Cairo - Post Report Question and Answers
What accommodations do schools make for special-needs kids?
I haven't experienced this personally so can't comment. - Aug 2022
CAC advertises that they limited accommodations for special needs, but I find even that a stretch. If you're kid isn't mainstream or needs help, the school can make it seem like a huge deal. - Feb 2021
I can only speak from personal experience. At Small Talk, they were very accepting of having kids with special needs there (some fairly severe), but it was not apparent that they did anything special to help them integrate into the classroom. At Kompass, there was at least one kid with substantial special needs, who had an aide and did well. - Jan 2016
Not a whole lot. If here happens to be a skilled expat in the community who can offer specific services, you are in luck. Lots of tutors available. - Jan 2016
We have a first grader under the umbrella of "special-needs" as he receives speech services three times a week. He has a couple of other minor delays which were evident after a full psycho-educational evaluation over summer break in the USA. This year we qualify for the special-needs allowance and I have ordered quite a few things to help him with at home. I'm a teacher by trade which makes this a little easier to be able to help him myself but the allowance is fantastic. If a child is an extreme case for special needs, I don't think that this post would be too accommodating. Speech, organizational difficulties, lower reading skills- I think that these items are addressed. CAC states on its website that learning support needs are addressed with level 1 students and level 2 students for up to 300 minutes per week of support. CAC states that it does not have the resources to meet the needs of students who are classified as level 3. - Oct 2014
None that I am aware of. - Mar 2014
Not a whole lot. If your special need is not a huge problem - and not very obvious - I would keep it under your hat until you have been admitted. It is actually very easy to get the extra help once you are admitted to CAC, but they really are quite nasty about admitting kids if they have any kind of special consideration. Many parents have been extremely upset with their level of understanding. CAC's understanding and acceptance of different learning styles is quite outdated. - Jul 2013
Some, at CAC. But for children with severe disabilities, this would not be a good place. - Jun 2013
None. - May 2013
None. - May 2013
My older son had one year in high school and had access to a special teacher for his ADD, but CAC isn't too keen on taking kids with special needs. I had to persuade them to take him, and it worked fine for him. - May 2013
CAC makes no accommodations for special- needs students. I have been told that the British School can / will make some. - Feb 2013
None. CAC says to get a tutor or don't come. - Mar 2013
The school is generally responsive to the needs of students who are part of the mission community. - Mar 2013
Not many that I am aware of. There are ramps and elevators. I don't believe there are many special-education classes. They do have a very active counseling department. - Nov 2012
Cairo American College is very straightforward about saying they cannot accommodate special needs kids. Some of the other schools, like Maadi British School and The American International School do accommodate some special needs, but I don't have first hand experience. You should contact the schools directly. They all have web sites. - Jul 2011
I'm not sure of any programs for special-needs kids. At CAC they have LSP (Learning Support Program) but I'm not sure it's geared towards special-needs. - Jun 2011
The British school does a great job with special-needs kids. CAC has nothing and will not accept your child if he/she has special needs. - Jun 2010
CAC makes no accomodations for special needs. My younger son has mild speech issues and they would not accept him. MBIS did, though, and we have loved having him there. The Learning Resource Center is ok for providing therapy, but they are understaffed and overworked, so make sure you contact them at least six months in advance of arrival. I have found more luck with finding private therapists on my own. - May 2008
