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Introduction
Children in Canadian classrooms have a diversity of skills and needs, especially those children who have some type of limitation. Regular methods of instruction do not work with every child; some require special educational services. "Special education" was founded on the belief that every child can reach her or his full potential given the opportunity, effective teaching and proper resources (Winzer 1990). Recognizing this, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Section 15, guarantees a public education to all children regardless of their disabilities (Klassen 1994; Porter and Richler 1991).
Given the increased attention being paid to education by parents, business and government (Ross, Scott and Kelly 1996), there is surprisingly little national information on special needs children. What are the characteristics of special needs children across Canada? What types of families do they live in? What kinds of experiences do they have at school?
This paper attempts to shed some light on these and other questions using data from the first cycle of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, 1994-1995 (see box on the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth for more information). It focuses on those children who were identified by teachers as receiving special education because of a physical, emotional, behavioural or other problem that limited the kind or amount of school work they could do.(f.1) Elementary students who were part of gifted programs are not discussed in this paper.
Special needs children
First of all, what do we mean by special needs children? There are a variety of reasons why children require special needs education; these include intellectual limitations, sensory handicaps, communication disorders, behaviour disorders, physical handicaps, and other problems that limit their ability to learn. Limitations may range from mild to severe and children may have special needs in one area but not in another, or at one time and not at another. These special needs may result in intellectual, emotional, physical and/or social performances that fall below those of other children. Research suggests that families and schools may influence the development of these children's abilities (Hallahan and Kauffman 1991).
Teachers reported that just over 10% of children received special education(f.2)
During the 1994-1995 school term, teachers reported that 1 in every 10 school-aged children...