Definition of the target group(s)

When attendance of students with disability and special educational needs in schools of the mainstream educational system and in integration classes is especially difficult due to the type and level of impediment, the education of these students may be provided by:

1. School units of special education
2. Schools or classes which operate either individually or as branches of other schools in hospitals, rehabilitation centres, youth education institutes, institutes of chronic disease or services of education of rehabilitation of mental health units, as long as there are individuals of school age with disabilities or special educational needs staying there.  These educational structures are considered school units of special education, falling under the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs and the framework of special education for school age children, and deploy educational programmes supervised by the Ministry of Education.  Other private bodies or entities, officially certified, can provide education, training and advisory services equal to the services provided by the school units of special education of the Ministry of Education, to individuals over 15 years old who suffer severe mental retardation and relevant disabilities
3. Home tutoring, if necessary, due to severe temporary or chronic conditions which do not allow for the displacement and attendance of these students in schools.  Home tutoring is not compulsorily provided by a special education teacher unless the competent KEDASY has officially provided a different diagnosis.

Education in special schools provided to children with disabilities and special educational needs, falls within the same framework in force in mainstream education.

Admission requirements and choice of school

The Centres for Interdisciplinary Assessment, Counseling and Support (KEDASYs) are responsible for registering, classifying and placing students in the appropriate learning environment. The evaluation reports of the interdisciplinary committee of KEDASY determine and describe the kind of special needs or learning and psychosocial difficulties faced by the student.  Reports also describe the students’ skills, competences and interests and suggest the suitable educational environment for integration.  Accordingly, they may also suggest a change of school or propose psycho-pedagogical and educational support, as well as the necessary technical aids and educational material which will make education and communication easier for the student. The evaluation-diagnosis comes with a proposed personalised educational programme (EPE), which includes a basic framework and suggestions. The framework of the programme is drawn up together with the student’s parents or the students themselves, when possible.

Age levels and grouping of pupils

As specified in law 3699/2008, the structures of school units of special education which pupils with disabilities and special educational needs can attend and their corresponding age groups, are the following:

• For primary education:

1. Special pre-primary schools (nipiagogeia eidikis agogis kai ekpaideusis) and early intervention classes which operate within these nipiagogeia, for students up to 7 years old.
2. Primary special education schools (dimotika scholeia eidikis agogis kai ekpaideusis) which operate for the same years of general primary schools (1-6) with an additional preliminary year, for students up to 14 years old. A school attendance extension may be provided until the fifteenth (15th) year of the students' age upon the expert opinion of the relevant KEDASY.

The internal structure of special education and general education primary schools is the same.  In accordance with the provisions of law 4823/2021, the distribution of students in classes is carried out after a justified decision of the teachers' school board of the special education school unit following a recommendation of the Committee of Interdisciplinary Support (EDY) or the school head. The distribution is either by class or by grade (e.g. lower, intermediate, upper) and is based on the following criteria:

• The grade the student enrolled or by grades independently of the grade of enrolment
• The students’ assessment in the school  progress register
• The diagnosis
• The student’s learning capacity
• The individual behavioral patterns of the students
• The dynamics of the created team.

The aim is the formation of classes that will serve in the best possible way the special educational needs of students. Student attendance can be extended to 15 years of age, following a recommendation by the appropriate KEDASY.

• For secondary education:

1.  Lower secondary special education schools (gymnasia EAE)

Pursuant to law 3699/2008, students may attend the preliminary year and grades A, B, C to lower secondary special education schools up to the 19 year of age.  Graduates of primary education with disabilities or special educational needs can enrol directly in grade A of lower secondary special education school, following an evaluation from the relevant KEDASY.

2. Upper secondary special education schools (lykeia EAE)

Pursuant to law 3966/2011, upper secondary special education schools offer a preliminary year of attendance apart from the grades A, B, C to students.  Graduates of lower secondary special education schools with disabilities or special educational needs can enrol directly in grade A of upper secondary special education schools, following an evaluation from the relevant KEDASY.

3. For vocational upper secondary education:
4. Special needs vocational lower – upper secondary education schools (ΕΝΕΕGy-L)

Pursuant to law 4415/2016, special needs vocational lower – upper secondary schools offer attendance of grades A, B, C, D of lower secondary special education schools and grades A, B, C, D of upper secondary special education schools. Students with disabilities and special educational needs, following an evaluation from the relevant KEDASY, may enrol in them.  These students benefit from the timetable and curricula of the specific structure and within academic and vocational education may follow a post-upper secondary education school structure and an autonomous or inspected professional experience. More specifically, graduates of primary education (general or special) and of grades A, B of special vocational education and training workshop, following an evaluation from the relevant KEDASY, can enrol to grade A of special needs vocational lower secondary education school.  Students may first apply to grade A until they are 16 years old.  Upon completion of attendance to grade D they acquire a lower secondary education school degree.  Graduates of special needs vocational lower secondary education school may attend, if they wish, following an evaluation from the relevant KEDASY:

1. Grade A of a special needs vocational upper secondary education school
2. Grade A of a general upper secondary education school
3. Grade A of an upper secondary special education school
4. Grade A of a vocational upper secondary education school
5. Grade A of an evening vocational upper secondary education school
6. State vocational training institutes for adult graduates of compulsory education.

As far as admission and attendance requirements for students of grades A, B, C, D of special needs vocational lower – upper secondary education schools is concerned, the terms and conditions are the same as in force for the vocational upper secondary education school (day or evening), following of course an evaluation from the relevant KEDASY:

1. The lower secondary students of the unified special vocational lower and upper secondary education school may be transferred as follows:

• Graduate of the A class of lower secondary schools of the unified special vocational lower and upper secondary education school, is transferred to the B class of lower secondary schools of general or special education,
•  Graduate of the B class of lower secondary schools of the unified special vocational lower and upper secondary education school, is transferred to the C class of lower secondary schools of general or special education,
• Graduate of the C class of the Gymnasium, of lower secondary schools of the unified special vocational lower and upper secondary education school, is transferred to the C class of lower secondary schools of general or special education.

2. The lower secondary students of general or special education, are transferred as follows:

• A graduate of the A class of lower secondary education of general or special education is transferred to the B class of a lower secondary school of the unified special vocational lower and upper secondary education school,
• A graduate of the B class of lower secondary education of general or special education is transferred to the C class of a lower secondary school of the unified special vocational lower and upper secondary education school.

The special vocational education and training workshops (EEEEKs) are school units of secondary education.  Students who have completed either a mainstream primary school or a special education primary school but have not exceeded the 16th year can enrol in EEEEKs after a recommendation of the competent Centre of Educational and Counselling Support (KEDASY).  EEEEKs are for students, who have difficulties in following the curriculum of secondary education and present disabilities and/or special educational needs.  As in mainstream schools, these workshops have a six-grade system and follow the analytical and hourly structured programmes according to the provisions in force, taking into consideration, however, the special educational needs of students as described in the personalised educational programmes. Minimum number of students per structure: According to law 3699/2008, the required number of students for the operation of all schools in special education is 5 at minimum, and it consists at the same time a prerequisite for their foundation. According to law 4452/2017, the required number of students in each class of a special pre-primary school and a special primary school is 4 at minimum to 7 at maximum.  In special cases the minimum number can be reduced up to 3 students in each class under the condition that the Regional Director of Primary and Secondary Education has decided to do so, taking into account the proposition made by the Director of Education, the school teachers' board decision and the suggestion of the relevant KEDASY. The required number of pupils in each class of lower secondary special education schools and upper secondary special education schools is 5 at minimum to 9 at maximum.  In special cases the minimum number can be reduced up to 3 students in each class under the condition that the Regional Director of Primary and Secondary Education has decided to do so, taking into account the proposition made by the competent Director of Education, as well as the relevant decision of the teachers' board and the opinion of the relevant KEDASY. According to law 4415/2016, the required number of students in each class of special needs vocational lower – upper secondary education schools attending the general education curricula, the sector or the specialisation is 5 at minimum and 9 at maximum.  In special cases, the minimum number of pupils can be reduced in each class under the condition that the Regional Director of Primary and Secondary Education has decided to do so, taking into account the proposition made by the Director of Education, as well as the relevant decision of the teachers' board and the opinion of the relevant KEDASY.  Finally, the required number of students in each class of special vocational education and training workshops (EEEKs) is 4 at minimum and 7 at maximum.  In special cases, the minimum number of students can be reduced in each class under the condition that the Regional Director of Primary and Secondary Education has decided to do so, taking into account the proposition made by the Director of Education.

Curriculum, subjects

Curricula of special pre-primary and primary schools 

The design and development of curricula, is defined by ministerial decision 85317/Δ3/29-05-2019 (with regard to the timetable instruction time, as amended and in force by ministerial decision 94189/Δ3/03-08-2021) and after the expert opinion of the Special and Inclusive Education Unit of the Institute of Educational Policy. Special education primary schools may apply, an adapted version of the general education curriculum or a combined version of both curricula, according to the special educational needs of the pupils, after a justified decision of the school teachers' board that follows a recommendation of the Committee of Interdisciplinary Support or of the school head. Personalised educational programmes are planned for and applied to all pupils.  All teachers and members of the special educational staff (EEP) and members of the special assistance staff (EBP) who teach or support specific students take part in a number of pedagogical meetings during the school year for the purpose of:

• Drafting and determining the suitable framework of standards and the respective activities
• The follow-up implementation
• The formative or final assessment of the personalised programmes.

The drafting of reports requires taking into consideration:

1. the recommendations of  KEDASYs,
2. the evaluations and proposals of the teachers and members of the personalised educational programmes, 
3. the personal interests and competences of the students and
4. the views of parents who are always informed and express their opinion.

According to ministerial decision 85317/Δ3/2019 each student’s personalised education program includes the program and the objectives of the Skill Laboratories that are implemented within the timetable schedule of the school group, and is formed according to the assessment of the individual needs of the students following the decision of the teachers’ board. Skill Laboratories can be included and implemented in a co-education program with a mainstream education school.

The instruction time in special education pre-primary and primary schools is drafted following ministerial decision 85317/Δ3/29-05-2019, as amended and in force with ministerial decision 94189/Δ3/03-08-2021.

In special pre-primary education, the compulsory instruction time is 25 teaching hours per week (08:30-13:00).  For special primary education and for all classes and grades, compulsory instruction time is 30 teaching hours weekly (08:15-13:15).  Both pre-primary and primary schools allow the operation of all-day programmes. The instruction time in special education lower secondary schools is planned following ministerial decision 103849/Δ3/26-8-2021, which describes in detail the subjects and teaching hours per course. The instruction time in special education upper secondary schools for the first two grades is planned following ministerial decision 163742/Δ3/2-10-2018, while for the last grade the instruction time is planned following ministerial decision 102141/Δ3/19-8-2021 as amended by ministerial decision 19346/Δ3/21-02-2022. The instruction time of lower secondary schools of the single special education vocational lower secondary-upper secondary schools are based on ministerial decision 103832/Δ3/26-8-2021, while the instruction time for upper secondary schools is based on ministerial decision 136986/Δ3/20-08-2018.   In grades A, B, C and D of special vocational secondary schools the applied curriculum and instruction time is that of general mainstream secondary schools, as formulated after the expert opinion of the Directorate of Special Education & Training and the relevant expert opinion of the Institute of Educational Policy. Grade A of upper secondary special education vocational schools follows the subjects of the general mainstream education where both compulsory and optional subjects are taught. Grades B and C of upper secondary special education schools are separated in terms of study fields.  The subjects taught are those of general education plus the technical-vocational subjects of the specialisation area (theory and workshops).  Grade D offers the areas of specialisation.  Taught subjects include: theoretical subjects, as in general education and specialisation subjects, both theory and workshops.  The curricula of special upper secondary vocational schools are drafted by the Institute of Educational Policy (IEP).  Special upper secondary vocational schools also offer personalized educational programmes (EPE). Special Vocational Education and Training Workshops (EEEEKs) follow the curriculum according to the provisions in force and take into consideration the special educational needs of students, as described in the personalised educational programmes.  According to ministerial decision 57523/Γ6/9-5-2002, the weekly timetable includes:

• The structured teaching educational programme, implemented by primary and secondary education teachers.
• The personalised and small group support programmes, implemented by the special educational staff (EEP).
• The vocational training by the relevant specialisations.

During the sixth grade, students do their practice, which is planned by decision of the school teachers board and follows the framework of the workshop subjects.  The instruction time of the sixth grade is complemented by subjects of the previous grades, according to the special educational needs of the pupils, as they are determined after evaluation.  The sixth grade functions as a vocational specialisation grade and aims to enrich the students’ skills, with the help of workshops and to familiarise them with the working environment.  It takes place with the support of the school units or in the school workshops. All special education school units of primary and secondary education can take part in parallel teaching programmes with co-housed or neighbouring school units of mainstream education.

Teaching methods and materials

By means of personalised and differentiated learning practices and educational needs, special education teachers in collaboration with the general education teachers or the special educational staff, depending on the structure of education and the type and degree of each student's special educational needs:

• Implement special syllabi according to the personalised curriculum which is planned by the Centres for Interdisciplinary Assessment, Counseling and Support (KEDASYs) (former KESYs).
• Design and implement appropriately differentiated syllabi at both individual and small-group levels. They make use of a wide range of special learning methodology approaches and strategies, such as breaking learning objectives into smaller units, direct instruction teaching, Braille writing system, guidance and mobility training for blind or visually impaired students, sign language for deaf students, new technologies, etc.  There is also provision for recovery programmes conducted by psychologists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists.

Special equipment is provided for students with blindness, hearing loss and mobility disabilities.  All types of learning and instructional resources produced by the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs and the Computer Technology Institute and Press "DIOPHANTUS" are distributed free of charge. The department of special education of the former Pedagogical Institute made some adjustments to the curricula and teaching methods for pupils with learning disabilities in compulsory primary and secondary education. They were published electronically and in hard copy in 2008 and distributed to the 13 prefectures of Greece. Meanwhile, all textbooks used in general education were modified, adjusted and published electronically for every visually impaired student in compulsory education.   Moreover, in the context of the programme “Education and Lifelong Learning”, implemented by the Institute of Pedagogical Policy the "Planning and development of accessible educational and assessment material for pupils with disabilities", a project has been implemented which concerns the adjustment of school textbooks for all subjects of grades A and B of primary education, so that they are accessible to pupils with disabilities.  The educational material is available electronically as well as in hard copy and, depending on the type of the disability and the special educational need it addresses, appropriate digital technology is used in order to render the material fully accessible. Furthermore, differentiated learning resources have been designed for efficient school preparation.  For students with visual impairments, there is particular provision for special instructional resources.  Content is available on the following website: http://prosvasimo.iep.edu.gr/el/. In addition, IEP in the context of the programme entitled "Universal Design and Development of Accessible Digital Educational Material" adapted the textbooks for C and D primary education classes as well as the mathematics textbook of E primary school, so that they are accessible to all students with any disability. In the framework of the same programme, teacher guides were developed with suggested activities in order to promote inclusive education and acceptance of diversity both in schools and the local community, as well as for the development of socio-emotional skills and life skills and autonomous living of students with disabilities. Finally, educational material was developed for the education of students with disabilities or special educational needs that cover the learning and educational needs of all forms of disability (deafness, blindness, mobility difficulties, mental disability, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Part of the produced materials is also for the teaching of the Greek Sign Language in the third and fourth grade, the education for reading and writing braille, the mobility and orientation of blind students and the education of blind students (http://prosvasimo. iep.edu.gr/el/vivlia-eidikhs-agwghs-2020). Finally, the programme provides for the development of a guide for the educational evaluation of students by teachers in order to compile the Personalized Educational Program. The material is available on the website http://prosvasimo.iep.edu.gr/el/. A large part of the produced materials is distributed to the general and special education schools based on the Ministerial Decision 24109/Δ3/02-03-2021.  Material that also supports the education of students with disabilities was developed in the framework of IEP’s programme "Inclusive Schools" and is available at https://inclusiveschools.net/gr/. According to law 3699/2008, the first language of students with hearing impairment is the Greek sign language and their second language is the Greek language, which they acquire in its written form, while its oral acquisition and production by these students is optional.  The Greek sign language and the Greek language are recognised as equal, and as a result the advisable linguistic educational approach is bilingual education.  Moreover, the official writing system of the visually impaired is the Braille system.  For autistic students who can or cannot produce speech, the Greek language is recognised as their official language, which is acquired and produced in its oral or written form, or/and in the form of symbols-pictures. According to 3699/2008, as amended and in force, the certification of the knowledge of the Greek sign language and the Braille system is a prerequisite for the selection of school heads and the appointment of teachers/special educational staff in schools for the visually and hearing impaired.  The National Organisation for the Certification of Qualifications & Vocational Guidance (EOPPEP) is responsible for the issuance of these certifications and for this purpose it co-operates with the Institute of Educational Policy and the most representative bodies for issues related to the visually and hearing impaired. By the same law, the Institute of Educational Policy undertakes the assessment of all educational material produced in the Greek Sign language and the Braille writing system, before being implemented in the educational process, as well as the co-operation of Greek and foreign specialised scientists and scientific bodies on issues related to the visually and hearing impaired. In primary and secondary special education school units, co-education programmes can be implemented with general education school units that can be in the same location or not. The objectives of the co-education programmes are, in particular, to promote integration and equal opportunities in education, to develop the cognitive, learning, emotional and social skills of students with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and to raise students’ awareness in general schools towards human rights education, respect for diversity and safeguarding human dignity.

Progression of Pupils

Regarding primary school, class re-attendance is foreseen (presidential decree 121/1995). More specifically, the students of the A class and B class are promoted, if at the discretion of the class teacher, they correspond to the elements of the evaluation, which are mentioned in article 2 of the presidential decree 8/1995. Otherwise, they re-attend the class. Students of grades C 'and D' are promoted, if in the final averages of the courses the other qualifications except D 'prevail in number. When in the final averages of the courses the qualifications D 'prevail in number, the student repeats the class. Except for specific-oriented regulations regarding evaluation and exam procedures, grade progression for students with special education needs is controlled by the same evaluation framework used for general schools. Grade repetition for students with disabilities or special education needs is possible as follows:

• Students may re-attend pre-primary school for one (1) more year, under the condition that parents agree and when the KEDASY or the competent Special Education and Integration Education Advisor or the competent Education Advisor of a PE60 specialization  certifies that the student displays serious difficulties in attending grade A of primary education school (presidential decree 79/2017 as in force, law 4559/2018). A student who is 7 years old, on the 31st of December of the year of his/her first enrolment or his/her grade repetition, is not able to attend a pre-primary education school
• As far as primary education is concerned, students can repeat a grade as defined in the presidential decree 121/1995. More specifically, students of grades A, B can be upgraded if the teachers’ assessment is positive, according to the evaluation framework included in article 2 of the presidential decree 8/1995.  If the assessment is negative, then they repeat the grade. Students who attend grades C, D can go further with their studies if their average grades in total covers the rank A-B-C, but not D.  In cases that the average mark is D, they have to repeat the class.  Students who attend grades D, E can go on with their studies if they have in average 4,5 points in each subject and in total.  Otherwise they repeat the class.  Furthermore, according to law 1566/1985, attendance in primary education and secondary education is compulsory for all children up to the 16th year of age.

Students with disabilities and special educational needs who attend primary education or secondary education are entitled to make use of the special measure of replacement of written exams with oral testing or any other form of exam taking. For the final exams held in primary, secondary and post-secondary education, as well as the exams for entering tertiary education and obtaining the state’s language competence certificate, KEDASYs (law 4823/2021) may exclusively recommend via an expert assessment opinion the replacement of written tests for public or private education students with disabilities and special educational needs with orally taken exams or other forms of testing. School units and exam committees for disabled or special education students are obliged to apply the recommendations in the evaluation-diagnosis reports of the competent bodies.

In addition, ministerial decision 114660 /ΓΔ4/2021 provides that for students with special educational needs their portfolio:

• constitutes a diagnostic tool which comprehensively captures achievement and barriers to achievement as well as the learning profile of each student,
• may include alternative assessment approaches such as self-assessment and peer-assessment as well as areas for compiling each student's curriculum vitae. The information within the student’s portfolio from the Skill Laboratories, can be taken into account in the evaluation of their learning profile during the process of designing a personalized education program, within the context of career vocational guidance and in any other action of personalised educational planning.

Certification

Special education school units are equal to the corresponding schools of primary and secondary education and vocational training. As a result, the certificates they award are equal to those awarded by the corresponding schools of primary and secondary education and vocational training. The only exception is the special vocational education and training workshops (EEEKs). Despite the fact that attendance is compulsory for secondary education, the certificates they award are not equal to the corresponding lower secondary education schools. Namely, for graduates of special vocational training: special needs vocational lower – upper secondary schools offer attendance of grades A, B, C, D of lower secondary special education schools and grades A, B, C, D of upper secondary special education schools. Students with disabilities and special educational needs, following an evaluation from the relevant KEDASY, may enrol in special needs vocational lower – upper secondary education schools.  These students benefit from the timetable and curricula of the specific structure and within academic and vocational education may follow a post-upper secondary education school structure and an autonomous or inspected professional experience.  Graduates of grade D of special needs vocational lower secondary education schools acquire a certificate equal to the one of a corresponding lower secondary education school. In the same way graduates of grade D of special needs vocational upper secondary education schools acquire a certificate equal to the one of a corresponding upper secondary education school and a certificate granting 4 level professional rights, according to the provisions of law concerning the evening vocational upper secondary education schools.  As of school year 2018/19, holders of certificates from upper secondary special education vocational schools, who are not in education employment or training have the right to enrol in the "post-secondary year - apprenticeship class", after recommendation of the school teachers' board and the respective KEDASY. Finally, according to law 3699/2008, special vocational upper secondary schools are equal to vocational upper schools and provide equal professional rights to their graduates.