ABSTRACT
Generally, special needs co-ordinators were brought in from the special school sector and were unfamiliar with the politics of Further Education. Support for special needs co-ordinators can come from various external sources. There has always been an ambiguity surrounding the role of special needs co-ordinators. A constant difficulty facing the special needs co-ordinator is being able to evaluate the purpose of the special curriculum and the opportunities it offers for progression. The part which the co-ordinator plays is central to both institutional and community participation for students with disabilities or learning difficulties. There are two key aspects to this role. The first one is that of providing continuity of support. The second key aspect of the co-ordinator's role is that of internal, institutional networking. Developing the special curriculum is an aspect of the co-ordinator's role which they inherited by default.
