Evaluating to intervene: an educational model for students with special needs

As is well known, education is concerned with the change of an individual’s behaviors in order to provoke learning. However, many educators have difficulty in considering strategies that facilitate this change and, therefore, run the risk of witnessing the educational failure of some of their students. In the case of students with special needs (SN) it is imperative to consider a process that allows them to be exposed to an appropriate education which should take into account their characteristics, abilities and needs. With this end in mind, this article is intended to describe a model that makes it possible to reach effective interventions through a careful observation/evaluation of a student and of his learning environments. This model, called Modelo de Atendimento à Diversidade (MAD) has as its primary goal the promotion of quality educational practices, monitoring the progress of a student and, consequently, adjusting teaching to his answers according to his abilities and needs.