A critical commentary on the categorisation of students with diagnoses in Greek special schools

Abstract In accordance with Greek law, students with special educational needs and/or disabilities attend mainstream schools, unless an Interdisciplinary Assessment, Counselling and Support Centre recommends otherwise based on the type or severity of the disability. This paper presents quantitative data from the Greek Statistical Authority regarding the number of students per category of special educational needs and disabilities enrolled in special schools between 2017 and 2023. The findings reveal that the most common categorisations were intellectual disability, autism and multiple disabilities. Furthermore, within this six‐year period, the number of students with learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, multiple disabilities and visual impairments enrolled in special schools notably increased, while the number of students with intellectual disabilities barely increased. The number of enrolments of students in the rest of the categories decreased. This study is pertinent because it provides information about the role of categorisation in the exclusion of a significant number of students with diagnosed special educational needs and disabilities from mainstream schools in Greece. Despite disjointed statutes addressing inclusion, the Greek education system essentially categorises students with special educational needs and disabilities according to the individual medical model of disability and educates them based on their diagnoses rather than their individual needs and interests.