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Special education is the teaching of students with special needs in a way that addresses all the students' individual needs involving a planned and systematic arrangement of teaching procedures, special equipment and materials. Special education in schools is designed to help learners with special needs to achieve a higher level of personal self-sufficiency and success in school and the community.

Schools for children with special needs are equipped to handle students with learning and communication challenges, emotional, behavioral and developmental disorders, and physical disabilities. Students with these special needs benefit from the use of alternative methods of teaching and technology as well as specifically adapted teaching areas from special schools.

Students with special needs are easily identified through their medical history. They may have been diagnosed with mental retardation or developmental disorders and other physical disabilities. In school, identification of children with special needs is less obvious and makes use of two primary methods:

• Discrepancy Model - This model depends on the teacher noticing the students achievements are below what is expected. The child will then receive special educational services for a specific learning disability. This model, however, has received criticism for lack of effectiveness of treatment.
• Response to Intervention Model This model advocates earlier intervention during the child's first or second year after starting school. The response of the child to this model will then determine if he or she has a learning disability. Those who still have trouble will then receive further special assistance.

The student:teacher ratios in special schools are kept low, often 6:1 or lower depending on the needs of the children. Special schools will have other facilities such as soft play areas, sensory rooms, and swimming pools for the development of the child with special needs which are important for the therapy of certain conditions. Recently, however, the number of students in special schools is declining since more children with special needs are being educated in mainstream schools with children who do not have special needs.
Tips when choosing the right school for children with special needs

• Check if the school specializes in the special need your child has. You may go online and search for schools that offer education for children with those needs.
• Decide whether you want your child to go to a private school or a public school. The former has fewer students therefore your child will receive the needed attention. Public schools, however, are less expensive.
• Consider the wishes of your child and consider the choice of school he or she makes.
• Pick a school that is closer to home since you may want to be with your child at all times because of his or her special needs.
• Decide on how much you can pay for tuition. Make sure that you can afford the tuition.
• Visit the school with your child and ask all the relevant questions you may have for the principal and other school staff. Check the facilities of the school and see if your child will be comfortable there.