Experiences and challenges in educating students with disabilities: twenty-five years of a special education class at “Fran Franković” primary school in Rijeka

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of twenty-five years of educational work in special classes at Fran Franković Primary School in Rijeka, with a focus on students with disabilities and the outcomes of their education. The paper is based on the analysis of longterm practice in social pedagogy and student documentation. It presents the types of student difficulties, the specific characteristics of students with behavioral problems, the challenges of integrating students into regular classes, and their further education and employment. The long-standing practice of social pedagogues in special classes indicates the need for a greater number of special classes in primary and secondary schools, which

would enable better categorization of students according to the type of difficulty. The importance of intersectoral cooperation is emphasized, as well as the need to strengthen expert teams in secondary schools and to provide additional guidance and support during the process of employment