ABSTRACT
Speech and language therapy (SLT) for children with developmental language disorders (DLD) has been influenced in Estonia by the tides of history, as seen in the German orientation of the first independent Estonian republic and a Russian-dominated field in the mid-twentieth century. The system for providing logopedic assistance and support in Estonia developed during the 1960s to the 1980s, when special teaching facilities were created, including special preschools and classes for children with DLD. The focus of research since the beginning of Estonian logopedics has been tied to teaching methodologies for children with special needs, in relation to the peculiarities of Estonian. The Estonian Education Database contains data inputted by specialists in schools regarding students with special needs, according to predefined categories. SLTs in Estonia work in the educational system, in preschools, schools and counselling centres; the health care system, in clinics; and the social service system, in institutions offering social rehabilitation services.
