Introduction Connecting to the special needs classroom
	Children want to feel that they belong, that they can contribute, and that their contributions can matter to the greater good. That desire is no less in children with special needs. In fact, children with disabilities, long on the receiving end of volunteer services, can benefit greatly when given the opportunity to provide service to others. Along the way, they can gain self-esteem, confidence, responsibility, tolerance, and real-world skills. When recently asked by the Council for Exceptional Children to share their stories of children with special needs doing service learning projects, hundreds of special needs educators from across the country responded. The focus of their stories ranged from preschool students to high school students, and from students with mild disabilities to those with severe disabilities. They included students with learning disabilities, hearing and sight impairments, autism, retardation, emotional and behavioral disorders, and many with multiple disabilities and handicaps. While each story was unique, the benefits of service learning were consistent. Children with disabilities often are segregated from their peers. This not only contributes to feelings of isolation, but also prevents children who do not have special needs from learning about and appreciating their peers as people who have talents and abilities, just like them. Service learning is an ideal way to get students of all ability levels to work together and learn from each other. See specific ideas in the Additional Resources section. Service learning also represents a ripe opportunity for students with disabilities to contribute positively as citizens. Doors are opened to the community that otherwise may have remained shut. In turn, the community benefits from their enthusiasm, experience, and talents. Service learning can introduce students with special needs to job opportunities and serve as a way to show a potential employer that they can do a particular job. According to a recent article in CEC Today, service learning appears to be particularly beneficial for students with exceptionalities. Through such experiences, students have shown improvement in problem solving and conflict resolution as well as academic and social skills. For children with special needs, as with all students, service learning teaches an important lesson that it truly is better to give than to receive.	This website has been designed to assist adults who work with students in grades four through eight. However, service learning is an appropriate teaching and learning strategy for children of all ages and all ability levels. Since all children learn at different levels, educators and service providers are encouraged to adapt all resources and strategies to meet the needs of their individual student populations. Following are some things to consider when implementing a service learning program: For all students: A successful service learning program involves and impacts many people in the school and the community. Gather stakeholders together and talk about their needs and concerns early in the process. Stakeholders may include administrators, group leadership, parents, and community members. True service learning meets true community needs; however, you may have transportation limitations due to cost or liability. Will students be able to travel in and around the community, or do you need to limit the service to the school campus? Determine if funding or resources are necessary and/or available. Review academic goals, and determine how you will decide if and how students meet those goals. Note: Students also can be part of the process of determining which academic goals they�d like to meet. Service activities should be of sustained or significant duration. Try to determine how students can maintain a minimum of 40 hours of service over a school year. Determine the resources that already exist in your school, district or state. Many districts have service learning coordinators who can offer enormous help. Be persistent. Many businesses or organizations are not used to having young people as volunteers. They may not have ready ideas for ways that students can help. Let the students be the leaders. Don�t carry a load that your students should be carrying; remember that part of the goal is for them to take responsibility. The more responsibility the students take, the better. Be flexible. Working with community organizations means being mindful of their schedules and of the changes they experience. Especially for students with special needs: Allow students to design a service learning plan that is appropriate and doable, given their developmental level. Consider ways that students with special needs can work directly with other students. Both groups will benefit enormously. Start small. A small project can benefit all involved while incurring quick rewards. For those with severe disabilities, consider indirect service learning opportunities if that is more appropriate. Simulate each stage of the service project to make sure students are truly comfortable.