Education of People of Determination

Education of People of Determination

The Department of Education and Knowledge believes in the right to education for all segments of society including people of determination, and therefore strives to enforce policies and legislation and to launch initiatives that ensure their full integration into the educational system in a manner that further develops their linguistic and social skills from the early years of nursery and primary school.

Categories of People of Determination

The following list describes the categories of disability recognized as requiring additional or different approaches within schools operated by the Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK).

  • Intellectual Disability.
  • Specific Learning Disability.
  • Emotional and Behavioral Disorder.
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder.
  • Speech and Language Disorder.
  • Physical and Health-related Disabilities.
  • Visual Impairment.
  • Hearing Impairment.
  • Multiple Disabilities.

Mainstreaming "Students of Determination"

Schools

ADEK requires all schools to provide appropriate educational support to students in the general education classroom, which includes matching the curriculum to meet the different learning needs of each student. Learning Support Teams (defined as the team of professionals in each school including the principal, social worker, classroom teacher, special education teacher (where allocated) , school psychologist and other members when appropriate) may recommend different, specialized plans for some students.

The school may refer a student to the Learning Support Team for a special educational needs assessment and additional support whilst the student remains in the general education classroom. The student may access Resource Room services, where an individual or small group support is provided for part of the day. All students will have Individual Education Plans (IEP’s) or Advanced Learning Plans (ALP’s).

Nurseries

ADEK requires that all nurseries in Abu Dhabi have a clear policy in place with regards to the handling of people with determination, provided that it clarifies the following:

  • The readiness of the nursery to welcome children of determination.
  • Clear standards that the nursery follows to identify its readiness to accept children of determination.
  • The procedures followed by the nursery to identify children who may be regarded as those of determination.
  • The role of the supporting partners in the nursery who are capable of providing the necessary support for children and their families.
  • The specialized individuals or centers that the nursery deals with to provide special education support for children of determination.

In addition to the above-mentioned, nurseries should meet the following key requirements to be qualified to accept children of determination.

  • Nurseries that accept children of determination must keep full records of the child’s medical reports, and provide the parents with periodic reports of the child’s educational and social progress.
  • Nursery educators and workers must have adequate knowledge of the basic principles of special education and should follow all the recommendations given to them by the specialists.
  • The language of communication with the child should be in his/her mother tongue and the same language used at home.