Authorities responsible for the Special Education in Greece:

 

1. Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs- Pedagogical Institute- General Directorate of Studies in Primary and Secondary Education: Directorate of Special Education

 

2. Authorities indirectly involved in the Special Education: Ministry of National Health and Social Welfare, Ministry of Labour.

 

Special Education in Greece has the following goals: -

- to provide appropriate education to pupils

- to provide support services

- to provide vocational training and guidance

- to provide early identification, assessment, early intervention and support to the families of children with special needs.

 

The Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs is responsible for the administration of all services and support regarding the education of people from 4 to 22 years old with Special Needs of the following categories:

- mental disabilities - hearing or visual disabilities

- physical disabilities and health problems

- learning difficulties

- speech and language disabilities

- emotional difficulties, autism or other developmental disorders.

 

The Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs in cooperation with other authorities (Ministry of National Health and Social Welfare, Ministry of Labour, church, local authorities etc) supervises and oversees educational programs for people with Special Needs. Remedial institutes, centers of training and rehabilitation that belong to the above agencies actualize these programs.

 

Integration and inclusive education of people with Special Needs in primary and secondary education is the main goal and basic objective of the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs. According to the recent Law for the Special Education (L. 2817/2000), the education of people with Special Needs is provided through an Individualized Educational Program (IEP). The IEP is based on the assessment, which is carried out, by the Diagnostic Assessment and Support Centers. Regarding to the recent legislation the Diagnostic Assessment and Support Centers are established in the capital cities of each prefecture in Greece. In each Center, there is an interdisciplinary team, which consists of special teachers from different educational level and professionals (child-psychiatrist, psychologist, physiotherapist, speech therapist, Greek sign language specialist, guidance and mobility specialist for the blind, etc). The above team undertakes the assessment and the planning of the individualized educational program of people assessed. Additionally, these centers provide support and counselling for the people with the special needs and their families. The pupils with Special Educational Needs can be educated in the following settings:

 

- In a mainstream class of a regular school with periodic support by a special teacher or by a resource room teacher

- In an integrated class within a regular school

- In a special school or unit with specialized program according to the needs of the student

- In severe cases special education is provided at home.