Parallelisms, synergies and contradictions in the relationship between Special Education, Gifted Education and Inclusive Education

Abstract

Special Education and Gifted Education are two theoretical and research areas that have developed in parallel: the former dealing primarily with pupils with disabilities and other special educational needs, the latter with a small percentage of high-ability students. Although Gifted Education can be considered as part of the broader field of Special Education, it is a separated branch in terms of both methods and aims. Nevertheless, the two areas share the dominant debate about school inclusion, as a common direction in contemporary education. With reference to national and international research, the article contains a parallel reflection on historical, normative, theoretical and operative aspects of Special and Gifted Education, with the aim of identifying the critical issues concerning both fields as well as their possible developments in relation to Inclusive Education.   Parallelismi, sinergie e contraddizioni nel rapporto tra Special Education, Gifted Education e Inclusive Education La Pedagogia Speciale e la Gifted Education sono due settori che si sono sviluppati parallelamente: il primo occupandosi principalmente dei soggetti con disabilità e altri bisogni educativi speciali, il secondo di un’esigua percentuale di studenti con capacità elevate. Sebbene la Gifted Education possa essere considerata una branca della più ampia Special Education, essa si configura come autonoma sia per metodi che per scopi ma non del tutto avulsa dal dibattito dominante verso cui tendono tutte le istanze educative contemporanee: l’educazione inclusiva. Il contributo affronta dal punto di vista della ricerca nazionale e internazionale l’intersecarsi di questioni storiche, normative, teoriche e operative tra Pedagogia Speciale e Gifted Education allo scopo di individuare i nodi critici e i percorsi possibili per una confluenza nell’ambito dell’Inclusive Education.