Making Special Education Compulsory and Inclusive in China

This paper presents a review of recent developments in special education in China. A major change was made by redefining special education as an integral part of compulsory education and by making the education system more inclusive. Government intervention, through legislation and regulation, as well as other effective approaches, was adopted to improve educational services. The results were evident both in the implementation of classroom integration and in the increase in numbers of children enrolled in schools. China's experience may have some value to other less developed countries who seek alternatives to provide better educational services for children with disabilities.