Abstract
The global economy has generated a growing number of Internationally Mobile (I.M.) families with children attending state schools. These students are faced with the challenge of learning a new language in an unfamiliar culture. An identical questionnaire was presented to two I.M. subject groups: Finnish Returnee Families (n=26) and Overseas Families (n=24). Both groups performed a Likert Scale rating assessment of educational priorities for their children when starting a new school in a new country. Close similarities in responses from both groups were recorded, with the highest priority being that of "Maintaining the Emotional Well Being of the Child". Quantitative analysis of 649 responses to open-ended questions on the topic of Best Educational Practices revealed a concentration of interest in "Special Services", indicating a deviation from the conventional role of Special Education provision for school students. Family opinion of Best Educational Practices focused on themes of social and emotional adjustment, rather than academic issues. The study revealed pronounced similarities between the special educational services provided for I.M. children and the services sought for children with special needs to be fully included in the general education classroom.
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