Okay, I guess I wasn't clear.
The schools in any US state I've ever lived in have used the term "special ed" to describe kids who were slower learners.
I checked the Wikipedia. Here's what it says:
Common special needs include challenges with learning, communication challenges, emotional and behavioral disorders, physical disabilities, and developmental disorders.[1] Students with these kinds of special needs are likely to benefit from additional educational services such as different approaches to teaching, use of technology, a specifically adapted teaching area, or resource room.
Intellectual giftedness is a difference in learning and can also benefit from specialized teaching techniques or different educational programs, but the term "special education" is generally used to specifically indicate instruction of students whose special needs reduce their ability to learn independently or in an ordinary classroom, and gifted education is handled separately.
I was making my point in the context of this thread, especially in the case of statements being taken as bragging. I could see that saying,
"My child is in special ed" or
"I have a special needs child" could be taken as veiled bragging or as an attempt to make a cognitively wealthy child appear to have the same very difficult challenges as kids who are cognitively poor and traditionally labelled as special ed. To me, this just seems a bit insensitive.
"My child needs special education. It's so difficult."
"Yes, us too. It's difficult, and school is a real challenge for some kids. Where does she go to school?"
"Oh...the magnet school for highly gifted kids."
cf"We really need some help with financial planning. It's so difficult."
"Yes, us too. Costs are high and it can be a real challenge for some families. Is this for paying for college?"
"Oh...we need to set up a trust fund for our kids."
I know that gifted kids face problems. But they just aren't in the same league as someone with a significant (or even mild) developmental disorder.
