special education

American

[spesh-uhl ej-oo-key-shuhn] / ˈspɛʃ əl ˌɛdʒ ʊˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

specialized or modified instruction for students with unique learning needs, especially students with identified disabilities. SPED

Sensitive Note

See special.

Etymology

Origin of special education

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This union represents special education aides who are, she said, undervalued, underpaid and overworked.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

Lynch, a former non-league football manager and founder of special education school NexGen Academy, was said to have suffered serious injuries to his eye.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

He was adopted at birth “by a Kansas-born musician-producer and ... a special education teacher who immigrated to the US from Cuba as a child in the 1960s.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 25, 2026

Many benefit from behavioral interventions and special education services to help with learning and functional abilities.

From Salon • Dec. 15, 2025

“So we need to get her in that program to start. While she’s there, they’ll evaluate her to see if she’s eligible for special education services.”

From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023