Special education in France

ABSTRACT

The French special education system has been formed around two educational groups, according to the perception of the possibilities of schooling for disabled children and adolescents. One has been organized around learning difficulties, and concerns children and adolescents whose abnormality is produced by the school institution. The other was developed around re‐education, and the re‐education of disabled children refused admission by the schools. The 1970s witnessed the appearance of an indisputable official policy in favour of integration into schools, implemented through diverse and numerous private and public initiatives. This policy and these initiatives are being translated more and more clearly, in many respects, into reality, yet they come up against the prevailing ways of thinking on institutionalization of care and education of children said to be disabled. In particular, the persisting dichotomy between an educational approach which is focused on the management of learning difficulties in schools, and the education of children with disabilities rooted within a medical orientation, stressing ‘re‐education’ (the teaching of social skills to children) or ‘re‐adaptation’ (training of various sorts with the intention of improving employment prospects) continues to exert a strong influence on possible reforms.