TRANSITION TO HIGHER EDUCATION FOR YOUNG ADULTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS: POLICIES, TRENDS AND CHALLENGES

Resumo

Inclusive education policies have played a key role in optimising young adults
with special educational needs’ (SEN) opportunities to access higher education,
especially of those with learning dif!culties. These policies have facilitated access
to secondary education and success in school by (1) requiring education systems
to combine ef!ciency and equity, and (2) by empowering schools and higher
education institutions to meet their accessibility requirement and support students
in satisfying academic requirements (OECD, 2011). However, access of young
adults with SEN to higher education is not as smooth as it is for other young adults,
particularly not for those with psychological or behavioural problems. This paper
looks at explanatory reasons and builds upon an OECD project analysing transition
policies developed by 7 OECD countries in the past decade (Ebersold, 2012).