Special needs education within the education system - Estonia

Special Needs Education within the Education System

Separate Special Provision

A pre-school institution for children with special needs is generally a mainstream nursery school, and in certain cases a special pre- primary institution (there are only 3 of these).

Depending on the needs of the student requiring special education, special support or special treatment, a student may study at a school for students with special needs. Schools for students with special needs are intended for students with physical disabilities, speech impairments, sensory or learning disabilities, or intellectual disabilities and for students who need special treatment due to behavioural problems. Sanatorium schools are intended for students with health disorders where students can study according to their health situation and receive the necessary treatment. The obligation to attend school may also be fulfilled by studying at home.
In Estonia, networks of special schools exist that cover the needs of students with special needs. In most cases also boarding school facilities are available at schools. There are 46 schools for students with special needs: 3 for students with hearing impairment; 1 for students with physical disabilities; 1 for students with visual impairment; 4 for students with behavioural problems; 3 for students with health disorders and others are for students with learning disabilities.

Special Needs Education at mainstream school

According to legislation, students with special needs may study at mainstream school, in special classes of a mainstream school and receive different kinds of support:

- support of special education teacher, speech therapist;

- remedial learning;
- suitable curriculum;

- individual education plan;

- smaller classes;

- additional learning and rehabilitation subjects (music therapy etc.)

- communication support (sign-language interpreter, study material in Braille, adapted study material etc.).

In a state or municipal school the following classes shall be established, if necessary:

- classes for children with physical and sensory disabilities, speech impairments, sensory disabilities and mental disorders;

- opportunity classes for teaching children with learning difficulties;
- supplementary learning classes for teaching children with slight learning disabilities;

- coping classes for teaching children with moderate learning disabilities;
- nursing classes for teaching children with severe and profound learning disabilities.

Special needs classes are smaller than classes in mainstream schools. The limit in special needs classes is:

- 12 students in a class for children with speech impairments, sensory and physical disabilities, and behaviour disorders;

- 16 students in a class for children with mental disorders, in a opportunity class and a supplementary learning class;

- 7 students in a class for children with severe and profound learning disabilities.

Curriculum and subjects

Schooling and education in special groups or classes is based on framework study programmes in the education level concerned.

According to the Pre-School Child Care Institutions Act, the schooling and education in pre-school childcare institutions should be based upon the study programmes of childcare institutions, which comply with the general study programmes for pre-primary education. Each child has the right to teacher assistance in order to reach the goals determined by the curricula.

In basic schools and upper secondary schools, the national curriculum is valid also for students with special needs as framework curriculum (as a framework to refer to in terms of learning objectives and contents?). In addition, the simplified national curriculum and the national curriculum for students with moderate and severe disabilities have been adopted by the regulation of the Ministery of Education and Research. An individual curriculum may be compiled for students with special needs according to their abilities.