臺灣特殊教育之發展已有一百二十餘年歷史，可概分為啟蒙植基、實驗推廣、法制建置、蓬勃發展和精緻轉型等五個時期。總結其發展脈絡，由無到有，由有到好；由關懷少數盲、聾者到所有特殊教育需求學生；由人道思想出發，轉變為人民的基本教育權利，並立法保障；先有教養機構，再有特殊學校、特殊班、資源教室方案，再進到多元化安置及融合教育的實施。臺灣特殊教育政策基於特教學理、特教法案、世界潮流與本土的文化背景和社會需求，逐漸形成。依據《特殊教育法》（2013），其主要特色有優障兼容（但以障礙為重）、保障特教經費預算、免費身心障礙教育向下延伸至二歲、家長參與權法制化、個別化教育計畫法制化、加強學制、課程與教學的彈性等。

The history of special education in Taiwan is over 120 years old. Its evolutional process can be divided into five periods, namely, the beginning, the experimental, the legalization, the growth, and the transformation. In general, the special education in Taiwan has developed from nothing to existence, and then to being better; from caring few blind and deaf individuals to serving all students with special educational needs; from exclusive humanistic concern to fundamental education right protected by law; from institutional care to educational services provided by special schools, special classes, as well as resources class programs, and to multiple placement and inclusive education. Special education policies in Taiwan are formed gradually in the context of special education principle, legislation, global trend, and local cultural background and social needs. According to the Special Education Law Amendments (2013), special education policies in Taiwan are characterized by the following important features: Combining education for the disabled and education for the gifted/talented in one law with an obvious emphasis on the former, allocating certain funds for special education in budgeting, extending free public education for children with disabilities to children as young as two years old, mandating parental participation and due process, legitimating the implementation of individualized education program (IEP), adopting flexible schooling, curriculum, and instruction, and so on.