Special Needs Education: What Opportunities are created?
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Compared to special needs schooling at the primary and lower secondary levels (compulsory education), professional and vocational education for disabled persons is not as well developed. The opportunities for more advanced training and access to professions differ depending on the type of disability.
Overcoming Education and Training Disadvantages
For adolescents who benefited from integrative schooling during their compulsory education, since the new law on professional training came into force on January 1st, 2004, individual support may be provided by competent people. Young people may follow initial vocational training with federal certification (in lieu of basic training).
Sensory Impairment
There are special vocational schools for the sensory impaired (not available in all language regions). Other training options such as specialized high schools, teacher training and university level institutions sometimes provide facilities for the hearing impaired or physically handicapped people.
A visual impairment severely limits the choice of a trade or profession and gainful working opportunities in general. It should be noted, however, that the choice of trades and professions for the blind and visually impaired is progressively expanding. Special libraries and bookstores with books in Braille and audio books are available for personal continuing education.
Hearing-impaired persons are somewhat limited in their choice of a trade or profession, but they can choose from a relatively wide range of options. The majority of hearing-impaired persons complete an apprenticeship (3-4 years). In addition to this, they attend the inter-cantonal vocational school for the hearing impaired (this opportunity is available in the German language region only). In the future, more emphasis will be placed on their vocational continuing education.
Mental Impairment
The mentally impaired may be introduced to working activity. As a rule, these are simple activities not needing the training required for the award of a recognized vocational certificate (work in sheltered workshops, unskilled work, etc.). Since 1979, mentally impaired young people have also been able to complete practical vocational training within the framework of integration measures and can extend their specialized schooling until 20 years of age.
Mentally impaired adults also have opportunities for continuing education. To be sure, the continuing education opportunities for the handicapped are much more limited than those available for people without disabilities. A majority of the mentally impaired finds work in sheltered workshops or in occupational group settings.
Financial Support
Invalidity insurance supports vocational training for the handicapped. Notably, it provides vocational guidance counseling and takes care of professional integration.
For adolescents who benefited from integrative schooling during their compulsory education, since the new law on professional training came into force on January 1st, 2004, individual support may be provided by competent people. Young people may follow initial vocational training with federal certification (in lieu of basic training).
Sensory Impairment
There are special vocational schools for the sensory impaired (not available in all language regions). Other training options such as specialized high schools, teacher training and university level institutions sometimes provide facilities for the hearing impaired or physically handicapped people.
A visual impairment severely limits the choice of a trade or profession and gainful working opportunities in general. It should be noted, however, that the choice of trades and professions for the blind and visually impaired is progressively expanding. Special libraries and bookstores with books in Braille and audio books are available for personal continuing education.
Hearing-impaired persons are somewhat limited in their choice of a trade or profession, but they can choose from a relatively wide range of options. The majority of hearing-impaired persons complete an apprenticeship (3-4 years). In addition to this, they attend the inter-cantonal vocational school for the hearing impaired (this opportunity is available in the German language region only). In the future, more emphasis will be placed on their vocational continuing education.
Mental Impairment
The mentally impaired may be introduced to working activity. As a rule, these are simple activities not needing the training required for the award of a recognized vocational certificate (work in sheltered workshops, unskilled work, etc.). Since 1979, mentally impaired young people have also been able to complete practical vocational training within the framework of integration measures and can extend their specialized schooling until 20 years of age.
Mentally impaired adults also have opportunities for continuing education. To be sure, the continuing education opportunities for the handicapped are much more limited than those available for people without disabilities. A majority of the mentally impaired finds work in sheltered workshops or in occupational group settings.
Financial Support
Invalidity insurance supports vocational training for the handicapped. Notably, it provides vocational guidance counseling and takes care of professional integration.
| Connecting Chapters |
 | Vocational education |
| Specialized Middle Schools |
| Universities of teacher education |
| Universities of Applied Sciences |
| For more information |
 | Swiss Institute for Special Needs Education (SZH) |
| Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology (OPET) |
| Vocational Guidance |
| Swiss Association for Vocational Guidance (ASOSP-SVB) |
