The Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave (IPCA) prioritizes the promotion, development, and optimization of responses and support measures for the learning and inclusion of students with specific educational needs. In this way, IPCA aims to contribute to a fairer and more inclusive education system, ensuring equal opportunities for learning, participation, and personal and professional development for all of its students.
A student with specific educational needs is understood to be a student falling under the categories defined by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD):
- Transnational Category A (CTN. A): Includes students with disabilities or impairments considered as organic disorders attributed to organic pathologies, such as sensory, motor, or neurological disabilities. The educational need arises primarily from problems attributable to these disabilities.
- Transnational Category B (CTN. B): Includes students with behavioral or emotional disorders or specific learning difficulties. The educational need primarily arises from issues in the interaction between the student and the educational context.
Specific educational needs can be either permanent or temporary:
- Permanent needs require generalized modifications that persist throughout or most of the student’s academic journey.
- Temporary needs require partial modifications and adaptations based on the student’s specific characteristics, which persist during certain stages of their academic journey.