SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION WITHIN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM 

Since 1989 there has been a progressive process of changes in the Czech educational system. All those changes have opened the space to a wider differentiation and individualization of educational offer. The greatest changes deal with a group of children with special educational needs, who had narrow or even restraint access to education in the communistic regime. New educational philosophy, which responded to the tendency and trends of a society democratic development and orientation, was formulated in The National Programme of Education Development in the Czech Republic (White Book) by The Ministry of Education in 2001.

Main changes concerning the access conditions for pupils with special educational needs to education are as follows:
- Mainstream schools were opened for children with special educational needs;
- Education was made available for children with the most serious complex needs;
- Diverse forms of individualization of education were established in the order to  the benefit of children, who, due to their health conditions and impairment  cannot be regularly educated in classes;
- Counselling system has been developed for children with special educational needs to support their integration in mainstream schools and for children who are educated at home;
- Counselling system for students with behaviour difficulties (disorders) has been set up;
- The role of parents was stressed;
- Special schools have been developing into the resource centres.

Two-track system, where special education had a strong position, has been changed into multi-track system. Students with special educational needs are preferably educated in the mainstream classes, but there is another choice of placement available – special classes within the mainstream schools and or they can attend schools (“special schools”) founded to those children with special needs who can hardly profit from the mainstream education.

If the health conditions do not allow a pupil to attend the school regularly, the regional authority has to provide such an organization of the educational process which enables the pupil to reach the same level education as by the regular compulsory school attendance.

Special schools are defined as a part of the overall educational system by the School Act. The number of them is decreasing. These schools provide education to students with mental, sensory or physical disabilities, students with communication difficulties, students with complex needs, students with learning and/or behavioural difficulties and ill or health risk pupils. 
The aim of special education is to provide the education tailored according to the needs pf a pupil and supporting the pupils´ social inclusion. 

All pupils follow national school curricula, pupils with mental challenge follow the reduced school curricula (see chapter 1).

The special school network is an alternative for students whose special needs and other conditions prevent him/her to profit from mainstream education; or for those who, for different reasons, do not cope well with education in mainstream schools. Special schools are offering education for pre-school age group of children, for students at the age of compulsory school attendance and at upper secondary level, including vocational schools.

The process of education is modified according to the special needs of pupils. The aim is to provide quality education to all pupils at a class.

The main characteristics of special education:
- Specific teacher training for teachers working with pupils with special needs is required;
-  Additional pedagogical staff available at a class;
- Special equipments, tools and educational methods are used;
- Lower number of pupils per class;
- Adaptation of the organization of the process of education and of the educational programme.  - School attendance may be prolonged – (at the  compulsory level of education till the age of 26, at the level of upper secondary education for 2 years; Pupils with complex needs have the right to continue their compulsory education till the age of 26. Other pupils with special needs can continue their compulsory education one school year more, i.e. 10 years instead of 9 years. For students at upper secondary education there are 2 school years more to fulfil the standard curricula. The individual needs of the pupil are the rational behind the decision about this particular topic.
- Close cooperation between the school and counselling institutions;
- Counselling and guidance available;
- Alternative educational forms for children with complex needs, whose health conditions prevent them from the regular school attendance (education at home available) ;

Number of Students with Special Educational Needs (Institute for Information in Education, 2005)

	2001/2002	2002/2003	2003/2004	2004/2005
Population 3 -18 years	1 887 116	1 842 347	1 801 514	1 780 253
Integrated children - total	68 523	67 875	64 636	60 095
individual integration	56 973	56 455	53 550	51 587
special units, classes	11 550	11 420	11 086	10 508
Number of pupils in special schools	67 471	66 729	65 572	64 193
percentage	3.6%	3.6%	3.6%	3.6%

Preschool education
The concept of pre-school education is based on positive influence on the child’s personality, social performance and future success in education and social inclusion. Special Educational Centres and Educational and Psychological Counselling Centres contribute to the smooth transition of children from the pre-school system into the compulsory education.

Children with complex needs at the age of compulsory education (6 – 8 years) may attend specific pre school institution offering 1 to 3 year programme of systematic preparation for compulsory education.

Preparatory classes for pupils from socially and culturally disadvantaged families give the option to be better prepared for compulsory education. The category of social or socio-cultural disadvantage is a new phenomenon. The legal definition is included in the Act on Education (561/2004).

Social disadvantages are considered: low socio-culturally-economical family status, risk of socio pathological phenomena, protective education ordered by a court decision, status of a refugee and/or asylum seeker. The first mentions began to appear roughly in 1997, mainly in connection with the Roma minority where such disadvantage is a major element of their life situation. The preparatory classes are mainly established at mainstream basic schools.

Compulsory education
Basic schools- mainstream education
Compulsory education is organized within the system of Basic Schools in the Czech Republic, which covers primary (1st – 5th grade) and secondary (6th – 9th grade) educational level.

The decision about the organisational form of education of a student with special needs belongs to the responsibility of the head teacher with regards to the wish of parents and counselling centres recommendations.

 The pupil with special needs has the right to be educated at the mainstream school (preferably with regards to the pupil’s special needs), and/or at a special class/unit within the mainstream school and/or at a basic school for children with special needs (“special school”).

Basic school – special needs education
Basic schools for children with special needs provide education for pupils whose special educational needs cannot be fully met at the mainstream provisions and facilities. The number of pupils in a class is much lower in comparison to regular mainstream class. It ranges from 4 to 14 pupils relating to the type of the school. The regular class consists at the average of 22,5 pupils, maximum of 30 pupils.

In addition to the regular teaching subjects each special educational programme provides so called subjects of special provision, such as speech and communication therapy, mobility and orientation, sensory stimulation, special IT, music and musical instrument playing, etc., according to the type of the school and pupils special needs. The organisational strategy is the same at special classes within the regular schools.

Recently the role of special schools has been changing. In addition to their educational role, they have become a resource centres developing new pedagogical methods and approaches and providing wide range of advice and support services both to pupils, their parents and mainstream teachers. They usually consist of more levels of education and specialize on one group of pupils as to their special needs. 

The system includes basic schools:
- for pupils with hearing impairment,
- for pupils with visual impairment,
- for pupils with physical impairment,
- for pupils with speech impairments,
- for ill and health risk pupils,
- for pupils with specific learning difficulties,
- for pupils with specific behavioural difficulties,
- for pupils with mental impairment
- for pupils with multiple impairment. 

For pupils with severe mental challenge and complex needs there is the possibility to open the basic special school. This school offers the pupils to acquire social and communicational skills. The curricula are supported by the rehabilitation services.
The pupils reach the bases of education level of education.

Post-compulsory education, upper secondary education
Upper secondary education offers organizational forms of education for students with special needs:
1. individual integration
2. secondary school for pupils with special needs (“special secondary school”).
3. special class within the regular secondary school.

The system of special secondary schools consists of:
- Grammar school (Gymnasium),
- Secondary Technical School,
- Vocational School,
- Upper Secondary Technical School,
- Secondary Technical School.
The schools are specialized according to the field of study and the type of pupils’ special needs.
The schools provide education in different study fields. The conservatory for Visually Impaired Youth, for example, has a long tradition. The Upper Secondary Health Service School and the Secondary Pedagogical School, on the other hand, are relatively new ventures providing education to the pupils with hearing impairment.

Practical schools
Practical Schools offer upper secondary education to pupils with mental challenge in 2 programmes: 1-year programme and 2-year programme. The length of the programmes can be prolonged by 2 years according to the needs of students.

The programmes provide students with a wide range of practical daily life skills, bases of working knowledge and skills helping the students to enter the labour market.
Lifelong Education for Adults with special educational needs
For students who have not acquired the level of basic education there is a possibility to attend courses set up to reach the level of basic education and/or bases of education.

Besides that schools and other educational bodies are offering broad range of courser and follow-up education reflecting the needs of students to improve their access to employment.

Limited number of special schools (12) remains even after the decentralization under the direct management of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport.

From the political point of view it was important to give a clear signal to parents of children with special needs that the Ministry of Education is guarantying this educational alternative for their children. These schools cooperate closely with the Ministry and research institutes in developing new methods, provisions and approaches in the field of special education.

All special schools are allowed to provide education to pupils without special needs, too, as a certain kind of “vice versa integration”. The number of those pupils is limited to 25% of the total number of pupils in a class.

Special schools often provide boarding services for children from remote areas. The state contributes to these services and parents pay only a smaller part of the costs covering boarding services. Travel costs are covered by parents or by the social system.

The needs of gifted children are met through a range of additional educational provisions both at school and counselling level. The provisions of these pupils are usually described in the individual educational plan.

The specialist from the counselling centre co-operates closely with the class teachers. With regards to the pupil’s educational needs the organization and structure of education is designed.