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Special Educational Treatment.
The following changes have been made in the definitions
of the different categories of handicapped pupils.
The definition of partially deaf pupils has been slightly
amended with a view to clarification.
There is no longer a separate category of diabetic pupils
who are now included in the general category of delicate
pupils.
In the 1945 Regulations, epileptic and physically handicapped
pupils were so defined as to imply that they could not
be educated in an ordinary school. Many children who are
in fact epileptic or physically handicapped can be educated
in ordinary schools if special arrangements are made or
facilities provided to enable them to overcome their particular
difficulties. Such arrangements or facilities constitute
a departure from the normal regime of ordinary schools,
and the effect of the amended definitions is to bring within
their scope all physically handicapped and epileptic children
who are able, with some degree of special help, to attend
ordinary school.
The definition of pupils suffering from speech defects
has been slightly simplified
The definition of delicate pupils has been changed so
as to make this the residual category, covering all handicapped
pupils who do not specifically come under the
heading of one of the other handicaps. As indicated in (b)
above, diabetic pupils now come within this category. The
definition has also been slightly widened to take account
of the fact that some delicate pupils can be educated under
the normal regime of an ordinary school but may need a
change of environment to make this possible (e.g., some
asthmatics and diabetics).
It is now no longer necessary to get a determination
from the Minister before a physically handicapped, epileptic
or aphasic pupil can be educated otherwise than in a special
school, or before a blind or epileptic pupil can be educated
otherwise than in a boarding school.
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