A convenient way of exploring information on Swiss special needs education is to look at a number of web directories and clearinghouses on Swiss education: SZH/CSPS Swiss Institute of Special Education (http://www.szh.ch) The Swiss Institute of Special Education (German: Schweizerische Zentralstelle für Heilpädagogik SZH; French: Centre suisse de pédagogie spécialisée CSPS) is a private national body in charge of coordinating and promoting special needs education by different means. It collects, processes and disseminates information on education and training of people with disabilities in Switzerland. Moreover, the SZH/CSPS participates in planning, implementing and developing special educational systems at the level of federal and state (cantonal) authorities as well as national associations. The SZH/CSPS is the organisation where the Swiss National Coordinator of the European Agency, Beatrice Kronenberg, is based.

The SZH/CSPS website collects, catalogues and annotates links to websites, databases, directories and virtual libraries, which are helpful to professionals and researchers working in the field of special needs education and training. It contains an overview on the structure and organisation of Swiss educational system and its legal, financial and administrative framework (http://www.szh.ch/d/institut/index.shtml). It disseminates news and

information on events and hosts a mailing-list (http://www.szh.ch/d/beruf/diskussionshtml) for professionals.
All web pages are available in German and French.

EDK/CDIP Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (http://www.edk.ch/)
The Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education comprises the 26 members of the cantonal (state) governments who are responsible for compulsory and part of the higher education systems (it is similar to the "Kultusministerkonferenz" in Germany). It promotes cooperation between the cantons, a common policy for education and the ongoing exchange of information and experience. The EDK/CDIP is also a partner of the

federal authorities, which are mainly responsible for vocational training and part of higher education. The EDK/CDIP website gives access to more than 100 online reports and policy papers (mainly in French and

German) on different aspects of Swiss education. Additionally, it contains an interface to the subject catalogue

of the IDES documentation centre, which collects about 8000 books and 6000 documents of grey literature on

political activities in the field of education in Switzerland. Institutions of professional training and research (http://www.szh.ch/d/beruf/bildung.shtml#Ausbildung)

Several universities and colleges offer programmes for special educators, special education teachers, speech therapists and other professionals in special needs education. Most of these institutions are also engaged in research on special needs education. The Website of the Swiss Institute of Special Education SZH/CSPS makes available a list of these institutions of higher education: the list is available in French (http://www.szh.ch/f/beruf/bildung.shtml#formation) and in German (http://www.szh.ch/d/beruf/bildung.shtml#Ausbildung).

For additional information please contact Beatrice Kronenberg (beatrice.kronenberg@szh.ch), Swiss

National Coordinator of the European Agency at the SZH/CSPS Swiss Institute of Special Education.