SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION WITHIN THE SPANISH EDUCATION SYSTEM

1.- Development of inclusion: Inclusion at schools began in Spain in 1990 with the Organic Act on the General Organization of the Education System (LOGSE). The act introduces the concept of special educational needs, and asserts the incorporation of special education into the mainstream system. Other educational Acts, like Organic Act on the Quality of Education (LOCE, 2002) and the Organic Act on Education (LOE, 2006) specify and organize small changes in the education system for the learning difficulties. Nowadays the Act of the Improvement of de Quality of Education (LOMCE, 2013), follows the same guidelines, and the principle of equility guarantees educational inclusion.

2.- The specific educational support needs The Act of the Improvement of de Quality of Education (LOMCE, 2013) considers two kinds of specific educational support needs: a.- Students with special educational needs b.- Students with other educational needs: ADD - attention deficit disorder/ ADHD- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder High –ability students Late entries into the Spanish education system Specific learning difficulties Personal conditions or schooling story.

a.- Students with special educational needs: Definition: It refers to those who require certain support and specific educational attention due to disability (sensory alterations: visual, auditory, motor problems or developmental disorders...) or serious behavioral disorders, either for a period or throughout all their schooling. Principles of intervention: Normalization and non-discrimination in order to achieve their inclusion. Accessibility and elimination of barriers. Organization: Schooled integrating into mainstream groups if possible or in specialized classrooms within mainstream schools or in special education schools. The point of departure is the psycho-pedagogical assessment (performed by the specialized guidance services). The schools should adapt the physical and material conditions to the needs of the pupils enrolled there. Reduced class sizes: in special education classrooms in mainstream establishments the number of pupils will be reduced. The pupils with special educational needs may spend an additional year in the secondary education or/and in primary or preschool education. The basic schooling can be prolonged up to the age of 18 until 21 years old.

After completing the time of secondary education these pupils can participate in basic professional programs (FPB) under the integrative framework or others specifically designed for these pupils. Additional support provided by specialist teachers: For the diagnosis and counseling of school community: - Interdisciplinary guidance teams for preschool and primary schools - Guidance departments in secondary schools - Specialized specific team - Early intervention teams For teaching: Teachers specialized in therapeutic pedagogy and speech therapist in mainstream schools. Curriculum: Two types of adaptations: Curriculum access adaptations (spatial resources, new materials or additional communications systems) Curricular adaptations: specific adjustment of the common curriculum depending on the difficulties encountered (they involve the change of contents, objectives and assessment criteria of the ordinary curriculum).   Some of the adaptations require additional human and material resources and changes in methodology, substitution or introduction of new areas. Special teaching methods and materials: learners grouping, spatial organization.. The assessment criteria for pupils with special educational needs must meet the principles generally established for the rest of the school population, but the criteria must be amended according to the objectives and contents amendments made through curricular adaptations.

b.- Students with other educational needs: High –ability students Late entries into de Spanish education system Specific learning difficulties Personal conditions or schooling story ADD / ADHD In general, for this type of needs, the LOMCE stipulates: For high- ability students: To identify their needs as early as possible. Measures of flexibility of curriculum, with plans of curricular enrichment programs or to place the student in a higher degree. For late entries into the Spanish education system or personal conditions or schooling story: Specific programs of educational compensation or learning the Spanish language and culture. The development of these programs will be simultaneous with the normal classes. Those programs have to assure the incorporation into the Spanish education system as soon as possible. For ADD/ADHD and other specific learning difficulties: To identify students with specific learning difficulties and to assess their needs at an early age. They will have adaptations in their evaluation (more time to finish the exam or other adaptations)

The special needs in our High School “Alpajés” We have: 21 students with special educational needs: with sensory alterations: visual (3) , auditory (2) , intellectual disability o language disability (the rest of them). We also have students with: ADD/ADHD High –ability students Late entries into the Spanish education system Specific learning difficulties Personal conditions or schooling story. For this type of students we have a remedial program (we have 29 students in it ) and measures of flexibility of the curriculum