From Segregation to Inclusion: Perceptual Developments and Their Implementation in the Education of Special Needs Students in Israel

Over the past four decades, Israel’s educational system has gradually shifted from segregating students with special needs (SwSNs) to including them in general education. This process reflects a humanistic approach that promotes inclusion alongside tailored support. To meet SwSNs’ diverse needs, the Israeli educational system has developed a continuum of frameworks, providing students with services in the most suitable settings. The present article examines Israel's evolving special education approaches and policies for continually balancing the rights of SwSNs with the principle of equality in education. Key phases in this process are the enacting of the Special Education Laws (1988; 2002), the establishment of national committees, and the State Comptroller Reports for the examination of the Laws implementation, and the 2018 “Eleventh Amendment” to the Special Education law, which aimed to enhance inclusion through the “Parents’ Choice” model and the “Funding Follows the Child” principle. The 2018 reform faced setbacks due to limited resources, and inadequate teacher training, leading parents to prefer specialized-separated education. These days, the appointed Shapira Committee is re-evaluating the education of SwSNs in Israel’s educational system. Despite progress, challenges in achieving true inclusion persist due to structural and budgetary constraints and differing perspectives between general and special education sectors. Keywords: special education in Israel, students with special needs, inclusion, continuum of special education frameworks