Inclusive Education For Students Research Articles

A critical consideration of the changing conditions of schooling for students with disabilities in Greece and the fragility of international in local contexts

ABSTRACTThe Salamanca Statement is held as a high-water mark in the history of the global development of inclusive education. It represented agreements bringing together representatives from 92 governments and 25 international organisations to advocate for a more inclusive education for students with disabilities. Since 1994 the Salamanca Statement has been referred to by international education organisations, national education jurisdictions, and disability advocacy organisations as a foundation for progressing inclusive education. In this respect the Salamanca Statement has been important for the inclusive education and Education for All [UNESCO 1998. From Special Needs Education to Education for All: Discussion Paper for the International Consultative Forum on Education for All. Paris: UNESCO] movements. However, international agreements and conventions are fragile in the face of local contingencies and become difficult to apply. We examine the case of inclusive education in Greece to reflect on this complex relationship between international aspirations and the real politic of individual nation states. Greece, like other nations, has embraced the discourse of inclusive education and its successive governments can demonstrate policy activity and public expenditure on the education of disabled students. This is remarkable in a climate of ‘crisis’ and ‘austerity’ where the only investment in the teaching workforce is in the area of inclusive education. However, is Greek education more inclusive in practice as well as rhetoric?

The Impact of Funding Models on the Education of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder

AbstractCurrently, there is no consensus as how best to fund inclusive education for students with autism spectrum disorder. In this narrative review, we examined a range of funding models internationally in an attempt to identify the range of best practices for resourcing inclusive education. Three databases were searched along with various policy documents to identify the range of existing funding models. Three models of input, throughput, and output funding were identified from which 7 key considerations were extrapolated to provide what was expected to be relevant information to policymakers, researchers, and educators seeking to discover effective ways to fund inclusive education for students with autism spectrum disorder.

Sherry: “inclusion” interpreted through a life-story lens

In the United States, educational inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities is relatively new. It was not until 1975 that the right to a “free appropriate public education” for children with disabilities was recognized, and not until 1990 that adults with disabilities were granted equal employment opportunities. Arguably, systems still exist that exclude and oppress individuals with significant intellectual disabilities. This study is about the life of one person with an intellectual disability who was born before federal laws existed in the United States and who was not granted a "free and appropriate public education” in her home community, leading to a life experience quite atypical than the lives experienced by many adults with disabilities residing in the United States. Two primary findings are shared. First, the lives of people with intellectual disabilities can be meaningful and filled with dignity, yet society’s lack of support, norms for behavior, and low expectations around disability act as a perpetual barrier. Second, “inclusion” represents much more than the sharing of a physical space.

Transformaciones socioculturales generadas por la convivencia de los niños, adolescentes y jóvenes con trastornos de Espectro autista

El presente trabajo es una investigación cuanti-cualitativa sobre la educación inclusiva en los centros educativos de El Salvador. Las administraciones de los presidentes Mauricio Funes 2009-2014 y Salvador Sánchez 2014-2019, han llevado consigo una serie de talleres de sensibilización en el Ministerio de Educación de El Salvador de aquí en adelante (MINED) sobre la inclusión educativa de estudiantes con autismo, así como también asociaciones como Angelitos, Asociación de Autismo de El Salvador de aquí en adelante (ASA), Music Time e instituciones que forman parte del Sistema Salud como el Instituto Salvadoreño de Rehabilitación Integral de aquí en adelante (ISRI) y el Hospital Bloom. Sin embargo, no existe un programa interinstitucional que permita llevar un control de los procesos educativos de los estudiantes con autismo. A pesar de las limitaciones institucionales, los estudiantes con el Trastorno de Espectro Autista de aquí en adelante (TEA), padres de familia, especialistas de la salud, instituciones gubernamentales y las asociaciones han sabido construir una cultura de Educación Inclusiva, la cual debe de ser fortalecida por un programa gubernamental en El Salvador.

Готовность преподавателей высшей школы к инклюзивному образованию

Higher education of persons with disabilities and persons with disabilities is among the priorities of the state and society. The solution of the task of vocational education and employment of people with disabilities is determined by a complex of interrelated factors, including the readiness of university staff to implement the practice of inclusive higher education. Teachers engaged in the inclusive education of students with disabilities must have certain professional characteristics. According to the professional standard, the list of professional competencies of a higher education teacher weakly reveals the specifics of the activities of a specialist in the area of inclusive higher education. Available studies confirm the need for a deeper study of the issue of diagnostics and the formation of readiness of university teachers for professional activities in an inclusive education. The long-term studies described in the article were based on the hypothesis that training university teachers for professional activities in an inclusive education environment should include a full cycle of activities including screening diagnostics, the implementation of an additional education program, group support and advisory support, and dynamic tracking of the level of readiness. The study was implemented from 2013 to 2019. The total sample of the study was 562 people, teachers and employees of 25 universities of the North-West Federal District. A representative sample of the study was 327 people, teachers and staff who went through all stages of the study. The results of the study make it possible to assess the readiness of higher school teachers for professional activities in an inclusive education from pre-readiness to inclusive readiness inclusive. The results of the formative part of the study showed that the general and specific personality characteristics that determine the success of activities in the field of inclusive higher education arise in the process of special education, professional activity in the context of inclusion and with mandatory support of teachers from the staff of inclusive education resource centers. This leads to an increase in the proportion of university teachers who have a positive attitude towards inclusive education, demonstrating productive coping strategies, an optimal, advanced and acceptable level of readiness for inclusive higher education.

Ресурсный учебно-методический центр по обучению инвалидов как ресурс развития инклюзии в вузе

The article analyses the activities of the Resource Training and Methodological Centre for the Education of Disabled Persons and Persons with Disabilities (hereinafter referred to as the RUC) at the university on the basis of which it was established. The data of monitoring studies and questionnaires conducted by the RUC in 2017–2018 on parameters that are today key in assessing the state of higher inclusive education in any university of the Russian Federation are given. The analysis of a condition of the main activities of RUMTs in higher education institution is carried out. On the basis of the generalization and systematization of the data, the specifics of the work of the center within the university on the basis of which it was created are determined. The problems identified as a result of monitoring studies and questionnaires have led to the identification of the main paths of further activities of the RUC at the university on the basis of which it was established. Inclusive education of students with disabilities is the most important factor in the activation of resources of all subjects of the educational process, including structural divisions of the university, which accompany the process of education of this category of students. The synthesis of the types of works implemented in 2016–2018 and the implementation of monitoring studies by the Resource Educational and Methodological Center for the Education of Disabled Persons and Persons with Disabilities of the Ministry of Health makes it possible to speak about the significant role of this center in the development of the inclusive educational environment of the university.

Бариери пред ефективното обучение на учениците с тежки и дълбоки множествени увреждания в България и фламандската част на Белгия

The education of students with severe and profound multiple disabilities is one of the most discussed topics in the contemporary special education worldwide. The educational systems seek to create and implement effective models of organization of the educational process in order to ensure access to education and qualitative support for personal development. This article aims to present the educational inclusion of students with severe and profound multiple disabilities in Bulgaria and Flanders and discusses the barriers to effective education of children based on empirical study of the views and opinions of pedagogical specialists in both educational systems.

THE INCLUSION OF VISUALLY IMPAIRED STUDENTS IN A LEBANESE PRIVATE SCHOOL: A CASE STUDY

The current status of inclusive education for students with low vision in Lebanon is ambiguous. This is due to a scarcity of available studies on the topic. This paper aims to identify the opportunities and challenges pertaining to the proper implementation of inclusive education for this subgroup in Lebanon. Also, it aims to provide recommendations regarding the proper implementation of inclusive education, as well as overcoming the challenges identified. The paper begins with an introduction to the topic, portraying the importance of the study, and detailing its significance. A case study of one private school in Lebanon is presented, and interviews with 14 individuals with different titles are performed as per the qualitative research methodology. This will help to elucidate and clarify the opportunities and challenges of inclusive education. Interview results are presented in codified form, and are then discussed in reference to available literature to provide recommendations. These include, but are not limited to; increased governmental funding for inclusive education programs; increased teacher training in inclusive education; increased community involvement in the development of inclusive programs; and increased awareness regarding low vision and inclusive education in Lebanese communities.

THE EVALUATION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IMPLEMENTATION FOR STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY IN VICTORY PLUS PRIMARY SCHOOL

This research aims to evaluate the implementation of inclusive education for students with intellectual disability in a primary school. There are eight sub-focus of this research: the profile of students with intellectual disability, the teacher’s competencies, the curriculum being used, the facilities, the learning process, the evaluation being used, the parents, and the supporting and challenging factors. This research was carried out in Sekolah Dasar Victory Plus, located in Bekasi, West Java province, Indonesia, involving 3 students who have been diagnosed as intellectually disabled. One with IQ score of 65 (in grade 4), one with IQ score of 66 (in grade 1) and one with IQ score of 68 (in grade three). It is conducted using qualitative evaluation method to get detailed and thorough descriptions. The data used in this research are derived from interviews, observations, and documentations analysis. Research findings show that the school has been trying to provide effective inclusive education for students with intellectual disability. The effort is apparent from the presence of shadow teachers who are assigned by the school to guide the students with intellectual disability in the teaching and learning process. However, in general, it can be concluded that the implementation of inclusive education in this school has not been undertaken optimally, specifically related to curriculum modification, the presence of special education teacher, and also the facilities. It needs a strong commitment from the school, the government, and the society to fulfill the requirements in implementing an effective inclusive education. Article visualizations:

Educational inclusion of students with rare diseases: Schooling students with spina bifida

Accessible Summary We talked to students with spina bifida and their families about how to improve their schooling. We identified five areas for improvement: accessibility, times of transition, personal attitude, educational response and coordinated work. They told us that coordinated work between professionals is essential to facilitate their schooling. AbstractBackgroundMore and more voices have pointed out the need to improve the quality of life of people with rare diseases. Given the diversity of this group, we wanted to focus on the educational context for students with spina bifida (SB). The purpose was to analyse these people's experiences in the school context with the aim of fostering good practices resulting in higher quality education.MethodologyIt was conducted based on the qualitative methodology of focus groups to give a voice to students with SB and their families.ResultsWe identified five areas for improvement: accessibility, times of transition, personal attitude, educational response and coordinated work.ConclusionsThe main conclusion was that the responsibility for educational needs lies not only with the teacher or the school. It is necessary to work together, not only on the part of professionals in the educational context, but also between professionals from different contexts (educational, medical and social) and between school and families.

Possibilities of Inclusive Education for Students With Special Educational Needs

There are approximately 800 million young children worldwide affected by biological, environmental and psychosocial conditions that can limit their cognitive development. In Europe, recent estimates place the number of children with special educational needs (SEN) at 15 million. Conservative estimates state that dyslexia, a learning disability that impedes a person’s ability to read, affects approximately 6 percent of Europe’s population, whilst the prevalence of autistic spectrum disorders is also estimated to be higher than previously thought. Children with SEN frequently leave school with few qualifications and are much more likely to become unemployed or economically inactive. Children with SEN are children first and have much in common with other children of the same age. There are many aspects to a child’s development that make up the whole child, including-personality, the ability to communicate (verbal and non-verbal), resilience and strength, the ability to appreciate and enjoy life and the desire to learn. Each child has individual strengths, personality and experiences so particular disabilities will impact differently on individual children. A child’s special educational need should not define the whole child. Presented paper briefly introduces different categories of special educational needs and subsequently describies inclusive education as a concept potentially successful for their academic and vocational performance.

Inclusive Education for Students with Disability

This paper identifies and discusses major issues and trends in special education in Indonesia, including implications of trends for the future developments. Trends are discussed for the following areas: (1) inclusion and integration, issues will remain unresolved in the near future; (2) early childhood and postsecondary education with disability students, special education will be viewed as lifespan schooling; (3) transitions and life skills, these will receive greater emphasis; and (4) consultation and collaboration, more emphasis but problems remain. Moreover, the participant of the study in this paper was an autism student of twelve years old who lived at Maguwoharjo, Yogyakarta. This study was qualitative with case study as an approach of the research. The researchers conclude the autism that has good academic, communication and emotional skill are able to go to integrated school accompanied by guidance teacher. But in practice, inclusive education in Indonesia is inseparable from stakeholders ranging from government and institutions such as schools, educators, school environment, community and parents to support the goal of inclusive education itself. Adequate infrastructure also needs to be given to the school that organizes inclusive education for an efficient and effective students understanding learning-oriented of inclusive education. In short, every child has the same opportunity in education, yet for special education which is aimed at student with special educational needs.

Teachers’ perceptions and attitudes on the inclusive education of students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD): A literature review

Οι ερευνητές πραγματοποίησαν μια ανασκόπηση της βιβλιογραφίας για τις αντιλήψεις και στάσεις των εκπαιδευτικών για την ένταξη των μαθητών/ριών με Διαταραχές Αυτιστικού Φάσματος (ΔΑΦ). Για να βρουν τις σχετικές με το θέμα έρευνες διεξήγαγαν αναζήτηση στις βάσεις δεδομένων ERIC, PsychLIT, EBSCO, Medline, και PubMed με τις λέξεις-κλειδιά «Εκπαιδευτικοί», «Αντιλήψεις», «Στάσεις», και «Παιδιά με Αυτισμό». Από την αναζήτηση βρέθηκαν 55 ερευνητικά άρθρα, μεταπτυχιακές και διδακτορικές διατριβές σχετικά με το θέμα τους. Τα αποτελέσματα έδειξαν ότι η πλειοψηφία των εκπαιδευτικών έχει περιορισμένη ή ανεπαρκή γνώση και βασικές παρανοήσεις σχετικά με τις Διαταραχές Αυτιστικού Φάσματος. Επίσης, οι εκπαιδευτικοί είχαν αρνητικές στάσεις απέναντι στην ένταξη των μαθητών/ριών με αυτισμό. Από την άλλη πλευρά, λιγότεροι/ες εκπαιδευτικοί φάνηκε ότι έχουν θετικές στάσεις στην ένταξη αυτών των μαθητών/ριών. Ένα μεγάλο ποσοστό των εκπαιδευτικών φάνηκε να έχει διαφορετικές στάσεις/απόψεις για τον αυτισμό. Επιπλέον, η ανασκόπηση έδειξε ότι μερικοί/ές εκπαιδευτικοί τείνουν να έχουν ουδέτερες στάσεις προς την ένταξη αυτής της ομάδας μαθητών/ριών. Επιπλέον, αρκετοί/ές εκπαιδευτικοί αντιλαμβάνονται τους/τις μαθητές/ριες με αυτισμό διαφορετικά από τους/τις τυπικά αναπτυσσόμενους/ες μαθητές/τριες. Η έρευνα αυτή υποδεικνύει ότι οι εκπαιδευτικοί πρέπει να λάβουν περισσότερη κατάρτιση για τον αυτισμό και τις αποτελεσματικές εκπαιδευτικές πρακτικές για αυτούς/ές τους/τις μαθητές/ριες. Με αυτόν τον τρόπο, οι ίδιοι/ες θα αναπτύξουν θετικές στάσεις προς την εκπαιδευτική ένταξη αυτών των μαθητών/ριών.

Pre-service teachers’ attitude towards inclusive education for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Malaysia

ABSTRACTIn this study, the pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards the educational inclusion for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) were investigated to identify their attitudinal patterns and predictors. An attitudinal survey was conducted with 264 pre-service teachers in a teacher training programme in Malaysia. The study involved 151 special education pre-service teachers and 181 pre-service teachers in Special Education, Sciences, and in English teacher training programmes, in order to identify the effects of teaching specialisations and societal attitude on their inclusive education attitudinal measures. The findings revealed that the special education pre-service teachers were less in favour of the total inclusion of students with ASD in the mainstream, when compared with the non-special education pre-service teachers. The findings also revealed the combined effects of societal attitude and a categorical teacher training model in shaping the pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education for the students with ASD in Malaysia. Such combined effects offered a perspective to explain the delay in the implementation of inclusive education, and also the prospect of its future development in the Southeast Asian region.

Attitudes toward Inclusive Education: A Comparison of General and Special Education Teachers in Taiwan

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of general and special education teachers toward inclusive education of students with chronic illnesses and/or disabilities. A total of 539 participants were recruited from teachers’ colleges and public schools in three prefectures of central and southern Taiwan. The Attitudes toward Students with Chronic Illnesses and Disabilities Vignettes were used to assess the participants’ levels of acceptance of eight hypothetical students with various health issues and disabilities. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including measure of central tendency, t-test, and multivariate analysis of variance, were used to interpret the data set. Results indicate that both the types of teacher education programs and the teaching experience influence the willingness of the participants to include a student with special needs in the regular classroom setting.

Inclusive Education for Students with Hearing Impairment in the Regular Secondary Schools in the North-West Region of Cameroon: Initiatives and Challenges

Although some initiatives are implemented in the education of students with hearing impairments in the regular school, challenges are still encountered in their education. This article which is part of the results from an ongoing qualitative study in the North-West region of Cameroon addresses the different initiatives and challenges involved with including students with hearing impairment in regular schools. Interviews, participant observations as well as field notes were the main instruments used in collecting data from the six teachers and six students with hearing impairments who participated in the research. Academic support, classroom placement and the way of working of the sign language interpreters were considered the major initiatives and challenges in the education of the students with hearing impairment in regular schools. It is apparent that adequate adjustments have not been made within the schools to meet the needs of the students with hearing impairments. This hence questions their actual inclusion in the regular school.

Preparing for the inclusive classroom: changing teachers’ attitudes and knowledge

India’s educational policy on inclusive education for students with disabilities is in sync with general global developments. Especially in the last couple of years there have been significant legislative achievements towards this endeavour. However, the implementation of inclusive education remains elusive. Besides this, teachers’ preparedness for inclusion has received little attention. This survey study had two aims. Firstly, we aimed at finding or constructing a reliable instrument to measure three aspects: the attitudes, knowledge about disability and inclusive teaching methods of regular schoolteachers. Secondly, we aimed to describe the outcomes of the three aspects. For attitudes and teaching methods we found a reliable instrument, which was selected for the usage in this study. We constructed and assessed the reliability of a scale in measuring knowledge about four disabilities: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, intellectual disability and autistic spectrum disorder in pilot and main studies. The results revealed that teachers hold neutral attitudes towards inclusive education. Their knowledge about disabilities, however, was low, but knowledge about inclusive teaching methods was acceptable, which was a significant finding. The practical implications for preparing teachers to work towards inclusion are also discussed.

COMPARISON OF TEACHERS ATTITUDES TOWARDS INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA AND EUROPEAN UNION

The goal of this study is to compare the attitudes of teachers from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) and teachers from five European Union (EU) countries (Austria, Croatia, Italy, Slovenia and Germany) towards the inclusive education of students with special educational needs. The sample for this study is comprised of 110 teachers from Bosnia and Herzegovina and 110 teachers from EU. The attitudes were examined by using a questionnaire that was adapted from the Index for inclusion. The final interview protocol consisted 20 questions, which had an excellent internal consistency, Cronbach’s alpha of 0.98. A Chi square test was performed to test the differences in attitudes. The results of this study indicated highly positive attitudes towards inclusive education of EU teachers and positive attitudes of BIH teachers. EU teachers had more favourable attitudes than teachers in BIH on 18 of 20 questionnaire items. These findings were discussed in the light of previous BIH and international researches. The paper ends with a discussion for the challenges and possibilities for improvement of the inclusive education in BIH.

Perspectives of university teachers’ Regarding Inclusion of Students with Special needs at university level

Several initiatives have been taken to provide inclusive education at elementary level and secondary level but no significant step has been taken to create inclusive education at higher level. After successful implementation of Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and Inclusive Education of the Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) it is high time to ensure inclusive education at higher level of education. Being positioned at the top of the educational pyramid, universities role is crucial to make inclusive education successful. One of the most significant factors regarding inclusion of students with special needs is teachers'perspectives regarding inclusive education of at university level. This paper has used the descriptive method to study the perspectives of thirty six university teachers regarding the inclusion at university level. The findings of the study indicate that teachers have positive perspectives regarding inclusive education of students with special needs at university level.

Belonging to higher education: inclusive education for students with intellectual disabilities

The college experience in Iceland has traditionally been reserved for those who have passed the matriculation examination and meet the admission requirements of higher educational institutions. Since 2007, the University of Iceland has offered a Vocational Diploma Programme for people with intellectual disabilities in inclusive settings. The purpose of this article is to describe the diploma programme as well as exploring students’ sense of belonging to the college community. The diploma programme is located at the School of Education and students trained to work at pre-primary schools, after school clubs and within the field of disability such as self-advocacy. Inclusion has been achievable by adapting the general curriculum and learning outcomes to individual needs, flexible teaching methods and the cooperation between academic faculty members, programme coordinators, student mentors and the diploma students themselves. The diploma students receive academic and social support from student mentors who are other undergraduate students at the School of Education. The collaboration with student mentors has proven to be valuable, expanded diploma students’ social networks and contributed to a sense of belonging. Regardless of various attitudinal and structural hindrances, there is much evidence that the diploma students are not only tolerated but welcomed at the School of Education and belong to the college community.