Inclusive Education

The challenges of an inclusive education system

Education for All, 2015? … where are the marginalised children, amongst whom disabled children are the most forgotten?

Universal Primary Education – free for all by 2015 … but inclusive?

The Fast Track Initiative …on track for disabled children?

Context

77 million children worldwide excluded from education

1/3 of those of those are disabled

Less than 10% disabled children worldwide attend school (UNESCO estimate)

Reality for the world’s children

Extreme poverty

Harsh environment - physical, social, economic & political

Cultural beliefs and traditions about disability

Stereotyping and discriminationLack of understandingLack of skillsLimited resources Inappropriate organisation

The main obstacles to IE

Global education context

1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (art.23, 28 29)

1990 World Declaration on Education For All, Jomtien

1993 UN Standard Rules for the equalisation of opportunities for persons with disabilities

1994 World Conference on Special Needs Education (Access and Quality), Salamanca

2000 World Declaration on Education For All, Dakar

2000 Millennium Development Goal 2Universal Primary Education by 2015

2006 UN Convention on Rights of Disabled people 2006 (Education Article 24)

Education: key messages

Education is both a right in itself and a means of realising other rights

A basic education is necessary to realise civil, political and economic rights

Education is the main method of human, economic and social development, benefiting both the individual and society at the same time

A process that is responsive to the diverse needs of all learners through increase in the participation of learners and through reduction of exclusion from and through education

A dynamic approach to positively respond to the diversity of students and to view their individual differences not as problems but as opportunities to enrich learning

The right to education is at the centre of the notion of Inclusive Education

Inclusive Education: definitions

Inclusive Education: key messages

IE is a process and goal towards Education For All

IE is about changing the school systems

IE is part of a broader goal towards an inclusive society

Source: Sue Stubbs, Where there are few Resources (2002)

Moving forward towards

inclusive education…

Separate education systems

Children changing to fit the system

An inclusive system

LEVELS OF INTERVENTION

Disabled children, who should be offered an equal right to education

Parents, who should be supported to respond to the educational desires and needs of their disabled children

Communities, who should raise awareness of the potential of people with disabilities

Governments, which should develop and apply inclusive education policies

Children and family LEVEL

Promotion of self-advocacy groups for disabled and non-disabled children

Meetings for information and consultation with parents

Identification, consultation and referral of disabled children (Assistive learning devices)

Supporting children to enrol in schools Collaboration with DPOs

FAMILY AND COMMUNITYLEVEL

Collaboration with DPOs Creation of awareness raising teams Production of information and resources Awareness raising activities for the general

public and village leaders Impact assessments

SCHOOL LEVEL

Making schools

physically accessible

Adapting teaching

and learning resources

WORKING WITH TEACHERS

• Facilitating teacher training• Forming resource centres on practical inclusive

education in mainstream schools: Pedagogical aspects – individual projects,

differentialised education Collaboration between professionals (sharing

equipment, peer support, problem resolution)• Development of initial teacher training modules• Collecting specialised resources

GOVERNMENT AND AUTHORITY LEVEL• Advocacy• Awareness raising among education executives

(national and local)• Support in creating inclusive education services at

the level of basic education• Support in creating action plans• Support in creating interministerial committees• Management training among those responsible for

school integration• Support in establishing resource banks

Learning from positive examples of Inclusive Education

What does inclusion look like…?

Working together towards anInclusive Education for All!