One prominent change in the amendment to the Special Education Law in the State of Israel (2018) concerns the dissolution of placement committees and their transformation into characterization and eligibility committees. These characterization and eligibility committees determine children's eligibility for special education, whereas parents decide…

Empowering parents of children with special needs emerges from supporting their decision-making processes and choices regarding the child's placement through legislation. The latest amendment of the Special Education Law in Israel aims to ensure the inclusion of students with special needs in the general education system, granting parents the…

Purpose: In Israel, the decision which educational framework is most suitable for pupils with special needs is made by a placement committee. In January 2005, the eighth amendment of the Israeli Special Education Law determined that all pupils have the legal right to participate in their placement committee's deliberations. This paper aims to…

Educational policies and practices are influenced by cultural, political, and economic factors, and this is also true of specialized educational approaches such as gifted education. Factors such as a country's cultural tendency toward egalitarianism or meritocracy, whether the political system is centralized or decentralized, and the degree to…

The volume provides a comprehensive discussion of special education from across the globe. The volume includes chapters from major countries such as United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Russia and Japan as well as countries such as Nigeria, Israel and Pakistan. Discussions related to these countries will include information on origins of special…

The study of additional languages is mandatory for all pupils in most European countries. Usually, the first foreign language is English. This is due to the status of English as a global language. According to inclusion laws, pupils with special educational needs (SEN) should be taught in regular classes with support services by teachers with…

For the past thirty years there's a wide world emergence of a policy of including children with special needs in regular classes (Daane, Beirne-Smith and Latham, 2000). The Inclusion Reform has called for far-reaching conceptual, organizational and structural changes, at the schools. The Israeli corresponding Special Education Law was issued in…

The objective of this exploratory study was to examine the curricular practices of teachers in Israel as a result of the mandate to include children with special educational needs. It is based on the understanding that curriculum is at the core of education. As inclusive education has become more prevalent, the curriculum perspective has gained…

Inclusion of students with disabilities into regular classrooms has been practised on a voluntary basis in Israel for the past 30-40 years. Special education legislation passed in 1988 included as one of its touchstones the mandate to mainstream students with disabilities into regular classrooms to the maximum extent possible. The "Plan for…

Attitudes of teachers (N = 96) and paraprofessionals (N = 48) working with students with intellectual disability (ID) towards the new definition of ID (Luckasson et al., 1992, 2002), was examined. The main innovation of the new definition of ID is the cancellation of the four ID levels, suggesting an optimistic view, especially towards individuals…

Describes Israel's special education system and educational legislation, focusing on changes in special education concepts and ideological perceptions, systemic structural changes locally and nationally, and curricular and intervention perspectives. Examines diverse solutions for resolving the conflict between providing the most supports and…

The article examines trends in statistical data and educational policies in Israel since 1948 toward students with handicaps. Considered are relevant legislation and procedures, the special education population in 1985/6, and the role of the family, community, and society. (DB)

An overview of the legal status of special education in Israel, especially the Israeli Special Education Law of 1988 and judicial rulings, suggests that the law has promulgated a parallel placement system in which the special education bureaucratic system is empowered to act without parental input. Cultural influences are noted and suggestions…

This article describes changes taking place in Israeli special education. It discusses the goals of special education, diagnosis and placement, special education procedures, criticism of the special education law, and the current status of special education in Israel. The movement towards increased inclusion is highlighted. (Contains 7…