Early Childhood Special Education in the People's Republic of China

Services for young children with special needs are a relatively recent phenomenon in the People's Republic of China. Approximately 2.46 million children under the age of six are thought to exhibit some type of disability. As a socially and economically developing nation, China is confronted with the monumental task of providing early intervention to this rapidly growing segment of its population. Issues confronting education officials include, among others, the integration of typical and atypical preschoolers, a critical shortage of appropriately trained professionals, and the lack of sufficient numbers of early childhood special education programs. Collaborative planning holds promise for improvement.