Special education means the variety of different support plans provided to students who are facing very various learning difficulties. Based on federal law, mostly the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is identified as the specially designed instruction offered at no cost to parents, and its main function will be to interrupt the learning deficits of students with disabilities. These programs are web-based and adhere to the individualized education program (IEP) focusing on students with disabilities.

To be on the special education list, a student must have a diagnosed condition, which is an obstacle to his/her learning capacities, causing unavailability of provision of extra support and resources for students to engage in the lessons. The main focus of this article will be on the criteria whereby a child can qualify for SEND and thereafter; we will discuss the most common types of specialized education for these children.

Children Who Qualify for Special Education Services 

• Intellectual Disability
• Hearing Impairments (Including Deafness)
• Speech or Language Impairments
• Visual Impairments (Including Blindness)
• Serious Emotional Disturbance
• Orthopaedic Impairments
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Other Health Impairments
• Specific Learning Disabilities
• Developmental Delay

Types of Special Educational Needs 

1. Autism (ASC)

People with autism live in their very own worlds where they experience, see and feel everything differently with the manner of experiencing the existence of the outside world being unique from others. Although autism contains a certain level of difficulty, many people conquer the challenges and adopt them as part of their identity. Every individual on the autism spectrum has their own unique and individual qualities, abilities, differences, and needs, which are just a few of those that make their life stories and journeys unique.

Autism has one definition that is standard across the board but among each individual with autism, there is a unique blend of strengths, differences, and needs. Addressing this diversity, by definition, is a key factor in successful assistance and having a greater understanding of people with autism spectrum disorder.

2. Speech, Language, and Communication Needs

Motor, language, and communication skills are key to survival in society being the basis for interacting with other people, explaining one`s preferences, making friends, and learning new things. People might find one or more of these difficulties rather difficult to deal with at different stages of life, whereas others who have more complex school learning problems also have additional special educational needs.

SLN is one of the most common needs in an educational environment, specifically in early childhood and primary schools, and also keeps up the attention in secondary schools. On the other hand, with individualized intervention, children and young people with SLCN will not only manage but also excel in their academic and social lives. They will therefore not have many worries about where they belong in their education journey.

3. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) 

ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is considered to be an issue of attention, impulses, and hyperfocusing in the brain. If students face bullying without the right support system, it can potentially affect many areas of their lives, including academic results, relationships with peers, self-image, and family dynamics.

Students with ADHD typically perform better when they learn in a supportive setting that is designed to meet their requirements, like working with a special education teacher in an individual or small group instruction. Providing amenities, for example, change in the assignments, a coach with the task/assignment organization, and frequent communication can also be a powerful tool for a student to do well in class.

4. Specific Learning Difficulties

The essence of the learning difficulty is different from that of a learning disability. Among others, a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD) is a kind of learning challenge that affects certain areas of learning.

SpLD does not exclude students from academic success. Rather, students can be assisted by learning in various ways and extra support. For people with learning disabilities, most of them live independently but those who need constant assistance are dependent on support and assistance.

The important thing to remember is that the special schools are there to give these children the opportunity to learn and develop the abilities society doesn’t offer them. These schools, through their individualized programs, can provide services that are sensitive to the needs of students with SEN requirements.

5. Physical Disabilities

A physical disability can broadly be defined as a restriction in a person’s physical functioning, mobility, flexibility, or capacity to work for a long time, that significantly impedes their performance in day-to-day activities, according to the Equality Act of 2010.

While the level of physical disabilities can differ, it does impact how a child or young adult lives their life. It could be that certain disabilities are not evident all at once, and others may be obvious. Every single kid or youth with a physical disability is unique, having conditions such as degenerative disorder, uncomplicated musculoskeletal conditions, limb differences, and complex medical needs varying from one to the other.

The special schools have a very important purpose - providing customized education and support to children and young people with significant special educational needs as outlined in their education, health, and care (EHC) plans. Such schools concentrate on the individual needs of students who are physically impaired and who presumably benefit from a specialized training environment.

6. Social and Emotional Mental Health

In practice, children and adolescents dealing with SEMH problems often face various difficulties in terms of emotional and behavioural control. The establishment and sustenance of relationships with both the adults and the peers represent other important challenges to them.

These difficulties can be revealed in such a way as a lack of contact or socializing, and a disturbing or worrisome manner through behavioural problems. The educational environment can be especially hard for students with SEMH issues, usually causing challenging behaviour or other issues. Extra help can be of great value in the development of the skills they need to overcome personal obstacles.

If you have any doubts about your youngster or a teenager, it is important to get in touch with their teacher or the individual responsible for special educational needs (SENCO). These specialists know to analyze the situation and figure out, whether or not your child needs to be put on a special learning plan. Through this process called the 'assess, plan, do, review cycle,' they collect information about the areas where your kid can be supported, develop a plan, implement interventions, and regularly evaluate the progress.

7. Sensory Support for Children and Young People

Growing up with hearing, visual, and other senses-related disabilities is a matter of a lifetime of heavy burdens. A specialist college is available to help young people in dealing with these anxieties.

Sensory integration is another technique that has the goal of creating sensory-rich experiences to help students develop the skills of self-control in response to stimuli. This could imply the need to engage in different sensory stimulation exercises, for example, tactile exercises, visual aids, auditory cues, and movement activities. Such techniques are intended to offer individuals a way to control their sensory perception and also to help them in the navigation through their surroundings in a better way.