The school system is supposed to help prepare children for adulthood. Schools for kids with special needs enable children with disabilities to develop the skills they need to be happy and successful adults, with the maximum degree of independence. They can find their strengths, improve on their weaknesses, and set realistic goals for the future.
What do schools for kids with special needs do?
Special needs programs provide children with autism, intellectual disabilities and other learning difficulties individualized support so they can learn not just academic fundamentals such as reading, writing and arithmetic, though these are generally part of the curriculum, but also communication skills, social education, organizational skills and everything else they might need if they one day want to live independently. There are also often opportunities to participate in other forms of extracurricular activity, such as school plays or sports teams, to allow them to become more well-rounded individuals and potentially discover new strengths and areas of interest.
Programs can provide support and accommodations to the degree each student needs, whether moderate or intensive. Each student has their needs and current ability assessed when they first join the school, and their progress is monitored so the program can be continuously adapted to their current situation. Classes are normally given in small groups to allow more personalized attention, with one-on-one sessions where necessary. Modern assistive technology can be used to help with accessibility needs. As children grow older, there may be more opportunities to interact with the community, or work experience placements, to familiarize them with aspects of the adult world.
How does this help children prepare for the future?
Some children with disabilities will always need intensive support, others will be able to live relatively independently with just a few adjustments. A good special needs program will help foster and build skills needed for their future by establishing realistic goals that take into account what they want, their unique strengths and those areas where they may face additional challenges. These goals could include moving on to further education, embarking on a career, or managing their own household, or they may just want more autonomy within a supported living situation.
Academic skills can h education, but can also provide the literacy and numeracy needed for managing a budget, applying for help with further job and other adult skills. Communication and social skills are essential for any kind of community living, where an individual has to interact with a diverse range of other people, from retail workers to bus drivers. Organizational skills such as time management could be important in many contexts, from getting to school or work on time to meeting deadlines.
More than this, these kinds of programs build the self-confidence of their pupils by allowing them to find their strengths and feel a sense of accomplishment. They will be better able to advocate for themselves when they are older and accommodations where needed to achieve their goals.
Conclusion
A good program for students with special needs will create a more confident, well-rounded individual with a better idea of what they want in life and a plan and skillset to allow them to achieve it.