What is the best place for a child with a special educational need to learn?

Question

should they go to a special school or a normal mainstream school

Answer 1

My opinion ... mainstream. But with mainstream, get ready to work hard with your child to get his/her needs met.

Answer 2

i think kids with special needs should go into mainstream school there isnt such a stigma about it now my niece has bad learning difficulties and is in primary 7 next year she will go to high school but not mainstream as the work she could not keep up with but we're glad she had the chance to got to mainstream at the same school there are 3 kids with downs syndrome and 5 autistic kids you've got to give them the chance and if it doesnt work out at least you know you tried.

Answer 3

It depends on teh child.

Go anywhere but PUBLIC SCHOOL.

THey are CORRUPT with special ed.

Answer 4

A special needs school, they may just get lost in the mainstream school, as often happens.

Answer 5

It depends on what the LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT is for that particular child.

Answer 6

In my opinion a mainstream school with additional support.

Answer 7

My opinion is a mainstream school. Although mainstream school's are employing more special eductional needs assistants, the schools are still under pressure, so be sure to check the resources that the school has for your child. There are many different special needs with either physical or learning difficulties. Also has the child got a statement, which will able the child to go to a specialist school.

Answer 8

The choice of school depends entirely on what type of special educational needs the child requires.  I have a 10 yr. old Autistic grandson...whilst he is very intelligent, he could not cope in a mainstream school as the area of his special needs is "speech".  He understands perfectly what you say to him but cannot respond (by the way, he is not deaf or dumb). Since the age of 5yrs. he has attended a school for special needs who have worked absolute wonders with him...remember such teachers are specially qualified to "stretch their minds and capabilities".  I hope you make the right choice for the child's needs.

Answer 9

a special school they know how to deal with problems, if it is a big need. Is the kid seriously differant like autism or downs?  Or is it like dislexia? then a normal school would be best

Answer 10

This is a great question however I think it depends on the child.  Every child is different and unique which produces a different and unique situation for thier education.  For me all 3 of my autistic boys are in mainstream school with addition help.

Answer 11

It depends on the school.  My son has been attending a program for five years and has regressed instead of progressed.  He just turned 16 and is being moved to a young adult program.  Hopefully we'll see some results.  I think the child will learn better when there's a teacher who is passionate about teaching, not teaching for a paycheck!

Answer 12

The best place for a child with special educational needs to learn is the inclusive school.  Unfortunately, there aren't that many inclusive schools in the world because we have so many RUDE people here who can't accept people who are DIFFERENT! Sadly, many special needs children have NO choice but to be educated in the mainstream school.  I am strongly AGAINST special schools for special needs children who go there ONLY for the EASY way out.  In other words, those who are NOT suffering from profound mental retardation should NOT be attending special schools.  It's a shame how corrupt our school system is getting and NO ONE out there is even trying to help.  Since our school system is corrupt, they should really be spending money on creating more special schools for "adults" as not every special needs adult had the opportunity to go to an inclusive school as a "child".

Answer 13

they should go to a normal school and they would get special care from the teachers.

Answer 14

it really depends on the child-one of kids is autistic and of course there were no special schools for him here so he went to mainstream -hes now at high school and is in the gifted and talented for each of his subjects and doing fantastically academically but if id have had a choice id have sent him to a school that had lots of children like himself-hes very clever yes but as children think hes so different he doesnt have one friend-it really depends on the child

Answer 15

Parents of students with disabilities (special educational needs) have fought for the right of their children to attend regular public education schools (normal mainstream school) for many years.  Many of the decisions made in the various courts have become law, protecting the rights of students with disabilities as a result of their tireless efforts.  They fought for the inclusion of their children in the public schools for varied reasons, among them the right to Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) meaning there should be no cost to parents of children with special needs.  If education is free to the average person, then it should be free for all.  Removing a child from the regular education setting (school or even classroom) is property right denial and one that needs "due process" in order to happen.  Federal Law requires a special team of people to make this decision, known as the Individual Education Program Team (IEP Team).  This team required to include a regular and special education teachers, a person qualified to commit district resources, and the child's parent.  Once the child is found to need special education and is therefore determined to not only have an impairment, but is disabled, they are required to develop a program based on the child's needs, not the limits of the school resources.  Once the needs are clearly established a placement decision is made by the same team.  That placement is not dependent upon school resources, but the student's individual and programming needs.  Districts are required to consider a continuum of placement options, ranging from the least restrictive all the way to completely removed from school and home hospital type settings (most restrictive).  The term "Least Restrictive Environment" (LRE) has been interpreted as what might be least restrictive to the individual student in a relative sense, where others consider it an absolute designation.  I tend to think of it as both...child and program options need to dictate the placement.  As many have said in their answers here, it depends on the child and their needs.  Some children may need private placements, outside of the public school setting, and still others might need placement within the public school setting.

Answer 16

Every child has the right to be educated in the "least restrictive" environment, meaning that, if possible, she should have opportunities to interact with children who are not disabled.

My son has a learning disability and an IEP. He goes to public school and it's a great school. They do a lot for him and he is progressing the way he should. I am happy with the way things are going and it infuriates me when people say that children with learning disabilities should go to a special school. To me that is discrimination! My son has every right to be in the public school, just as much right as my older son who is a straight A student. All kids are different and have different needs. Children all learn differently and have strengths and weaknesses and they need to be met individually whether a child has a disability or not.

Answer 17

Hmm, that's a tough question, and I think a lot depends on the exact nature of the child's need. Also, how much support they will receive if they were to go to a mainstream school. I think it's fair enough if there's a class of kids, a teacher, a child with a specific need and a support assistant for that child. I have been in schools though where there hasn't been support provided for that child's needs, so other adults had to provide it, which took them away from all of the other children - which wasn't really very fair on them. Also, I used to help out at a special school's youth club, where the kids came from far and wide, and many were boarders. These kids had friends, had boyfriends and girlfriends, had social lives, and were really happy. I'm not sure that would have been the case had they been the only 'different' child in a mainstream class.

Answer 18

What is the special education need? This may make a difference. The public school is a good place because the services will not cost you anything. There should be a review committee with you as a member to make decisions of what's best for your child. This is usually done after the evaluation test results of the child is completed.