Country Briefing: Special education in Denmark

Author: Egelund N.

Source: European Journal of Special Needs Education, Volume 15, Number 1, 1 March 2000 , pp. 88-98(11)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

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Abstract:

Denmark is a country with a relatively high expenditure on education, and was one of the first countries in the Integration movement. Now the country is including all but 1.25 per cent of all pupils in a comprehensive school. The 1.25 per cent are attending special schools or special classes. To make this possible, 13 per cent of all students in regular schools on a yearly basis receive special needs education support as a supplement to regular education. Special education within the regular school system has existed for 99 years, and special teacher training has a 66-year history, originating in training of speech therapists. At present, the prevalence of special needs education is between 25 and 35 per cent, and this gives rise to questions about the relation between special needs education and differentiation of instruction which, in turn, has implications for training of teachers in special needs education.

Keywords: INCIDENCE; INCLUSION; PREVALENCE; SPECIAL; NEEDS; SPECIAL; SCHOOLS; SPECIAL; CLASSES; TEACHER; TRAINING