From defectology towards inclusive education

Siauliai, LithuaniaOctober 28, 2010

Inclusive education:

Including all children in schools

Including all children in mainstream schools

How far is inclusive education being achieved in developed countries?

Can address this question through international comparisons

There is no international agreement on what “Special Education” means

OECD set out to create a definition

Those children receiving additional resources to access the curriculum

Data gathered using this definition varies widely from country to country but can be broken down into 3 broad categories:

Disabilities Learning Difficulties Disadvantages

Disability

Those with organic pathologies. Educational need arises mainly from

problems associated with these disabilities.

Learning Difficulties

Those with behavioural or emotional disorders or specific learning difficulties.

Educational need arises mainly from problems in the interaction between the student and the educational context.

Disadvantages

Those with problems arising mainly from socio-economic or cultural/linguistic factors.

The educational need is to compensate for the disadvantage associated with these factors.

CROSS-NATIONAL CATEGORY A- DISABILITIES -

Number of students receiving additional resources over the period of compulsory education in cross-national category A as a percentage of all students in compulsory education

CROSS-NATIONAL CATEGORY B- LEARNING DIFFICULTIES -

Number of students receiving additional resources over the period of compulsory education in cross-national category B as a percentage of all students in compulsory education

CROSS-NATIONAL CATEGORY C- DISADVANTAGES -

Number of students receiving additional resources over the period of compulsory education in cross-national category C as a percentage of all students in compulsory education

CROSS-NATIONAL CATEGORY A- DISABILITIES / LOCATION -

Percentages of students receiving additional resources over the period of compulsory education in cross-national category A by location, 2005

CROSS-NATIONAL CATEGORY B- LEARNING DIFFICULTIES / LOCATION -

Percentages of students receiving additional resources over the period of compulsory education in cross-national category B by location, 2005

CROSS-NATIONAL CATEGORY C- DISADVANTAGES / LOCATION -

Percentages of students receiving additional resources over the period of compulsory education in cross-national category C by location, 2005

Table showing proportions of children with disabilities and learning difficulties in compulsory education in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, 2005-2006Lithuan

iaLatvia

Estonia

OECD median

Children with

Disabilities‘A’

Percent total

4.31 3.99 3.53 2.72

Percent

regular

classes

70 5 11

Children with

Difficulties

‘B’

Percent total

9.1 2.5 14.8 4.13

Percent

regular

classes

98 72 88

The structure for supporting children with special needs in Lithuania Education:

Special commissions in schools Pedagogical-Psychological Services National Centre for Special Needs Education

and Psychology Teacher training (in-service and pre-service)

that gives teachers skills Parental involvement

Health: Child Development Centres

Conclusions

Although there are some children with disabilities still at home and in boarding institutions, the vast majority are in schools

Most children with disabilities in ‘A’ were in special schools pre-1990, the majority now (70%) are in regular schools

This provision is significantly different from Latvia and Estonia

Conclusions

There is a comprehensive set of services and in-school specialised support that are improving all of the time

It has taken 20 years with substantial financial, political and technical support to get this far

There has also been strong parental and professional commitment to creating inclusive education

Conclusions

The evidence shows that these policies and practices are working to create inclusive education

Policies for the future intend to increase the amount of inclusion of children with disabilities in regular schools; and

To continue to change the services offered by special schools.

Thank youPeter Evans

[email protected]