## Building school facilities to promote Special Needs Education

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology is preparing the “Guidelines for Designing Educational Facilities,” which will provide information on its basic thinking and points of consideration up until now regarding the planning and design of school facilities.

On this occasion, to promote the construction of school facilities for Special Needs Education, the “Guidelines for Designing Educational Facilities” has been revised (Reference: http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shisetsu/seibi/main7_a12.htm).

### 1. Background

Recently there has been an increasing trend in the number of students receiving Special Needs Education in special classes and in resource rooms (both are at regular schools), and that of students enrolled at Schools for Special Needs Education. In addition, around half of the students in elementary and lower secondary departments of Schools for Special Needs Education enroll in multiple-disability classes, which shows that the number of students with severe/multiple disabilities is also increasing.

Given the situation, there is a need to promote Special Needs Education that offers educational support to meet each individual student's educational needs in order to encourage independence and social participation. The School Education Law and related laws were therefore revised and came into effect in April 2007.

Regarding facilities, in addition to addressing any problems that arise during the process of promoting Special Needs Education, it is also necessary to improve the quality of facilities. As a result, the Consultative Committee for Research and Surveys Relating to the Formation of Guidelines for Designing Educational conducted an inspection and compiled a report in July 2007. Based on this report the “Guidelines for Designing Educational Facilities” was revised.

### 2. Summary of revisions to the “Guidelines for Designing Educational Facilities”

(1) Complete revision “Guidelines for Designing Facilities of Schools for the Blind, Schools for the Deaf, and Schools for the Otherwise Disabled”; creation of “Guidelines for Designing the Facilities of Schools for Special Needs Education”

Below are the points of consideration regarding the basic thinking and the planning and design of improvement of facilities to promote Special Needs Education in the new guidelines

• Measures to meet each individual’s educational needs (dealing with the increasing number of children with severe/multiple disabilities etc.)

• Measures concerning the functions of Schools for Special Needs Education as the local center of Special Needs Education

• Measures to promote stepped-up exchanges and joint learning between students with and without disabilities

• Enhance Activities to Promote Independence* and vocational training

• Necessity of a comprehensive long-term plan taking into account future trends in the number of students with disabilities

Also shown are the points of consideration regarding the plan and design drawn up to respond to current issues concerning school facilities such as strengthening earthquake resistance or crime prevention measures.

(2) Partial revision of “Guidelines for Designing Elementary School Facilities” and “Guidelines for Designing Lower Secondary School Facilities”

Below are the points of consideration regarding the basic thinking and the planning and design of improvement of facilities to promote Special Needs Education, for example, measures concerning teachings provided in resource rooms or in special classes (both are in regular schools).

• Measures to meet each individual’s educational needs

• Measures to promote stepped-up exchanges and joint learning between students with and without disabilities

• Measures concerning special support service in resource rooms for children with disabilities enrolled at regular elementary and secondary schools

• Necessity of space for students with developmental disabilities to regain composure

• Necessity to accelerate barrier-free renovations of school facilities under jurisdiction

(3) Partial revision of “Guidelines for Designing Kindergarten Facilities” and “Guidelines for Designing Upper Secondary School Facilities”

The basic thinking on improvement of facilities aimed to promote Special Needs Education at kindergartens and upper secondary schools is shown.