“Education is a process through which the inner powers of the child are brought out.” Education makes efforts to make the individual, society and national life continuously developing. The development of any country depends on the education system and administration of that country. Education administration runs the education process smoothly so that maximum development of the student, teacher and institution can take place. The importance of administration becomes even more in the field of special education, because the abilities and needs of the students studying in special educational institutions are such that there is more diversity in them. To educate them smoothly, the need of a more responsible and sensitive administration is felt.

In the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century, the administration of the special education program was in the hands of those people who were not really administrators, because most of the programs were run by religious organizations. After the revolution of France and America, there was a radical change in the special education program as well. During this time, the administration was done by scientists, doctors and philosophers. In the middle of the twentieth century, the administration was in the hands of teachers and psychologists. Although special education program was run in public schools only, by this time writers started demanding separate administration and supervision for special education program.

When special education program was separated from public school program in the beginning of twentieth century, special education administrators were generally untrained. National Association of State Directors of Special Education was established in 1938. Council of Administrators in Special Education (CASE) was established in 1951. P.L.-94-142 and Education of All Handicapped Children Act-1975 This gave rise to the need for specially trained administrators in special programmes. Thus, gradually the administrative requirement increased and along with it the administrative services in special education also increased. Today, administrative services are being provided from national level to district level as per the programmes related to special education. Not only this, training based on the management of special education is also being provided. So that the programmes related to special education can be conducted in a systematic manner.

It is clear from special education that it is completely different from general education. If general education is for normal children, then certainly special education is for special children. Therefore, special children are those whose IQ is either higher or lower than that of a normal child. Initially, special education was conducted in public schools, but some writers and experts, looking at their number and need, started demanding a separate administration for the special education program. When the special education program was separated from the public school, the special education administration was generally untrained. In view of this, the National Association of State Directors of Special Education was established in 1938. The need for special education increased along with administrative needs. Special education administration can be divided into many levels such as international, central, state level, regional, district level, local and private sector etc. The Government of India, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is playing an important role in the field of special education. Besides, the Indian Rehabilitation Council and the National Trust are preparing special teacher-trainers on a large scale by conducting various types of long and short term courses in special education. Some universities have also come forward for this work like Madhya Pradesh Bhoj Open University, Indira Gandhi National Open University, Bangalore University etc. Apart from this, government, non-government and private institutions of India are also playing an important role in the field of special education.