What is Windekind? – Special school for children with physical and/or mental disabilities in Leuven. – GON (Geïntegreerd ONderwijs) – begeleiding / integrated education (integration) = guidance for children with fysical disabilities and/or autism (often in combination with other learning disabilities) in Brussels and Flemish Brabant

What is GON? Goal = to integrate children with disabilities or special needs in regular schools Difference with inclusion: Integration: student follows the regular curriculum with some help / adjustments / measures => normal IQ Inclusion: student doesn’t follow the regular curriculum, gets an adjusted curriculum, adjusted to his/her capabilities => mental retardation (ex. Children with down syndrome)

Different types of disabilities Type 1: minor mental retardation Type 2: moderate to severe mental retardation Type 3: emotional and/or behavioural problems Type 4: fysical disabilities Type 5: children in hospitals Type 6: visual disabilities Type 7: hearing impairment Type 8: severe learning disabilities (Type 9: autism)

Who qualifies? Who decides? Child needs a certificate from a specialised diagnostic centre. + CLB (Centrum voor LeerlingenBegeleiding) or ‘centre for studentcounselling’ gives approval! GON = partnership between regular schools, special schools, parents and CLB (we need the approval of every party!) –> certificate autism: 2 years in primary school, 2 years in secondary school and 2 years in college (not university) –> fysical disabilities: → severe certificate: during their entire school career, each year → moderate certificate: same as autism -> 2 years at each level

What do we do? 3 levels: – child: individually or in class – school: teachers – parents and external care workers Principle for children with special educational needs = sticordi – measures: Stimulation Compensation Remedial teaching Dispensation

Child focused guidance Social – emotional guidance: social abilities, learning to accept diagnosis, … Curriculum guidance: learning to learn, … Fysical guidance: learning to use adjusted materials, … Communicational and speech guidance: supporting the reading process, supporting specific problems like dyslexia, dyscalculia, spelling problems, automatisation problems, etc. …

Teacher and school focused help Informing them about the disorder / disabilities and GON Providing tips in dealing with the child and his/her problem(s) Signalling problems Searching for compensating or dispensating measures Informing classmates Searching for adjustments if needed …

Consultating with parents and external care takers Informing parents about their child’s functioning at school Providing clues about adjustments, if needed Being a listening ear … Making contact with other care takers who work with the child: psychologists, physiotherapists, CLB, etc.

- 80 minutes / student in schools Multiple disciplines in our team: psychologists, physiotherapists, logopedists, (ortho)pedagogues, teachers, ergotherapists, …