Introduction
Special education is part of mainstream education. Special programmes are established in different educational levels, in order to provide the appropriate education and vocational training to people with Special Educational Needs. Different special programmes and units are provided for people with different Special Educational Needs. However the official policy and the main objective is the integration of SEN pupils in the mainstream schools. People with SEN from 4 to 22 years old can attend regular or special nursery, primary, lower secondary, upper secondary, technical high schools and special vocational training schools according to their age, their abilities and their special educational needs.

The Diagnostic Assessment and Support Centres provide services to people with Special Needs and their families. These Centres provide their services to special and mainstream schools, in order to support the people with Special Educational Needs and provide early intervention and appropriate educational services or support to children attending inclusive settings.

In addition, the Medical Pedagogical Centres of the Ministry of National Health and Social Welfare provide Diagnostic and Support Services to children who need them.

In order to provide full support to people with Special Educational Needs the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs cooperates with the Ministry of National Health and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Labour, the General Administration of Youth, the Prefecture Committees for Adult Education, the organizations of Local Administration and the Church. The aim is the implementation of a common policy towards appropriate services for people with SEN and their families as well towards the most efficient education, vocational training and rehabilitation.
The Ministry is also in line and collaboration with the Greek Disability Forum and the Parents Organisations.

Early years Education

Early intervention
The most severe congenital disabilities are identified by doctors or other health services from the prime age of the child. Early intervention can help to overcome problems or confront difficulties. However few services can provide early intervention programs in Greece, such as sectors of paediatrician hospitals, day-care counselling centres and Diagnostic Assessment and Support Centres. Children and families have the chance to these programmes and the latter group receive training in order to co-operate and confront effectively the new circumstances.

The number of services for early intervention programmes is small in Greece even though new services such as the Diagnostic Assessment and Support Centres which have been established also offering early intervention programmes.

Inclusion
One of the main concerns of the Ministry of Education is the inclusion for pre-school children with special educational needs in mainstream schools. The majority of pupils with special educational needs attend the mainstream kindergartens with the appropriate support mentioned in their IEP.
 
Inclusion settings in mainstream kindergartens
In some cases pupils with SEN attend an inclusion educational class for some hours or days per week. Inclusion settings operate in the mainstream kindergarten aiming at the support and education of pupils by all means. 

Special kindergardens
There are pre-school children with SN who cannot follow mainstream school or inclusion settings, and as a result they take lessons in special kindergartens. The number of special kindergarten and inclusion settings is not constant because it depends purely on the occurred necessities.

Compulsory schooling

Inclusion
According to the L. 2817/2000 and the MD G6 102357/2002 pupils with special educational needs receive education mainly in mainstream schools. Hence, the inclusion for those pupils operates in two different ways:

1. Inclusion of students' with SEN in the classes of mainstream schools at primary, secondary or vocational educational level

 Diagnostic Assessment and Support Centres suggest that inclusion, which takes place in mainstream schools, should be preferred when:
- Pupils with SEN do not face very severe difficulties and they can attend the curriculum of the school providing they receive assistance from a special education teacher according to a set of prearranged visits.
- Pupils live in an area where there is not a special education setting (special school or inclusion settings). In this occasion a special education teacher is always in the school.
The attendance of pupils with SEN at mainstream school is accompanied by the following modifications: 
- Adaptation of the teaching methods according to the pupil's IEP which come from the Diagnostic Assessment and Support Centres. This adaptation is a product of the co-operation among special education teacher, mainstream teacher (or teachers) and the advisors of special and general education.
- Periodical or permanent support executed by a special education teacher, appointed by the Diagnostic Assessment and Support Centres, in co-operation with the advisor of special education. Special education educators or other member of the specialised stuff of the Diagnostic Assessment and Support Centres are in charge for the duration, the methods and the means of support. The whole responsibility for the successful operation of the applied programmes is the Diagnostic Assessment and Support Centre in co-operation with the advisor of special and general education.

2. Inclusion Classes in mainstream schools of primary, secondary, or vocational educational level

The attendance of pupils with SEN at Inclusion Classes of primary, secondary, vocational education is suggested by the Diagnostic Assessment and Support Centres when:
- Pupils face special educational needs and they need a systematic support some hours per day or per week from a special education teacher in order to follow the curriculum of their school. 
- There are more than three pupils with SEN in a school.

The Educational programs which are implemented in the inclusion classes are according to the pupil's IEP. Pupils receive invidualised education or team teaching in particular classrooms according to a pre-arranged programme. The purpose of these sessions is the support of the student so that the latter will achieve a continuity and direct link with educational level curriculum. The total number of hours a student can take in an inclusion class is not more than 10 hours. However, under the presence of special circumstances some pupils may receive lessons more than 10 hours. An indispensable presupposition for the previous case is the suggestion of the Diagnostic Assessment and Support Centres.

The attendance of pupils with SEN in inclusion classes implies the following:
- Adapting the teaching methods according to the pupil's IEP
- Teaching a set of courses in the inclusion class performed by a special education teacher
- Attending lessons in the mainstream class with the support of a special education teacher. In this occasion, special education teacher support the pupils one by one in the mainstream class and at the same time facilitates the mutual interaction between the students, assist them, stays with discretion in the classroom, participates in the activities of the class and he/she also urges pupils to participate in events during breaks and school activities. (MD G6 10235/2002)
 
Special Education Schools
The education of a pupil with SEN at primary or secondary level is proposed by the Diagnostic Assessment and Support Centre under the condition that a diagnosis assessment has been preceded as well as the agreement of the pupil's parents. The pupil attends primary or secondary school in one of the following cases: 
- When students' special needs are considered to be particularly serious and consequently need special assistance provided by educators and specialists within special schools and with the appropriate infrastructure.
- When students with SEN seem to be benefited by special school setting.

The attendance of these students in the above mentioned educational settings could be described as following:
- The students participate in special educational programmes adapted to their needs executed by special trained educators. This programme is constituted by the Diagnostic Assessment and Support Centres and is in accordance with the students' IEP.
- The students also participate in socialisation programmes and if it is necessary they are urged to participate in full integration programmes or to more on to another level of Special Education. Students' integration and classification in the appropriate educational settings depend on the assessment which is conducted by Diagnostic Assessment and Support Centre.

The structure of students' schooling and graduation from a specific level of education is build up in such a way that ensures the continuation of the student's IEP to the next level of their studies (high schools, lyceum, college, polytechnic schools etc). This procedure aims at the provision of integrated and appropriate programs of education for students with SEN.