SPECIAL EDUCATION INTEGRATION and INCLUSION in FLANDERS Danny Wyffels

Three educational levels in special education: 1. Special nursery education for children aged 2.5 to 6 2. Special primary education for children aged 6 to Special secondary education for pupils aged 13 to 21

Nursery and primary special education * Type 1: Pupils with a minor mental handicap (not for nursery school) * Type 2: Pupils with a moderate or serious mental handicap * Type 3: Children with serious emotional and/or behavioural problems * Type 4: Pupils with a physical handicap * Type 5: Children suffering from protracted illness * Type 6: Pupils with a visual handicap * Type 7: Pupils with an auditory handicap * Type 8: Pupils with serious learning disabilities (not for nursery school or secondary education)

Special secondary education Four training forms: 1. Training form 1: offering social training with the aim of integration into a protected environment. (T2, T3,T4,T6, T7) 2. Training form 2: offering general and social training with the aim of integration into a protected environment and work situation (T2,T3,T4,T6,T7)

Special secondary education Four training forms: 3. Training form 3: offering social and vocational training with the aim of integration into a regular environment and work situation (T1,T3,T4,T6,T7) 4. Training form 4: offering preparation for study in higher education and integration into active life (T3, T4, T5, T6,T7)

Short history Before 1970: special classes located in regular schools (children with SEN were brought together in these classrooms) 1970: Act on special education led to the suppression of these special classes and to a separate system of special schools divided in 8 types based on the pedagogical and didactical needs resulting from the specific kind of impairment

Short history * 1983: under the impulse of the integration movement integrated education (GON- geïntegreerd onderwijs) is made possible for children with a physical or sensorial impairment The pedagogical support comes from teachers and therapists of special schools. * 1991: educational policy starts to deal with problems of immigrant children and refugee-children who don’t speak Dutch to promote their integration

Short history *1994: integration for pupils of all types (except T5 – protracted illness) + students of higher education. In the regular schools(nursery and primary level) starts an extended care programme for pupils with SEN (=zorgverbreding)

Short history * : pilot projects to create local cooperation networks between one school for special education and 4 or 5 regular schools of primary education The government also starts projects for the inclusion of children with moderate or severe mental retardation in mainstream classrooms of primary schools(to experience curriculumdifferentiation, full participation of the child within the regular classroom )

Short history * 2002:New text from the Ministry of the Flemish Community towards more inclusive education in Flanders. (Maatwerk in samenspraak)  integration of most children of T1,T8 and some of T3 in mainstream schools (with support from special schools)  instead of referring the child to a special system, support has to be brought towards the child and the teachers working with it.  some special schools become expertise and support centres

Teacher training 1. Initial Teacher Training: more attention to extended care and to how to deal with differences + placement in special schools 2. In-service Teacher Training for teachers in special schools (VOBO) and for remedial teachers and teachers extended care (VOZO)

Figures In the schoolyear :  4% of all children in the age-group of 2,5-18 year olds are in a special school  In comparison: only 0,1% of pupils with disabilities are integrated in regular schools