The Quebec government is rethinking how it integrates children with special needs into regular classrooms, because of teachers' concerns about overload.

Liberal Premier Jean Charest floated the idea at a party meeting over the weekend.

Quebec teachers' associations say integrating special needs students in regular classrooms — sometimes up to 10 at a time — isn't working.

"I could have within that 10 students some who have learning difficulties, some students who have attention deficit disorder, a student who is autistic or two, students that have other kinds of disabilities, maybe some kind of language problem, or maybe some auditory processing problem," said Ruth Rosenfield, president of the Montreal Teachers Association.

"Sometimes my classroom can resemble, not even a three-, but an eight-ring circus.

Quebec's Education Ministry is aware of problems created when "too many young kids with different difficulties are in the same class," said Education Minister Michelle Courchesne. "Maybe we need to change the way we work with them."

The government has no intention of pulling special needs students out of classes altogether, but to create additional support for teachers. Courchesne added.

Some parents with special needs children are concerned the government may move too fast to change the system, to the detriment of students.

It's also essential to maintain mixed classes, said Desiree Chaker, a parent.

"It will affect their self-esteem, because they will be marked as different or odd, so every child likes to feel like they're normal," said Chaker, who also works with the Learning Disability Association of Quebec.

The Education Ministry is studying various proposals, Courchesne said.