Special Ed, when I was in elementary school, was for kids with physical disabilities or mental retardation that couldn't function in a normal classrolm setting and required more one-on-one attention with their teachers.
We had remedial classes for slower learners, but our SE was always for kids that couldn't be placed in a mainstream classroom and expected to keep up with the other kids. We had a buddy system called Circle of Friends that paired up "normal" kids with special ed kids for lunch and recess; it was mainly helping them navigate the halls and making sure other kids weren't bullying or taking advantage.
It was a really cool program, you felt like the super elite to be trusted by the teachers of both classes to be the guide and example for another student.
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