About 93 million children worldwide have been diagnosed with disabilities, which is why special education has become one of the most important aspects of the global education system. These students are given the opportunity to acquire knowledge in line with their unique needs and abilities, in advanced classrooms, with the help of specially trained teachers and teaching assistants. This process helps them to live a full life, enabling them to grow and achieve their personal goals, with the support of their family, teachers, and other community members.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities as problems or disabilities that cause a child or young person to have a greater difficulty in learning than most other children of the same age and prevent them from making the most of the educational facilities generally provided for their age group at mainstream schools/post-16 institutions. They can also include a range of emotional and behavioral difficulties, speech, language and communication disorders and physical disabilities (such as cerebral palsy, Friedreich’s ataxia, muscular dystrophy and lissencephaly).

Unlocking Potential: Navigating the World of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

In many countries, in order for a child to be eligible to access special education, they must first receive a medical diagnosis from a doctor. This approach limits access for children from low-income families who cannot afford to go to the doctor, and a diagnosis itself does not tell a teacher much about a child’s educational strengths or weaknesses.

The term ‘disability’ can carry a stigma and is often seen as a negative thing, but we need to change our perceptions of disability, and learn to appreciate differences. Educators must do everything they can to provide students with disabilities an opportunity to succeed in the same way as their non-disabled peers. This includes making sure that students can physically gain access to their school buildings, and can be helped with their day-to-day tasks in their homes, communities and at school by using assistive technologies such as speech recognition software or braille calculators.