Integrationin The Netherlands

Loek Mak-Peters and Mieke van Waaijenburg

Dienst Ambulante BegeleidingMidden Nederland

Principles:

• Proximity• Normalisation

Dienst Ambulante BegeleidingMidden Nederland

The balance:

• Mainstream education whenever possible

• Special education if and when necessary

Dienst Ambulante BegeleidingMidden Nederland

New Legislation 1998

• Primary School Act (WPO)• Secondary School Act (WVO)• Act on Centers of Expertise (WEC)

Dienst Ambulante BegeleidingMidden Nederland

Centers of Expertise

– Cluster 1: visual impairment– Cluster 2: auditory impairment, severe

language and communication problems– Cluster 3: physically handicapped

children, multicomplex problems– Cluster 4: psychiatric disorders and

severe behaviour problems

Dienst Ambulante BegeleidingMidden Nederland

The tasks of a center of expertise

• To provide education• To provide peripatetic teachers• To develop knowledge in their field of

expertise• Diagnostic services

Dienst Ambulante BegeleidingMidden Nederland

Cluster 4

• What is the basis for a “statement” in cluster 4?– A diagnosis according to DSM IV; or– Six months of therapy from a healthcare

institution;– Problems in the following areas:

– School;– Home;– Leisure time.

Dienst Ambulante BegeleidingMidden Nederland

“The Backpack-principle”

• If “statemented” a pupil in primary education, secondary education has a choice:

– Special Education or – Mainstream Education in combination with a

so-called “backpack”

Dienst Ambulante BegeleidingMidden Nederland

Peripatetic services

• To help and support schools from the perspective of the special needs pupil

Dienst Ambulante BegeleidingMidden Nederland

Mainstream schools

• Draw up an Individual Education Plan (IEP)• Parents have to agree with measures

taken and the way the money is spent• It is an agreement for one academic year• It is an agreement between parents and

the mainstream school

Dienst Ambulante BegeleidingMidden Nederland

The peripatetic teacher

• Draws up the Supportplan i.e. the agreement on what help the school wants, where, when, how often a peripatetic teachers drops in

Dienst Ambulante BegeleidingMidden Nederland

What activities e.g

• Class – room visits;• Conversations with teachers on how to

adapt learning, teaching and environment;• Teacher’s courses;• Workshops;• Procedures to obtain a statement;• Evaluative talks with teachers and parents

Dienst Ambulante BegeleidingMidden Nederland

Newer developments

• Mainstream schools combine a number of pupils with a backpack to give the extra aid in a separate class-room in their school

• Mainstream schools choose to specialize in one particular group of special needs pupils

Dienst Ambulante BegeleidingMidden Nederland

Inclusion

• Ideology, fashion, money-matteror

• An attempt to give a child a happy, friendly and stimulating environment in which it is accepted for itself and which tends to its particular needs.