model of LRC and move toward “Equal Regular Education,” which is consistent with the concept of inclusive education (Deng & Jing, 2013; Jing, 2021). Some scholars have suggested the inclusive education mode of “one body, two wings, and multi-core drive,” which takes inclusive education as the basic orientation and ultimate goal. In this respect, “one body” means that LRC is the main body or carrier for development, while “two wings” refers to a bilateral balanced and cooperative mechanism comprising ordinary and special schools. Meanwhile, “multi-core drive” refers to the systematic combination of rehabilitation institutions, special education classes, resource classrooms, and other placement options that complement one another (Deng & Du, 2019; Guo & Deng, 2021). Other scholars have advanced the “suitable inclusive education” mode. This mode takes equity and quality as its development goals, emphasizes the strategies of individualized and differential teaching, and constructs a support system emphasizing cooperation, sharing, and resource provision (Zhang & Deng, 2022). As such, these localized modes are becoming increasingly specific, fully taking into consideration the actual conditions and special education development needs in China and reflecting the implications of the conflict between local practices and international ideologies of inclusion.

Second, the research focuses on the teaching practices of inclusive education. Such practices primarily include the regional experiences of inclusive education, the building of an integrated professional support system, and a localized model of “trinity” combining the values of socialist collectivism, the concept of all-round human development, and a humanitarian spirit (Sun et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2017; Wang, Zhang et al., 2022). In terms of teaching organization, researchers have explored the characteristics and forms of differentiated, tiered, and inquiry teaching in the context of inclusive education (Hua, 2012; Wu, 2015; Wu et al., 2018), reflecting the increasing emphasis on providing appropriate education for students with diverse needs. In terms of classroom participation, research indicates that most teachers are conscious of providing support for the learning of students with disabilities but lack the necessary expertise and support to do so. At present, the classroom participation of students with disabilities in inclusive education is unsatisfactory and remains a marked challenge (Guan, 2017).

Third, the literature highlights a support system for inclusive education. Relevant policies in China have created comprehensive regulations for the school environment, financial support, teacher education and training, and school and class management to improve the support system for students with disabilities (Fan & Wei, 2022). Such regulations have paid particular attention to improving the accessibility of examinations for students with disabilities. A policy for separate college entrance examinations for higher education for persons with disabilities has also been enacted to practice (Cheng, 2021).

The literature also discusses specific support measures, including changing social values, advocating legislating laws and regulations, integrating special and regular education, reforming teacher training, and providing flexible curricula (Peng, 2020; Zhang & Li, 2022). The research trend in this field has transformed from a theoretical discussion on support systems to more empirical studies on implementing professional support systems in diversified educational settings.

Research on teacher education

The key to special education is teacher education. As Table 2 shows, this dimension includes keywords like “special education teachers,” “professional standards,” and “qualification certification.” Research has shown that teachers, professional standards, and qualification certifications play an important role in improving the quality of teachers and education (Gu et al., 2014). Such measures have been introduced in developed countries, such as the United States, Britain, New Zealand, and Japan. For example, in the United States, the current pre-service training mode for teachers of inclusive education is the “dual licensure” program designed to fully integrate regular and special teachers (Feng & Wang, 2015, 2021). Meanwhile, New Zealand provides both regular and special education knowledge for in-service preschool teachers through the “Graduate Diploma Program of Early Special Education” (Zhu & Wang, 2022).

This type of training mode has begun to influence the training of special education teachers in China (Liu, Liu, & Xin, 2021; Tang & Wang, 2021). In response to the two main placement choices of special schools and LRC in China, some scholars have proposed that professional standards for special education teachers be divided into two categories, professional standards for teachers in LRC and special education schools and that the relevant content of special education be included in the teacher qualification examination (Gu et al., 2014). In 2019, China issued the Special Education Professional Accreditation Standards, which has stipulated a three-level professional accreditation standard system ranging from qualified to excellent levels (Yao, 2020). In addition to conforming with the general practice of establishing professional standards for teachers in China, this will facilitate the construction of professional certification systems for special education teachers.

Research on curriculum construction

In addition to being a significant factor affecting the quality of inclusive education, the curriculum is a key indicator in determining whether inclusive education can be implemented. As Table 2 shows, this dimension includes keywords like “special education schools” and “curriculum standards.” This study focuses on two main aspects.

First, there are curriculum standards for special-education schools. The first learning standards specially formulated for students with disabilities in China—that is, the compulsory education curriculum standards for the blind, deaf, and intellectually disabled—were released at the end of 2016. These standards combined the general principles of regular education and the specific features of special education to promote the inclusion of students with disabilities in society. The MOE subsequently organized and compiled textbooks for the blind, deaf, and intellectually disabled, which were used throughout the country (Huang et al., 2019). To focus on the potential development and functional compensation of students with disabilities, the state has developed several special courses and vigorously promoted the teaching reform and evaluation of the special education curriculum.

Second, China's compulsory curriculum for inclusive education has been reformed. In this respect, the discussions remain focused on theoretical debates around topics such as curriculum modification and adaptations and the Universal Design of Learning (Fan et al., 2021, 2022).

Research on children with SEN

According to the co-display results of high-frequency and high-centrality keywords as well as the literature analysis, this study further categorized the research on children with SEN as follows.

Research on the three basic types of disabilities

Hearing, visual, and intellectual disabilities have long been the dominant target disability types for special educational services. Students with intellectual disabilities account for more than half of the total number of students with disabilities. While the proportion of students with hearing and visual impairments has decreased, the number of students with multiple disabilities and ASD has increased steadily (Li, Wang et al., 2021; Yang et al., 2016). As Table 2 shows, this field primarily includes keywords like “schools for the intellectually disabled,” “hearing impaired,” “visually impaired,” “sign language,” “braille,” “peer relationships,” “executive function,” and “IEP.” This study focuses on the following aspects.

First, the standardization of national sign language and Braille have become the focus of research on visual and hearing impairment (Fu et al., 2021; Ju et al., 2022). The National Common Words List for Universal Sign Language and National Common Braille Program stipulated two forms of language and related writing standards. Other important publications include the National Dictionary for Universal Sign Language and National Anthem in Universal Sign Language. In addition to the dissemination of the national universal sign language and Braille, national training for key personnel in sign language and Braille is conducted throughout the country. Standards for national universal sign language and Braille, as well as standards for the qualification (level) of sign language translators, have been developed. The assessment standards for the level of National Universal Sign Language have also been refined (Cheng, 2021).

Second, intellectual disability research covers a wide range of topics, evidencing a shift from a focus on language and cognition (e.g., executive function) to socialization (e.g., peer relationships), mental health, and learning ability in school, with children with mild and moderate intellectual disability becoming the primary research subjects (Liu et al., 2022; Tian et al., 2021). The topics of intervention research on intellectual disability are mainly related to learning ability, social communication, and independent living (Xu et al., 2021; Zheng & Liu, 2022), indicating that psychological counseling and intervention have begun to serve the learning and lives of special children.

In recent years, schools for intellectually disabled people in China have practiced IEP and developed localized education and assessment measures, including school-based curriculum design for students with mild and severe intellectual disabilities and multiple disabilities (Li, Liu et al., 2021). Some special schools have established “Individualized Curriculum and Textbooks” (Sun et al., 2015), and developed “individualized assessment” and student profiles for students (Xin & Cao, 2016). However, while the concept of IEP is now well established (Cao et al., 2021), its implementation still requires systematic and institutional support.

Research on ASD

Social communication disorders are one of the core difficulties in ASD (Zeng et al., 2021). Research in this field has primarily focused on educational interventions for social communication disorders, with visual attention and composite interventions receiving significant attention. As Table 2 shows, this field mainly included keywords like “autism,” “social communication,” and “intervention.”

Researchers have introduced three types of interventions. The first category comprises interventions common to autism, such as Applied Behavioral Analysis, critical response training, and other behavioral management skills. The second category pertains to an expanded alternative communication system for training children with severe autism to express their needs (Li et al., 2022), with the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and Picture Exchange particularly popular (Feng & Hu, 2014). The third category focuses on play therapy methods that use individuals’ potential to promote communication initiatives (Sha et al., 2022).

Two trends have emerged in terms of educational intervention in recent years. The first involves improving communication behavior with respect to visual attention advantages. Children with ASD have a visual learning advantage, and research has shown that interventions featuring visual support are beneficial for their social skills development. Second, multiple composite intervention modes are becoming increasingly widespread. For example, the combined use of critical response training and Discrete Trial Teaching has significantly improved the joint attention behavior of children with ASD (Lin et al., 2021). Research also shows that PECS instruction based on video demonstration techniques effectively improves the active communication abilities of children with ASD while reducing the frequency of emotional behaviors (Chen et al., 2020). Joint attention has become one of the key skills for early intervention (He et al., 2021; Lin et al., 2021). Here, the focus is primarily on interventions to establish three typical target behaviors of joint attention in young children: eye gaze, finger instruction, and active display (Wang et al., 2016).

Research on learning, emotional, and behavioral disorders

Recently, a “humanistic special education” approach has been advocated in China. According to this approach, everyone has special needs and everyone needs special education. Therefore, research on learning, emotional, and behavioral disorders has become a focus of special education research in recent years. As Table 2 shows, the main keywords in this field included “types of learning disabilities,” “cognitive processing,” “educational interventions,” “depression,” “test anxiety,” and “coping style.”

First, in the study of learning disabilities, the main focus is on the characteristics of the cognitive processing mechanisms of different types of learning disabilities. Research on the cognitive processing mechanisms of learning disabilities based on the information processing theory has become the core paradigm of research to date. In this regard, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale (4th edition) and PASS theory have been used to evaluate the performance and scores of different kinds of learning disabilities in various cognitive domains, with the evaluation results providing a reference for the individualized cognitive processing training of children with learning disabilities (Li & Long, 2019; Liu & Mao, 2021; Zang et al., 2012). Learning disabilities are highly heterogeneous. In the past, research has struggled to clarify and discern the types of learning disabilities. As such, it is necessary to develop a moderate classification of learning disabilities to improve homogeneity among different types (Ma & Shi, 2014).

Second, research on emotional and behavioral disorders has highlighted the protective psychological mechanisms of people with SEN. In this regard, research targets include both ordinary groups of SEN and special groups such as orphans, abused and AIDS-affected children, those suffering from schizophrenia or alexithymia, and juvenile offenders (Wei & Liu, 2022; Yin & Yao, 2021; Yue & Zhang, 2022). Early studies typically focused on examining the psychological characteristics of a certain group or comparing psychological characteristics among different groups, with greater attention paid to negative emotions and problem behaviors. When examining targets at the middle school and later stages, researchers have employed more complex measures—such as structural equation modeling, latent variable growth curve modeling, and multi-layer linear modeling—to study the relationships between variables and psychological mechanisms, focus on studying psychological mechanisms, and reveal psychological laws from the perspective of protective factors (Gao et al., 2021; Mo et al., 2021).

Research on gifted education

As an important base point for the cultivation of top innovative talent, gifted education is a manifestation of educational equity and an important strategy for strengthening the country's talent (Su & Shi, 2022). As Table 2 shows, this field mainly includes keywords like “gifted children,” “top-notch innovation,” and “juvenile classes.” The research content mainly reflects the shift from the selection and cultivation of gifted children to the cultivation of top-notch innovative talent.

First, the scope of the research on gifted children has expanded. The object of education and research on gifted children has expanded from children with extraordinary intelligence to all children because ordinary children are believed to have extraordinary potential as well. If their potential is fully tapped and appropriate education provided, ordinary children can develop into extraordinary children (Cheng & Chu, 2016; Li & Kong, 2021; Meng & Guan, 2010; Wang, Diao et al., 2022). The identification and education of gifted children have also developed from an individual approach to one comprising large-scale identification and selection and group education in classes, forming a relatively complete three-level selection system of primary selection-reselection-dynamic observation (Zhang et al., 2008). The placement and education approach has progressed to an inclusive education model (Jing & Cheng, 2021; Li, Li et al., 2021).

Second, the practice has developed to explore “youth class” with extraordinary education. In China, gifted education begins with the holding of “supernormal youth classes” to cultivate teenage college students. An intervention for cultivating supernormal youth classes at the University of Science and Technology of China provides a representative example (Shi, 2021; Zhu & Kong, 2018). The selection of gifted children for youth classes comprises two aspects: The first highlights comprehensive quality, while the second involves an examination primarily focused on accomplishment in a comprehensive discipline. The curriculum mode centers on the combination of acceleration and enrichment, while the teaching focus shifts from the transfer of knowledge to the development of students’ creativity to cultivate leaders in various fields. Many universities in China have borrowed the cultivation path of “early stage broad learning, foundation strengthening, and major diverting” for the youth class as a reference to cultivate outstanding and innovative talents in their own disciplines. In the future, research on gifted children will move toward a more scientific and dynamic mode, and multidisciplinary collaborative research is expected to provide more convincing results.

Research on migrant and left-behind children

The dilemmas and challenges faced by a large group of migrant and left-behind children in the context of China's urban-rural dichotomy system have been widely studied. As Table 2 shows, this field mainly included keywords like “migrant children,” “left-behind children,” “mental health,” “psychological resilience,” “loneliness,” and “learning involvement.” Receiving significant academic attention, research on the mental health of left-behind children has shifted from a “problem-oriented” approach to one “exploring positive factors against adversity.” Increased attention has been paid to mental health-related issues such as loneliness, security, negative emotions, anxiety, and depression among left-behind children, with more studies showing that left-behind children exhibit specific positive developmental potential as a result of facing the adversity of being left behind (Ning & Zhou, 2022).

In recent years, the life satisfaction (Zhang et al., 2021), learning involvement, and learning satisfaction (Cao, 2021) of migrant children have emerged as popular research topics. With the advancement of the new urbanization process, migrant children have experienced constant changes while returnees and re-migrating children have emerged as a new group of migrant children. Economic, psychological, linguistic, and cultural shocks caused by environmental changes make migrant children prone to internal conflicts and low levels of psychological health (Wan et al., 2021). Constructing a need-oriented evaluation and support system that considers the unique needs of different types of migrant children as the starting point is regarded as a powerful tool to solve the educational problems of migrant children.