IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS 

Early intervention
Hospitals and general practitioners - in the framework of the mother-child examinations (Mother-Child-Booklet) " independent paediatricians, and a failry well-organised network of counselling offices, try to provide help to the child and his or her family as early as possible.

Early intervention is a provision especially for children in their first months of life, and their families, which comprises medical, psychological and pedagogic aspects. It deals with family assistance and comprehensive fostering of the child who presents or is in danger of developing a disability. To this end, an interdisciplinary co-operation of experts from the fields of psychology, medicine, social work, psychotherapy, speech therapy, music therapy, early remedial intervention, and strong involvement of the parents, is vital.

Early intervention regards the child not only as an individual, but also as part of a system, a group " his or her family. Persons engaged in early intervention have the task of assisting the family of the child with disabilities or delayed development.

Kindergarten
There is no uniform concept of disability in the individual provincial laws; instead, different terms such as "increased need for support" or "children with special educational needs" are used. Accordingly, nor is the diagnostic procedure uniform. In several provinces, a multidisciplinary team decides whether special needs are identified due to a disability. Furthermore, all provincial regulations contain preconditions for exclusion from kindergarten. In some provinces, separate preconditions are required which make it difficult to exclude children with increased educational needs. In most provinces, however, the decision on an exclusion is made solely by the sponsoring institution, and does not require a medical or psychological statement.

Compulsory Schools
Definition of Special Educational Need
Special educational needs in the spirit of school law according to Article 8 of the Compulsory School Act (SchPflG) are stated if a child cannot follow instruction at a primary or secondary school or at pre-vocational school (one-year interface between school and vocational training) without receiving special support due to a physical or mental disability, but is nevertheless capable of attending school. Unsatisfactory achievements at school without the qualifying characteristic of a disability do not constitute SEN.

The identification of special educational needs require a painstaking diagnostic analysis by means of which the current inability to follow instruction at school can be clarified. Only then can it be decided which measures can be taken, and whether a specific allocation of resources is required and sensible.

Source:
Circular letter of the Ministry for Education, 1996: www.cisonline.at/gesetzliche-grundlagen/erlaesse-rundschreiben.html

The District School Board
According to Article 8 (1) of the Compulsory Education Act, the district school board must issue a SEN statement for a child provided that due to physical or psychological disabilities this child is not capable of following instruction in primary or lower secondary school or in pre-vocational school without receiving special educational support, but is nevertheless capable of attending school. The Special Education Centres issue opinions which form the basis for decision-making by the District School Board on whether a child presents special educational needs. In addition, expert opinions can be used which have been issued by public health officers or school psychologists, or persons who hitherto have cared for the child in education or therapy.

Special Education Centres
According to Article 27a of the School Organisation Act, Special Education Centres are special schools that have the task to provide and co-ordinate measures of special education in other school types to ensure that children with special educational needs can be educated in the best possible way at mainstream schools, too.
If there is no appropriate special school in a school district, the District School Board takes charge of the tasks of the Special Education Centre.

Transition from School to Employment

Job Orientation and Job Preparation Year at Special Schools, Pilot Projects on Inclusion
In the school year 1998/99 the obligatory course "job orientation" was introduced to support young people better in finding a job. This course, however, is not only obligatory at special schools, but also at lower secondary school and the lower grades of schools of general secondary education (AHS). This obligatory course shall foster the pupils" ability to decide on an occupation on their own.
Since the school year 2000/01, job preparation classes could have been established in the 9th grade of special school where pupils are educated according to the curriculum of the "job preparation year". There, the adolescents" already acquired skills are to be broadened to promote their personal development and their theoretical and practical skills in order to facilitate their access to the labour market and increase their chances of finding appropriate employment and living up to the challenges encountered there.
Another possibility is the launching of pilot projects for inclusive education at pre-vocational school. Pupils with special educational needs can be educated completely, or to a certain degree, according to the curriculum of the job preparation year.

Source:
www.cisonline.at/nahtstelle-schuleberuf.html

Clearing: Profiling and Career Planning
"Clearing" is a measure of the Federal Ministry for Social Affairs and Consumer Protection, implemented by the competent Social Services Office, to discuss the career opportunities of disadvantaged adolescents. Clearing includes counselling, mentoring and assistance for adolescents of up to 24 years of age at the interface between school and the labour market.

This provision can be taken voluntarily, free of charge, and is basically available to all young people with disabilities. Its aim is to give adolescents opportunities for a future occupation, and to help them decide how to proceed to be integrated in the labour market. Together with the adolescents, analyses of their interests and capabilities are carried out, and an individual education plan is drafted. To this end, intensive co-operation with schools, Special Education Centres, parents/legal guardians, and the adolescents is paramount.

Source:
www.cisonline.at/nahtstelle-schuleberuf.html

Further information:
www.bmsk.gv.at
www.european-agency.org/publications/agency_publications/ereports/downloads/transition_ger.doc#_Toc28160784