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HANDICAPPED CHILDREN
CATEGORIES OF HANDICAPPED PUPILS: SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL TREATMENT
The several categories of handicapped pupils requiring special educational treatment
were re-defined by revised Regulations made during the year 1953. The new definitions
are quoted in the various sections dealing with the particular handicap.
The main changes from the previous Regulations affected six categories of handicapped
pupils. The definition of a partially deaf pupil was amended with a view to clarification.
Previously, epileptic and physically handicapped pupils were so defined as to imply that
they could not be educated in an ordinary school. In fact, many of these children can be
educated in ordinary schools if special arrangements are made or facilities provided to
enable them to overcome their particular difficulties. In practice it is, fortunately,
rarely necessary to "ascertain" a child as epileptic and still more rare to take the
drastic step of arranging special educational treatment for him. Few children are "ascertained"
as physically handicapped, consequently there continue to be many vacancies at the Elizabeth
Fry Special School. The definition of a pupil with speech defect was slightly simplified.
Those children who stammer or who have other defects of speech are given treatment at the
speech clinic to which they go while attending ordinary primary and secondary schools. In
addition, the day special schools for educationally sub-normal and physically handicapped
children are visited by the speech therapists so that any children needing treatment may
have it. The usual treatment given at the speech clinics is not regarded as special
educational treatment.
The definition of delicate pupils was considerably broadened so as to make it a kind
of residual category, covering all handicapped pupils who do not specifically come under any
other headings diabetic pupils now come under this heading. The definition has also been
extended to take account of the fact that some delicate pupils can be educated under the
normal regime of an ordinary school but need a change of environment to make this possible,
e.g., some asthmatics and diabetics. It may also open the way for a prolonged stay at a
residential school for those children whose handicap is so severe that a change away from
home is necessary - where the poor home circumstances have a good deal to do with their
debility. Provision for diabetic pupils needing special care exists in boarding homes
approved by the Ministerj and this category has now disappeared from the Regulations
entirely as a separate entity. By livipg together these children can be given the careful
medical supervision they need and can be trained to give themselves the correct dosage of
insulin.
BLIND AND PARTIALLY SIGHTED CHILDREN. A blind pupil is defined as one who has no
sight, or whose sight is or is likely to become so defective that it requires education
by methods not involving the use of sight. Blind pupils must be educated at a special
school unless the Minister determines otherwise.
A partially sighted pupil is one who, by reason of defective vision, cannot follow
the normal regime of an ordinary school without detriment to its sight or to its educational
development, but can be educated by special methods involving the use of sight. In classing
a child as partially sighted both ophthalmic standards and educational needs are taken into
account.
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