인물중심 한국 특수교육의 역사적 고찰

Abstract

Korean history in special education can be broadly divided into four different ages, the quickening period (after 15th century), the beginning period (1894-1909), the transitional period (1910-1944), and the developing period (1945-1960’s). In this paper, four historically critical characters, the Great King Seojong, R. S. Hall, Duseong Park, and Youngsik Rhee, were selected as representatives of each above period in order to understand Korean history of special education. Therefore, this paper discussed the rationale for making the criterion of choosing periods and historical characters and then the characters’ overall lives and achievements that finally contributed to Korean special education. The Great King Seojong at the quickening period opened a road for Braille point in Korean language as he created the Korean alphabet "Hangul", which was the foundation of Korean language. And the creation of the Korean alphabet contributed to the development of Korean fingerspelling for people with hearing impairments. Further, he provided divinatory education for the blind at Seounkwan(書雲觀), which was the government office in 1445 (27th year of Seojong in charge). Since the era of civilization and enlightenment had begun and thus Protestant missionaries brought modern education and Western medicine into Korea at the end of 19th century, R. S. Hall initiated special education of the modern age at Pyeongyang. Duseong Park created ‘The Korean Braille point’ for the blind in 1926 even when Japan tried to erase Korean language under the colonization of Japan. He also provided the Bible, which was made in Braille point of the Korean language for the blind and devoted his whole life to education for the blind by using the Korean Braille point. Youngsik Rhee started education for people with deaf and with blind at Daegu in 1946 when governmental supports and services for children with disabilities were totally absent. He established an institute of higher education for special education teacher and professional preparation in 1956. He also began education for children with mental retardation and with physical disabilities at the very first in Korea in 1966. From the findings of this study, I believe that these four people are historically invaluable characters for the Korean special education because they all were the pioneers who greatly contributed to the Korean special education.