A special school is a school catering to students who have special educational needs due to severe learning difficulties or physical disabilities.[1] An alternative is a special classroom, also called a self-contained classroom, which is a separate room dedicated solely to the education of students with special needs within a larger school that also provides general education. These classrooms are typically staffed by specially trained teachers, who provide specific, individualized instruction to individuals and small groups of students with disabilities. Special schools may be specifically designed, staffed and resourced to provide the appropriate special education for children with additional needs.
Students attending special schools generally do not attend any classes with non-disabled peers. Self-contained classrooms, because they are located in a general education school, may have students who remain in the self-contained classroom full-time, or students who are mainstreamed into certain general education classes. A part-time alternative that is appropriate for some students is sometimes called a resource room.
Special schools provide individualised education, addressing specific needs. Student:teacher ratios are kept low, often 6:1 or lower depending upon the needs of the children. Special schools will also have other facilities for the development of children with special needs, such as soft play areas, sensory rooms, or swimming pools, which are vital for the therapy of certain conditions.
In recent times, places available in special schools are declining as more children with disabilities are mainstreamed or included. There will always be some children, however, whose learning needs are not appropriately met in a regular classroom setting and will require specialised education and resources to provide the level of support they require. An example of a disability that may require the intensive services a special school provides is mental retardation, however this practice is often frowned upon by school districts in light of Least Restrictive Environment as mandated in IDEA[2]
History
One of the first special schools in the world was the Institut National des Jeunes Aveugles in Paris, which was founded in 1784. It was the first school in the world to teach blind students.[3] With the Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1997, school districts in the United States began to slowly integrate students with moderate and severe special needs into regular school systems. This changed the form and function of special education services in many school districts and special schools subsequently saw a steady decrease in enrollment as districts weighed the cost per student. It also posed general funding dillemas to certain local schools and districts, changed how schools view assessments, and formally introduced the concept of inclusion to many educators, students and parents. [4]
See also
- Alternative school
- Camphill Movement, an example of a special school in a village setting
- Special education
References
- ^ [1] Definition of special school, accessed August 9, 2007
- ^ Turnbull, Ron (2002). "Exceptional Lives: Special Education in Today's Schools (3rd ed.)Merrill Prentice Hall. New Jersey.
- ^ History of the INJA (French)
- ^ Jorgensen, C.M. (1998). Restructuring high school for all students: Taking inclusion to the next level. Baltimore: Paul H. Brooks Publishing co.
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