Currently in America, hundreds of families are homeschooling children whose special needs range from attention deficit disorder to severe multiple handicaps. Parents often find that when they bring these children home to be educated, they come out of the “deep freeze” that has kept them from making significant progress in traditional settings.

Parents can offer their children individualized education, flexibility, encouragement, and support.

• For learning disabled children who function best with “real-life problems” rather than artificial worksheet tasks, homeschooling may be ideal.

• For medically sensitive children, learning at home provides the opportunity for careful monitoring.

• For attention deficit children who function best with uniquely structured time and fewer distractions, homeschooling usually proves to be the answer.

However, the decision to homeschool a child with special learning needs is a weighty one. Parents may meet pressure from the school district, or even the state, to enroll their child in the “system.” Many encounter criticism from well-meaning family and friends, and most must deal with their own fears of inadequacy. Nevertheless, in record numbers, parents of special needs children are choosing to home educate, and most are finding that the rewards far outweigh the costs.