Transcript Developing the Curriculum for Children with Special Needs

Special Needs Education:
Policy Issues and Challenges
in the state of Israel
Dr. Dalia Tal
Division of Special Education
Ministry of Education, Israel
November 2011
Main goals in Special education
 Pro-active participation, in school, community
and society
 Enablement of all students to realise their full
potential
 Enablement of all students to achieve
maximum autonomy
Goals based on the following values:
 Human Dignity
 Individual Freedom
 Freedom of Speech
 Freedom of Choice
 Equal Opportunities
 Quality of Life
Special education is based on the
following laws:
 The Law of State Education (1953)
 Special Education Law (1988), including the
chapter on integration ( added 2002)
 The Law of Free Education for sick children
(2001)
 The Law of Equal Rights for People with
Disabilities (1988), including the chapter on
accessibility (added 2003)
Percentage of students receiving special
needs education
 8.5% are getting special education support:
 In regular schools (age 4-18) :
 5% full inclusion
 2% special education class
 1.5% in special education schools (age 6-21)
and special education kindergartens (age 3-6)
Budget for special education
 12% of the education budget is allocated to
special needs education, not including
construction, transport & feeding programs
 The special education budget is based on
age and type of disability
Supports in regular class:
 5.4% of the students at school are supported
(1.85 hours per student)
 Additional support (2.7 hours per student), to
those with an identified disability: moderate
mental retardation, autism, mental disorders,
cerebral palsy, rare diseases.
 In addition personal teacher-aid, based on
the student’s degree and type of disability
Supports in Special education class &
school:
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Extra hours per day
Extra days per year
Teacher-aid
Feeding
Transportation
Therapies: 0.5-3.4 hours per student per week,
depending on degree and type of disability
The Dorner Committee
 A public committee established in 2009
 Established by former Minister of Education
 Headed by former Supreme Court justice
Dalia Dorner
 The committee was expected to make
recommendations following examination of
the special needs education system
Dorner Committee representatives
 Chairwoman : Dalia Dorner
 Ministry of Education: Special Needs &
Budget Department
 Ministry of Finance
 Parents’ NPO’s
The Dorner Committee:
Additional involvement
 Delegates of government offices
 Special education experts from Israel and
from abroad
 Parents
 Students
 Citizens from the community
Appeared before the committee or submitted
testimony
Dorner Committee Recommendations
 The parents or the student choose the school
 Each student will undergo a special test to
determine his functional level. The results will
determine the support and budget
 The school will receive the funds but the
budget will “follow the child”
 IEP for each student
 Special training for teachers aides
 Special training for regular teachers
The Curriculum: Basic principles
 Obligation to access the general curriculum
in all settings
 Obligation to core curriculum regardless of
the intellectual function of the students
 Ensuring participation & progress in the
curriculum by providing:
Educational services
 Supports
 Modifications
 Individual goals in the IEP
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The Curriculum: Basic principles
 Additional unit: “Life skills curricula”: Social
education, career education, independent
living in the community and pro-active
citizenship.
 Life skills curricula refers to teaching
autonomy, self-awareness, self-direction and
self-advocacy along with independent-living
skills
Thank you!