Some 430,000 children with disabilities are educated in ordinary school with other students, a growing number since there were 320,000 in 2017, according to figures from National Education.

These pupils thus benefit from various supports.

Some especially need material assistance, such as the visually impaired or some of the "dys" (dyslexia, dyspraxia, etc.), who can follow lessons with suitable equipment or computers.

Others are helped by an Accompanist for students with disabilities (AESH).

In total, there are 132,000 AESH, including 4,000 more at the start of the 2022 school year, according to the ministry responsible for people with disabilities.

118,000 students welcomed in Ulis class

Support for students with disabilities thus varies depending on the situation.

Some may follow lessons with other children and then join other students in an Ulis class (localized unit for inclusive education) for more specialized support.

Thus, 118,000 students are accommodated in these units in 2022 (compared to 93,000 in 2017).

Finally, 67,000 students are educated in hospitals or medico-social establishments in 2022: either because their disability is too disabling for them to be able to follow in an ordinary school, or because they have not been assigned an AESH then that they needed it.



Accompanying persons with precarious status

Indeed, the status of AESH, paid by National Education, has been improved in recent years but they still have part-time jobs with salaries around 800 euros.

The Defender of Rights, in a report published in August on inclusive schooling, had pointed out the difficulties of extracurricular time, such as the canteen, where the speakers are paid by local authorities.

Only 6 to 7% of children benefiting from human assistance in class also benefit from it during extracurricular time, mainly during the lunch break, according to the Ministry for People with Disabilities.

The situation therefore varies from community to community.

"AESH would be willing to cover extracurricular time but we assign someone else, because it does not depend on the same budget and the same actors", to the detriment of "the best interests of the child" who needs of stability, noted the Defender of Rights Claire Hédon.

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