Definition of the target groups

In the Maltese educational system children are recognised as having special needs after they have been duly assessed by the Statementing Moderating Panel and Appeals Board (SMP/AB) that is composed of professionals from different fields. Together with parents/guardians and/or student/parent advocates as well as other professionals, written assessments/referrals of students are evaluated by the Board in order to identify the type of support needed by the learner.

Only learners who have been identified as requiring extra support by the SMP/AB are recognised as learners with special educational needs, and in which case an Individualized Educational Programme (IEP) will be formulated for each learner.

In general, a child with special needs is defined as “that minor (who) has special difficulties of a physical, sensory, intellectual or psychological nature” (Special Schools Reform). Broadly, there are seven categories recognised as being in need of special support. These learners would have been assessed to have one or more of the following:

1. Intellectual disability;
2. Specific learning difficulties (e.g. dyslexia, attention deficit disorder – ADHD);
3. Emotional and behavioural difficulties;
4. Communication difficulties (e.g. autism, traits of Asperger’s Syndrome);
5. Sensory difficulties (e.g. deafness or visual impairment);
6. Physical disability (e.g. lack of mobility and co-ordination/motor problems);
7. Multiple disabilities.

However, some students with special needs attending mainstream schools may also require additional support services that are provided by the Student Services Department or in special schools called Resource Centres. These services include:

• Support from the Autism Spectrum Support Team;
• Support from the Access to Communication and Technology Unit;
• Support from teachers of the hearing and visually impaired;
• Support from the Early Childhood Intervention Service;
• Learning Support Zones / Nurture Groups
• Assessment and/or intervention by the School Psycho-Social Services;
• Hospital classes;
• Home tuition;
• Speech and language clinics
• Support from counsellors;
• Sign language interpreters
• Inclusion Co-ordinators (INCOs) to work closely with schools
• Use of hydrotherapy pools, baths, and multisensory rooms;
• Transport facilities;
• Support from Resource Centres regarding curriculum adaptations.

In Malta students with exceptional ability are not classified as pupils requiring special support.

Specific Support Measures

It is one of the key educational policies of Malta to include children with special needs within mainstream education and assigned a Learning Support Assistant (LSA) on a one-to-one basis or on a shared basis depending on the student’s needs. The role of the LSA is to assist students with special educational requirements in the classroom and provide additional support to enhance their learning experience. LSAs are expected to encourage their mentee/s and be able to maintain their interest and motivation in class. LSAs must work in close collaboration with the class or subject teacher and must assist the teacher in offering information and educational advice for student achievement and records.

Students with special educational needs follow the same curriculum as their peers with the necessary adaptation to facilitate access to the curriculum. Each student has an Individualised Educational Programme (IEP) designed specifically for his/her needs. All IEPs are based on and follow the National Curriculum Framework (NCF).

Group activities are encouraged to promote the student’s personal and social development. However, special teaching methods and materials may, with the help of the LSA, be incorporated for such students by the class/subject teacher. Sometimes the curriculum needs to be modified and/or adapted to suit the needs of these learners. In the secondary years the curriculum (Maths, English and Maltese) is delivered at different levels, suited for the different abilities of learners.

Learners may also receive additional time for the learning of a subject and/or may have a reduced number of subjects in their timetable. In addition, students with special educational needs are assisted during examinations and may be given additional time, a reader and/or scribe during the examination, depending on the nature and severity of their needs. The number of students to teacher ratio in class is reduced from a maximum of thirty pupils per teacher to twenty-six per teacher (in the primary cycle and first three years of secondary school), if any one student has a statement of needs.

All schools in Malta must by law be accessible to students with mobility problems. All schools must have ramps and specially adapted toilet facilities for wheelchair-bound students.

In 2015, the Learning Outcomes Framework (LOF) project that emanates out of the NCF and which aims to be the backbone of learning and assessment for compulsory education programmes was launched. After the consultation process is over and teacher training is carried out, it is scheduled to be launched in schools in September 2016. The LOF is intended to give schools and colleges more curricular autonomy to allow them to better address the learning needs of their learners.