Belgium (Flemish)
Country
Topic:
The system of special schools is organised to meet most types of educational needs at all levels and of different forms. Flanders has a very small percentage of children who have no access to compulsory education because of disability. Even a system of permanent education at home has been set up.
To ensure quality of special education, the same principles apply as in mainstream education.
An essential element of quality special education is the individual educational plan, based upon the selection of appropriate developmental objectives, by all concerned partners.
Since 1980 a system of integrated education has been established. A growing number of pupils make use of it. There is a developing policy to establish more functional links between special and mainstream education. Within the framework of inclusive education, experimental projects on the co-operation between special and mainstream schools have been set up.
Recent developments illustrate a real concern to provide a system of mainstream education which is more appropriate to meeting the real diversity of needs amongst children. This applies to pupils with disabilities as well as other pupils with special needs e.g. children from immigrant families, refugees, underprivileged families, etc.
However, some important questions remain on the agenda for further developments. The prevailing success of special schooling, related to recent declarations on integration and inclusion, raise some questions. For example. the fact that provisions for special education are mainly provided in a separate system of special schools limits the freedom of parents to make a responsible choice about the kind of schooling which they see as most appropriate for their child.