Attitude of Russia and Mongolia’s student youth towards students with disabilities as a condition for the formation of the inclusive educational environment

Abstract

The article is devoted to the problem of formation of tolerant attitude to the disabled with special educational needs among students studying humanitarian, social and engineering professions (Trans-Baikal State University, Russia) and medical professions (Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Mongolia). The authors reveal the peculiarities of understanding disability as a social problem that must be solved by the modern society. The authors suggest that educational institutions should become the main centers to educate young people to be tolerant to people in need of assistance. The presence of an inclusive educational environment supports the effective cooperation of all students, as well as the integration and socialization of students with special educational needs. In the article special attention is paid to individual, value attitudes of students and their world view in relation to special students. The aim of the study is to determine the comparative features of the attitude of Russian and Mongolian students towards their fellow students with special educational needs. The study was attended by 315 students. The author questionnaire included three sets of questions: socio-demographic, knowledge of disability in countries, comparative indicators of tolerance for the disabled, and willingness to cooperate with groupmates with special educational needs. The average level of students’ understanding of the need to create special educational conditions was revealed. The practical significance of the work is determined by the possibility to use the results obtained in the development of programs and projects related to inclusive education and tolerance.