Special Education

The main policy objective of special education is to integrate the disabled
into the community through co-ordinated efforts by the government and
non-governmental organisations.

Early identification is an important prevention measure. Screening and
assessment services identify special educational needs among school-age
children so that appropriate follow-up and remedial treatment can be given
before problems develop into handicaps. Under the combined screening
programme, all Primary 1 students are given hearing and eyesight tests.
Checklists and guides help teachers to detect children with speech
problems and learning difficulties. Children requiring further assessments
are given audiological, speech, psychological or educational assessments
at special education services centres or at schools. Some are referred for
ophthalmic advice.

Children with special educational needs are integrated into ordinary
schools as far as possible. They are placed in special schools only when
their handicaps are such that they cannot benefit from the ordinary school
programmes. In June 1997, there were 67 visually-impaired, 647 hearing-
impaired, 136 physically handicapped and 333 mentally handicapped
students integrated into normal schools, with the help of supportive
services from the Education Department.

Special education classes in ordinary schools cater for partially sighted,
partially hearing children and children with learning difficulties. Services
for children integrated into ordinary classes include school-based or
centre-based intensive remedial support in the basic subjects, behavioural
guidance to children and advice to teachers on how to help children with
special needs.

A school-based remedial support programme and a school-based
psychological service were also implemented to support secondary
schools with a high intake of academically less-able students. These
schools were given greater flexibility and additional manpower to provide
remedial services for their students.

The operation of the Supportive Remedial Service for hearing-impaired
primary school students who attend mainstream schools is very effective
and a pilot project of the service for junior secondary students was
launched in September 1994. It proved to be an effective support for
these hearing-impaired students in mainstream secondary schools.

In December 1997, there were 62 special schools, including a hospital
school, schools for children who were blind, deaf, physically
handicapped, mentally handicapped or with adjustment problems. Of
these, 18 schools provided residential places. Besides being staffed by
specially trained teachers, the special schools were supported by
specialists such as educational psychologists, speech therapists,
audiologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, school nurses, and
social workers.

Special schools and special education classes generally follow the ordinary
school curriculum, with adaptations or special syllabuses, where
appropriate, to cater for the children's varied learning needs. Special
schools give particular attention to daily living skills, and offer
extra-curricular activities to enrich the life experiences of day and
residential students. The CDC's Special Education Co-ordinating
Committee, with members from government departments and schools,
advises on the curricular aspects based on pupils' special educational
needs. A home-based teaching programme let children who were
home-bound for health reasons continue their education. A three-year
pilot project, School-based Programme for Academically Gifted Children,
in 19 volunteer primary schools was completed in August 1997. During
the year, preparation was under way to review the project. A report on
the project is expected to be completed in mid-1998, with
recommendations regarding further development of gifted education
services.

The Fung Hon Chu Gifted Education Centre was officially opened in
December 1995. It provides gifted primary and secondary students with
suitable enrichment programmes and training courses. It also holds
various seminars and workshops to enhance parents', teachers' and other
professionals' understanding of gifted students' needs.

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