Advertisement

Advertisement

special needs

[ spesh-uhl needz ]

plural noun

, Sometimes Offensive.
  1. the special educational requirements of those with learning difficulties, emotional or behavioral problems, or physical disabilities.


special needs

plural noun

    1. the educational requirements of pupils or students suffering from any of a wide range of physical disabilities, medical conditions, intellectual difficulties, or emotional problems, including deafness, blindness, dyslexia, learning difficulties, and behavioural problems
    2. ( as modifier )

      special-needs teachers

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


Discover More

Sensitive Note

See special.
Discover More

Other Words From

  • spe·cial-needs adjective
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of special needs1

First recorded in 1895–1900
Discover More

Example Sentences

The CTC has been a lifeline—the entirety of our first payment went to a doctor’s appointment for one of my special needs sons.

From Time

Moore is aware of her slim chances of finding another affordable property that is big enough for her family and in an area where her special needs grandchild receives support services—much less a landlord willing to accept her rental voucher.

From Time

Johnson went on to testify that he’d repeatedly asked for a special needs trust so that he could collect his future settlement without losing his Social Security benefits.

Lorrine Paradela, 46, a single mother, said the money allowed her to quit the second job she worked on top of her full-time position, working with special needs children in schools.

The software was originally developed at the University of Central Florida to help teachers in the school of education practice working with special needs children before moving on to real students.

From Fortune

By the way, why is special interests always shady while special needs is practically an accolade?

And while everyone benefits from gardens, they can provide an extra boost for kids with special needs.

About half of these are preschool students with varying levels of special needs.

They can no longer access the park because their children with special needs have meltdowns when they have to wait.

Next, we will have to get a seat made for people with special needs.

Secondly, there are special needs dependent on locality or on the race or temperament of the users of a particular library.

One surely need not hesitate a moment in naming as the one for our special needs the writer we have just quoted.

It was with the special needs of these people that the Regina Railway Mission had to deal.

The War Department Code is a military code adapted to the special needs of the military establishment in peace and war.

Storage batteries as used in modern submarines have been especially developed to meet the special needs of submarine-boat service.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


special marine warningSpecial Olympics