In this issue I shall speak briefly about a variety of handicaps and of handicapped children who attend special schools or receive treatment of a special nature in ordinary schools or child guidance centres for a variety ofdisabilities. Some vital statistics will be provided and some opinions given.These will be based on reason, logic and on obvious rather than specific research, since this is at present insufficient either to confirm irrefutably or to deny the necessity for special education. To answer the question 'should there be special education?' we must return to five basic considerations: 1. The threat and the reason for the threats to .special education. 2. Concern for individual differences. 3. How best to deal with individual differences.4. The relationship of special education and ordlnary education. 5. Appropriate settings for special education.The greater proportion of time will be spent on children who are psychologically maladjusted and children who are afflicted by moderate and severe learning difficulties, rather than on specifically dealing with the great variety of other handicaps. Some fairly recent relevant research will also be assessed.I shall dedicate some time towards exploring our motives, our ideological or philosophical bases for having and retaining our faith in the desirability and efficacy of special education by asking frankly: should there be special educution? and questioning the value of special schools and special classes. Our major concern will be with intellectual and behavioural handicaps, rather than with physical handicaps. Much of what will be said, however, applies to the physically handicapped as well.We shall look at the roleof the teacher, the psychologist and workers in other disciplines who help in the identification, diagnosis and containing or remedying of the problem.Before looking into and attempting to answer the hypothetical question w.e have posed for ourselves, here arc some realities.