Targeting Resources to Students with Special Educational Needs: National Differences in Policy and Practice

Abstract

Multiple policy strategies exist to promote equity and inclusion in education and training systems. Across countries, the provision of additional resources to students with special educational needs is a common strategy; previous research indicates that providing extra resources to students with special educational needs can help those students make progress in schools. The purpose of this article is threefold: first, it will discuss the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) tripartite categorisation system for describing how different countries serve and differentiate between students with diverse special needs. The authors rely upon the OECD's work in an attempt to characterise the international special needs student population and to synthesise some of the progress that has been made toward understanding what education for students with disabilities, learning difficulties, and disadvantages looks like. Next, the article presents new lenses for viewing policies that target additional resources to disadvantaged youth. The authors intend for the lenses proposed to facilitate more fruitful international comparisons. Finally, the article will discuss the challenges inherent to making such comparisons and will conclude with suggestions for addressing those challenges.