Dubai Center for Special Needs

In 1982, the idea to launch a service to facilitate children with special needs was born out of the determination of a few parents who rented a villa in Jumeirah. Accommodating only 5 students, the center was called ‘5 Aces’ and became the hub for special needs students to learn and grow. Demand for specialized education continued to increase and 5 Aces grew to support more than 40 students and was renamed Aseef School.

Less than a decade later, H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Commander-Military Command, very generously donated 300,000 sq ft piece of land. This contribution meant we could build a center big enough for 200 students. By 1995 this land along with further donations from the community made it possible to create a purpose-built facility known today as The Dubai Center for Special Needs (DCSN).

Over the years, DCSN had received support from H.H the late Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and continues to receive support and encouragement from H.H Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the U.A.E, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

DCSN aims to serve the diverse academic, physical, social and emotional needs of our students. All aspects of our organization’s curriculum and activities are child-centered, designed to assist individual learning styles to achieve success.

Split into four sections, our students will be in one of the following class groups: Nursery, Academic, Prevocational or Multi-Sensory. Each section sets specific goals for the year as well as monthly educational themes.

Therapy plays a vital role in the growth of our students. We have several dedicated therapists who work with students on a daily basis to improve their skills. Physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy sessions are scheduled on a regular basis depending on each student’s needs.

Art and music are also integral parts of students’ learning and therapy. Students learn to paint, make pottery, participate in wood-working and play instruments. These various art forms play an important role in physical development, building self-confidence and gaining new life skills.

We also have a fully equipped fitness center and swimming pool which are managed by qualified Physical Education teachers to promote physical wellness.

DCSN has many other resources including a medical clinic, observation room, music room, home economics room, woodworking shop, pottery kiln, IT lab and a well stocked library.

Additionally, DCSN students operate a Tuck Shop selling healthy foods such as salads and sandwiches. Operating the Tuck Shop everyday boosts students’ confidence, social skills, business sense and math skills.

These facilities along with our emphasis on therapy, education, social skills, environment, nutrition and play makes DCSN a holistic and encouraging environment tailored to each student’s abilities.

DCSN’s curriculum is the product of teaching experience, methodical observation of children’s educational needs and a thorough consultation by each section’s teachers, therapists and other special educators working at the center. The overall aim is to encourage each student to become an independent learner, well-equipped with the skills necessary to integrate into daily life outside of DCSN.

‘Life Skills’ are a primary focus and integrated into all learning programs and activities. A separate weight is provided within the curriculum to emphasize the significance of life skills within the student’s learning process. Academic, Nursery, Pre-Vocational and Multi-Sensory departments have a specific program that is tailored to meet each student’s needs.

‘Rehabilitation’ through Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy and Physiotherapy plays a vital role in the success of the curriculum and is essential in helping students overcome mental, physical, social/emotional and behavioral challenges.

Additionally, the curriculum covers other fundamental domains that are central to educating students at DCSN, including: literacy and numeracy, science and themed activities, arts and humanities, work placements, leisure activities, multi-sensory, PE/swimming and computer/IT. Both social and emotional maturity is endorsed as part of the learning experience at the center.

Children learn most of their early concepts through play and ‘trial and error’. Designed to cater for the needs of young children between the ages of four and seven years old, our Nursery section is primarily geared towards play-based learning.

So that we can offer the best possible program, we utilize a multi-sensory approach which uses components from various teaching methods such as Montessori and Conductive Education.

The Academic section is a curriculum-based program which responds to the needs of students aged between seven and eighteen years old. We focus on academic learning with emphasis on all developmental skill areas such as self-help, social skills and safety.

Reasoning, problem solving and generalization are the keys to success and this program offers a wide range of opportunities to harness these abilities.

As our students approach the end of their academic studies at DCSN, they begin pre-vocational training. Students in this section are actively involved in work placements that promote social interaction and work skills, facilitating independence and integration into society.

Involving visits to various organizations within the community, students experience professional settings and have the opportunity to exercise their vocational skills preparing them for life outside of DCSN. Through the placements, our pre-vocational students concentrate on sharpening skills that will prove valuable to them when they look for work, which is critical to achieving their ultimate goal of independence.