The first special class for mentally handicapped children in Oki district was establised in Saigo Elementally School in 1960. The establishment had no relation to the requirement of mentally handicapped children and their parents. It was based on that of educational administration.
Such a circumstance has distorted the appropriate function of special classes. For example, "manners", "discipline" and "training" are the most important tasks in their curricula recently.
Those distortion, however, not completely due to teachers. The special classes themselves are significant. Future development, that is the question.
Moreover, the transfiguration and the recent situation of special classes have severe relations to the problem guaranteeing school education for handicapped children without school-attendance in their school age.