Special Needs Assessment Procedures in Germany, Italy, USA (1960-1980). Sources and methods for a comparative analysis

This collaborative project compares special needs assessment in Germany, Italy, and the United States, focusing on 1960-1980. Addressing conceptual differences and archival barriers, it analyses legislation, academic handbooks, and teachers’ journals to investigate how learning disabilities were defined and identified. Systematic coding enables comparison of medical and social approaches, including attention to family circumstances. Future research will examine assessment tools and oral testimonies. The project seeks to uncover the underlying “grammar” of assessment practices while advocating the preservation of historical sources documenting children’s access to mainstream education.