JAMAICAN CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS - CONCERNS, REALITIES AND POSSIBILITIES

Official documentation on Jamaican children with special needs attendi ng mainstream schools is limited. Consequently, the extent to which 'e ducation for all' is a reality cannot be assessed. The absence of a na tional special education policy adds to the concern. To ascertain the presence and status of children with special needs attending mainstrea m secondary schools, individual interviews were conducted with guidanc e counsellors from 24 secondary schools and 102 children attending tho se schools. Information was also obtained from the national census dat a-base. There was evidence that children with a variety of special nee ds were present in these schools. Concerns of both students and teache rs including inappropriate teaching methods and large classes were hig hlighted and suggestions for improvement made. The researchers made re commendations including the better utilisation of existing services.