A variety of conditions may affect kids’ ability to learn. By law, schools must provide help to kids if they’re eligible, starting in preschool and continuing through high school — even past the traditional graduation age, if necessary.

Special education needs is all about helping kids with disabilities learn in ways that work best for them. But this doesn’t necessarily mean putting kids in separate classrooms all day long. Instead, federal rules say kids should be able to learn in the same classrooms as other kids as much as possible, known as least restrictive environment (LRE).

Insight into Special Education Needs: Definitions and Implications

If teachers find that a child is not progressing or making good academic gains in the regular class setting, they will refer them for assessment by a multidisciplinary team of specialists. This team will determine if the child has a disability that impacts their learning, and if they do, they’ll create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to address those needs.

Children who qualify for special education have disabilities that are affecting their learning, such as cognitive or emotional disorders like autism spectrum disorder and depression, physical disabilities like cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophies, sensory impairments such as vision and hearing, and chronic medical illnesses. Kids with disabilities also sometimes have a combination of these issues that can make it harder for them to succeed in school.

Kids with severe and multiple disabilities often go to special schools, such as Forderschule für schwer mehrfach Behinderte, for example, where teachers have specialized training in special education. These schools are usually smaller than ordinary classrooms, with lower student-teacher ratios and other facilities that schools without special education students don’t have.