考EDB的AI/AEO的溫習題目3: special education

What has the government done to promote special education?

First, in 1999 the government began a programme to provide air-conditioning in 17 schools for physically and severely mentally handicapped children regardless of whether these schools are affected by noise or other environmental nuisance. By so doing, the government hopes to reduce the discomfort that these children bear due to their physical condition, and thus to improve their learning interest. The government has indeed been improving premises and facilities by providing a one-off grant for aided special schools to procure assistive technology devices to help students with severe or multiple disabilities learn more effectively.





Secondly, since the government started to systematically promote gifted education in 2001, a growing number of exceptionally gifted local teenagers rise to fame by winning top awards in international competitions. In 2006, to nurture students with exceptional potential and talent, the government supported the establishment of The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education, enhancing the performance of high achievers.

The Academy targets students aged 10 to 18 who are either excellent academic achievers or distinguished performers in specific areas. The curriculum is tailor-made to bring out the full potential of students. The Academy also provides training for parents and teachers to promote the concepts and practices of gifted education. In the long run, the Academy is being developed into a platform for international exchanges as well as research and development.

Thirdly, since 2011, the Education Bureau (EDB) has extended the School-based Educational Psychology Service, giving secondary and primary schools greater support to help students with dyslexia and other special educational needs. The service, now covering 55% of schools, will be extended progressively to cover all public sector secondary and primary schools by the 2016-17 school year. The EDB has also commenced many rounds of professional development programmes for teachers in ordinary schools. Starting from the 2013-14 school year, the EDB has raised the ceiling of the annual Learning Support Grant from $1 million to $1.5 million per school to strengthen support for students with special educational needs. Besides, the EDB has developed diversified teaching resources through cross-sectoral collaboration to help enhance the learning effectiveness of students with special educational needs. It has also stepped up publicity and information dissemination to promote inclusion in the community.