Disability education would prevent prejudice

Taipei Times

Disability education would prevent prejudice

By Huang Yan-rong

On Friday last week, a person with Down syndrome went to a fried food outlet and, after ordering and finishing his meal, discovered he had forgotten to bring cash out with him. The store owner became angry and called the police, leaving the customer physically and emotionally shaken.

After this incident became public, a group of customers left comments on a ratings Web site, leaving the store with only a one-star rating.

I have no intention of joining the chorus of criticism, nor do I wish to go into the specifics of the person involved or their condition.

However, I would like to use this incident to ask whether Taiwan is ready to allow physically and mentally challenged individuals make it on their own.

One of the objectives of special-needs education is to prepare every student for the ability to rely on their own resources.

In addition to the general curriculum, schools provide classes tailored to their specific needs, to help them solve any issues encountered during the course of their studies.

The quality of the special-needs education provided within a country is an important indicator of how advanced that country is.

Taiwan’s special-needs education has generally been seen as a model to follow in Asia, where its inclusive education has received acclaim.

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2022/11/12/2003788760