Special education is provided for children with special needs, usually because they have a disability which either prevents or hinders them from making use of the educational facilities generally provided for children of their age.

Wherever possible, children with special educational needs are integrated into ordinary schools, both grant-aided by central government and independent, and special classes within ordinary schools.

Education authorities are required to respond to reasonable requests for independent special schools and to send children with special needs to schools outside of Scotland, if appropriate provision is not available within the country.

The Standards in Scotland's Schools Act established a presumption that children with special needs should be in mainstream schools.

The Executive's SEN Inclusion Programme has provided �14.3m in 2001-02 rising to �20m in both 2002-03 and 2003-04 to assist local authorities with the additional costs of supporting children with SEN in mainstream schools.

It can also be used to increase the number of hours of education offered to children in special schools.

There were 8,301 pupils attending 195 special schools in September 2000.

Special schools have more favourable staffing ratios than ordinary schools and many of the teachers have additional specialist qualifications. The pupil-teacher ratio in 2000 was 4.2:1.

Some special schools provide courses leading to the Scottish Certificate of Education and other examinations.

Advice and guidance is available to school leavers about courses of further education or training and job possibilities.