WikiProject Belgium/Conventions/Special needs schools
Special needs schools
In Belgium, all schools are expected to have some support for students with moderate learning problems. For example, a student with dyslexia will get some extra time on tests.
However, if following the normal curriculum is not possible and this is certificatied by a medical team, a student may enroll in a special needs school.
Special needs school have support for different types of students. Secondary schools have an additional categorization based on orientation.
Indicating that a school is a special needs school
| Tag | Meaning | Dutch name |
|---|---|---|
| school:special_needs=only | School only for special needs students; a certificate is needed to enroll | Buitengewoon onderwijs, BUSO, BLO |
| school:special_needs=yes | School with special needs students. Please use a more descriptive tag! | |
| school:special_needs=separated | School with special needs students; but the special need students don't have lessons with non-special needs students. Other facilities (e.g. schoolyard, refectory) might be shared, separated or timeshared. | Brugklas in een gewone school, speciale vleugel in gewone school |
| school:special_needs=mixed | School with special needs students where the special needs students have classes with the non-special need students | |
| school:special_needs=limited | School with normal students and a normal curriculum, but "reasonable adjustments" are made for students with moderate (learning) disabilities. This is expected from all schools in Belgium | Gewoon onderwijs |
| school:special_needs=no | School with no support at all for students with special needs. In Belgium, this should be equivalent to school:special_needs=limited |
Indicating what type of students are enrolled
In Flanders, special needs school specialize depending on the type of disability they have. For example, there are schools for deaf people, schools for physical disabilities, ... They are assigned a category (type).
| Tag | Description | Type name (Flanders) | Dutch name |
|---|---|---|---|
| special_needs:intellectual_disability=yes | For students with an  intellectual disability, typically IQ < 60, Down's syndrome, ... |
Type 2 | Verstandelijke beperking |
| special_needs:emotional_behavioural_disorder=yes | For students with an emotional and/or behavioural disorder |
Type 3 | Gedragsproblemen |
| special_needs:physical_disability=yes | For students with a physical disability |
Type 4 | Motorische beperking |
| special_needs:blind=yes | For blind and visually impaired students | Type 6 | Blind en slechtziend |
| special_needs:deaf=yes | For deaf students and students with severe hearing loss | Type 7 (doof) | Doven |
| special_needs:language_disorder=yes | For students with developmental language disorder (DLD) |
Type 7 (DLD / STOS) | Spraak- en Taalontwikkelingsstoornis, STOS, TOS |
| special_needs:autism=yes | For students with autism spectrum disorder |
Type 9 (autisme) | Autisme, autisten, autismespectrumstoornis, ASS, autiwerking |
| special_needs:learning_disabilities=yes | For students with a learning disability not fitting one of the other categories (e.g. dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, ...). This is only given in primary schools. | Basisaanbod | |
| special_needs:intellectually_gifted=yes | For intellectually gifted aka high potential students. |
Cognitief sterk functionerend, hoogbegaafd |
Quite some schools have both a primary and kindergarten section. In theory, there might also be primary and secondary school in the same campus. It is possible that one age bracket has support for a certain type of student, while another age bracket has not - but this is rare. Thus, school=kindergarten;primary and school:special_needs=autism can be assumed to be about both the kindergarten and the primary school. If this is not the case, please create a node or way for the primary school and one for the kindergarten.
Often, schools offer support for multiple types (typically autism and learning_disabilities). Some schools mix those students, some don't. Some have expertise with combined disabilities (e.g. autism and a physical disability), some don't. This tagging scheme doesn't say anything about this.