Exceptional children - American Education

Children who require special education because of characteristics that so deviate from the norm as to handicap them in the conventional school situation or prevent them from reaching their full intellectual potential. There are three broad categories of exceptionality: physical, emotional and mental. Among the physically exceptional are children with sensory (speech, hearing, seeing, etc.) disorders, learning disabilities, developmental disorders or any of a variety of bodily dysfunctions, including orthopedic and neurological impairments, birth defects or health impairment. Emotionally exceptional children include those with behavior disorders or emotional handicaps requiring psychological or psychiatric therapy. The mentally exceptional include both mentally retarded and mentally gifted. Gifted children represent the only category of exceptional children who are not handicapped. They require special education nonetheless to help them move ahead of their peers academically while keeping pace socially and emotionally.