Back to Index	National Overview
Finland
Country	Finland
Topic:	Routes to integration
	The first option for educational provision is to integrate pupils in need of specialist support into mainstream teaching and when necessary provide special education in a small teaching group. Only when this is not feasible and in the child's best interests is the second alternative where education is provided in a special group, class or school followed. The municipality may arrange part of the special education in a state owned special school providing education and rehabilitation for children with severe or multiple disabilities. In all forms of special education the general objectives and essential content areas are the same as in mainstream comprehensive education provision. This does not constrain the syllabi separately approved for special educational provision, but the national objectives and contents are used as a basis to be modified by the municipalities and schools The degree and extent of these modifications to the school based curriculum is made in accordance with the pupil's individual learning potential.
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