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 need of students to receive special education, special support, special treatment a student may study at 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 mental disorders, and for students who need special treatment due to behavioural problems. Sanatorium schools are intended for students with health disorders where students study on the basis of friendly regulation of study and receive the necessary treatment. The obligation to attend school may also be fulfilled by studying at home.
In Estonia, the network of special schools exists that covers the needs of students with special needs. In most cases also boarding school facilities have created at schools. There are 48 schools for students with special needs: 3 for students with hearing impairment; 1 for students with physical disabilities; 1 for students with visual impairment; 5 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 the legislation, students with special needs may study at mainstream school, in special classes of a mainstream school and get different kinds of support:
- support of special education teacher, speech therapist;
- remedial learning;
- suitable curriculum;
- individual curriculum;
- 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 shall be established the following classes, 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.

Classes where children with special need study are smaller than classes in mainstream schools. The upper limit of the size of a class shall be:
- 12 students in a class for children with speech impairments, sensory and physical disabilities, and behavioural 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 of the education level concerned.

According to the Pre-School Child Care Institutions Act, the schooling and education in the pre-school childcare institution should be based on the study programme of a childcare institution, which complies with the general study programme for pre-primary education. Children have the right to get assistance of teachers if acquire the content determined by the curricula.

In basic schools and upper secondary schools, the national curriculum for basic schools and upper secondary schools is valid also for students with special needs as framework curriculum. In addition, the simplified national curriculum and the national curriculum for students with moderate and severe disabilities have been adopted by the regulation of a Minister of education and research. For students with special needs also an individual curriculum may be compiled that creates study conditions for the pupils according to their abilities.