Every year, hundreds of U.S. families with children with special needs have to make career-related decisions about whether to go overseas and if so, where. This booklet is designed to help you think through such decisions and, once you decide whether, when, and where to go, to facilitate your child's transition to the most appropriate school setting (and the biggest welcome) possible. Decided first what is right for your family and then become proactive in facilitating a collaborative relationship with the educators overseas who are going to partner with you in this venture.
Who is a "child with special needs" in the international setting?
• While there is no official definition of a "child with special needs," it can be a child who has problems with learning or it can be a child who is gifted -- or some combination of such issues. If your child has problems with learning, behavior, mobility, vision, or hearing; or requires specialized medical care or occupational, physical, or speech therapy; or needs any but very minor adaptations in the regular school routine - then you have a child with "learning disabilities". If your child needs educational adaptations because he/she is academically more mature and advanced than his/her age peers - then your child is considered "gifted." While independent overseas schools are under no obligation to assess your child's special needs in the same way you or your child's school in the United States does, you should be looking at what you know about your child and what it takes to keep him or her healthy, growing well, and successful in school.
• Most U.S. Government and private sector families abroad place their children in private, independent schools that are not governed by the laws of the United States with regards to whom they must accept or what services they must provide. While you are not limited to American or international independent schools and can consider host-country schools as well as schools of other countries and even home schooling, the American and international schools are more likely to be able to discern whether they will be able to provide your child with adequate educational services.
