Ever since the school year 1997 – 1998 the project ‘Gewoon Anders’ ( Just Different) has started in Almere. The intention of this project is to give as many mentally handicapped persons a place in the ordinary primary education. The idea which lies behind this project is that mentally handicapped children should have the same school-time as their age buddies.
With placing one or more mentally handicapped children on a primary school, they look to the possibilities which the school is able to provide as well as the restriction which the handicap can bring along. The project aims itself on kids with a serious handicap, which normally are appointed to a school for special education outside Almere. With this, you can think of children with a mental or physical handicap. Or think of children who have a sensory handicap (blind, deaf, with imperfect eyesight or with an impaired hearing), children who are ill for a long lasting period and children with serious language handicaps. But also children with serious behaviour difficulties and children who are receiving an intensive psychiatry therapy are aims of this project.

There are three sorts of educations in ordinary schools with Just Different in Almere:

1. Child is in the group.
The child is in a regular class with children who are not mentally handicapped. It does get special attention when needed.

2. Group in the school.
The children with a mental or physical handicap go together in one (small) class. This class has got a class room in an ordinary school. They do activities with other children of that school, like week closing.

3. Group belongs to the school.
This group does belong to the school, but they do not do a lot of activities with the school, because that is not possible. Yet, there is contact with a primary school. This is the case for instance for children who are ill for a long lasting period or with psychiatric problems, who also receive an intensive therapy. When the child is getting better mentally, than he can go back to its previous ordinary school.