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Synonyms

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.

“We don’t want to strike,” said Charmell Lee, a special education assistant and a member of Local 99.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 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

Mosley suggested that instead of working to make a Kirk holiday, Kansas lawmakers could fully fund special education programs in the state, or address rural hospital closures or raise the minimum wage.

From Salon • Feb. 16, 2026

We learn from Mr. Margolick’s biography that Caesar, who grew up the last of four children in Yonkers, N.Y., required special education as a boy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 2025

A former navy officer was working on his B.S. degree in special education when he saw Luke’s listing on Florida’s adoption website.

From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

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