Identification of special educational needs - Estonia

Identification of Special Educational Needs

Pupils with special educational needs are pupils whose special talent, learning difficulty, behaviour, health problem or disability etc. create a need to make changes or adaptations in the contents or arrangements of their studies or in their learning environment.

Special needs include general or special talent, learning difficulties, hearing impairment, physical disability, speech, reading and writing difficulties, visual impairment, neurological disorders, behaviour problems, addiction problems.

Children with special needs are recommended a suitable nursery school or group or curriculum suitable for their abilities following a decision make by the counselling committee. A child with special needs is admitted to an integration group or a group for children with special needs on the basis of a written application from a parent (caregiver) and a decision made by the counselling committee.

A counselling committee shall include a special education teacher, a speech therapist, a psychologist, a social worker and a representative of the county or city government accordingly.

A counselling committee is able to:

- assign to a student with special needs a curriculum or a form of study suitable for the needs of the child;

- refer a student with special needs to a sanatorium school, a school or class for students with special needs with the consent of a parent (caregiver);

- decide postponing the obligation to attend school at the request of a parent.

If a student in years 1 and 2 of basic school cannot fulfil the requirements of the curriculum, the school shall direct him or her with the consent of a parent to speech therapist, educational psychologist or to a psychiatrist, if necessary, where the problem shall be identified. If the problem is connected to disability, measures shall be taken to guarantee the student educational opportunities suitable for his or her needs.

When attending a sanatorium school or a school for students with special needs is no longer necessary, the student has the right to continue his/her studies in his/her former school.