IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

Introduction
According to the Law 2817/2000 students with special educational needs are: 
- Pupils with mental retardation
- Pupils with severe visual or hearing impairment
- Pupils with severe neurological or orthopedic impairment or with severe health problems
- Pupils with speech and communication difficulties
- Pupils with special learning disabilities such as dyslexia, etc 
- Pupils with severe cognitive, emotional and social difficulties, autism and developmental disorders

In the population of people with special educational needs are also inscribed infants, children and adolescents who do not belong in one of the above mentioned categories but they do need a special educational approach and care for some period of time or throughout their schooling. (Paragraphs 2 and 3, article 1, law 2817/2000)

The tools used for detection and evaluation of students' special educational needs are considered to be valid when they are approved by the Ministry of Education.

Early years education
The most severe congenital disabilities are identified by doctors or other health services from the prime age of the child. Special services suggest to families that they should participate in early intervention programmes when there is a need any available means. However, early intervention is not compulsory in Greece when a family shows interest to participating in such a programme, special services work out appropriate assessment and constitute a suitable for the child an early intervention programme.

Compulsory schooling
The greatest proportion of pupils with Special Educational Needs is usually identified during pre-school education or during the first primary school years by the child's parents or teachers. Additionally, in order for students with Special Educational Needs to be identified as early as possible, the local Diagnostic Assessment and Support Centres implement a screening test system to the entire student population at the beginning of each school year.
Following the above identification students with Special Educational Needs, are assessed by the Diagnostic Assessment and Support Centres and are placed in the appropriate school setting based on the assessment. Specialists from the Diagnostic Assessment and Support Centres in co-operation with the special education advisor and the student's teacher design the Individualized Educational Programme (IEP) and foresee its implementation as well as the re-evaluation of the pupil. According to the Individualized Educational Programme, appropriate technical aids and educational materials can be provided for the education of the pupil. Counselling and support for families can be provided by professionals working with the pupils and the psychologists of Diagnostic Assessment and Support Centres.

Transition Period
During the transition period experts assess primarily the individual transition program and not the pupil's special educational needs, which have already been assessed at previous educational phases.