Accessibility of education for persons with disabilities in China: transforming special and inclusive education

Abstract

Introduction. The existing education system in the modern world is built on the principles of ensuring equal accessibility to all citizens of the right to receive education, regardless of their functional capabilities. In China, over the past 30 years, the concept of integrated education has made some progress. At the same time, the Chinese educational system is constantly looking for adequate solutions to eliminate barriers in the education of people with disabilities. Purpose setting. The purpose of the article is to analyze the effectiveness of the stages of development and improvement of special and inclusive forms of education aimed at eliminating existing problems of discrimination against persons with disabilities, respect for the rights and learning opportunities for persons with disabilities. Methodology of the study. A theoretical review based on the materials of Chinese and foreign authors is presented, which explains the long-term aspects of the formation and development in the PRC of accessible forms of education for schoolchildren and students with special educational needs. Results. The gradual development of the pedagogical method – «education in one class», only in the recent past, has been formed into a relatively complete integrated system of school education, which is inseparable from the guiding ideology and institutional guarantees of Chinese inclusive education. The symbiosis of general and higher vocational education adapted to the needs of people with disabilities ultimately allows Chinese citizens to better integrate into society, creating an atmosphere of equality and tolerance. Conclusion. It is shown that the innovative process in the field of formation of inclusive education depends entirely on the strategy of Chinese state policy, which considers the priority of the progressive stable economic and social development of the country.