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Understand what kind of assistance is available for children with special needs in the French school system...
Children with special needs can sometimes be catered for in mainstream schools. When this is not possible, there are special schools or learning from a distance.
- Service-public has detailed information about schooling for children with special needs
SESSAD (services d'éducation spéciale et de soins à domicile) deal with children and teenagers with mental, motor and sensory disabilities ensuring early education and support for the family (counselling and accompaniment to treatments) through to the end of compulsory education (and in cases through to university). SESSAD provides a bridge between the traditional schooling and the extra-school treatments and rehabilitation.
CLIS (classes d'intégration scolaire) is for children with disabilities too severe for schooling in regular classes, but not requiring special facilities. CLIS is a special class within an ordinary elementary or secondary school (although seldom available in pre-school facilities). The teaching is adapted to students needs but the curriculum taught is essentially the same as that taught in the regular classes There are 4 categories of CLIS:
- CLIS 1 (D): Cognitive learning disorders, severe mental development limitations
- CLIS 2 (A): Hearing impairment (troubles auditifs: sourds, malentendants)
- CLIS 3 (B): Visual impairment (troubles visuels importants: aveugles, malvoyants)
- CLIS 4 (C): Physical disability/severe motor deficiency
- Extensive information with contacts to organisations and support groups on the ONISEP website
- The Paris-based Association of American Wives in Europe publishes the AAWE Guide to Education in France which includes information about services available to children with special learning needs in France
- Understand different types of handicaps (PDF in French)