Vocational Education and Training: Policy and Practice in the field of Special Needs Education – Literature Review

This document critically reviews the literature on issues related to vocational education and training for learners with special educational needs. It covers two priority areas: the key factors that facilitate vocational educational and training for learners with special education needs, and the relationship with the labour market and key challenges.

The principal methods used to search for literature were computer searches in abstract databases and citation indexes, browsing library shelves and online catalogues, and 'Footnote Chasing' or conducting searches in subject indexes for references in peer reviewed articles. The coverage of the literature review was exhaustive, with a predominant focus on European and international vocational documents, studies in academic journals indexed in education, economics and social science databases, books and research work, international and European reports and relevant European funded projects. The literature research was structured to primarily focus on the conceptual terms linking both VET and SEN and their synonyms.

The review is intended to complement the Vocational Education and Training – Policy and Practice in the field of Special Needs Education (VET) project. It is hoped that the emerging key issues will inform policy-makers, practitioners, researchers and others who play an essential role in providing quality VET services to this group of learners.

For more information about the project, visit the VET web area. Download the literature review below as a PDF in English.