EFFECTIVE EFFECTIVE SCHOOL: SCHOOL: INCLUDING SPECIAL INCLUDING SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN NEEDS CHILDREN AND AND MEETING THEIR NEEDSMEETING THEIR NEEDS

Nijolė Margelevičienė, LithuaniaDES I-2, Palencia, Spain, 2013

All countries are at: … different points of the journey to inclusion signposted by the Salamanca statement … (Peacey, 2006)

From exclusion to From exclusion to inclusioninclusion

((Christer Ohlin)Christer Ohlin)Denial

Acceptance

Understanding

Knowledge

Exclusion

Segregation

Integration

Participation/inclusion

Regular schools with an inclusive orientation are the most effective means of -combating discriminatory attitudes, -creating welcoming communities,-building an inclusive society-achieving education for all-provide an effective education to the majority of children <...>.

Salamanca Conference, 1994

Difference between Difference between integration and inclusionintegration and inclusion

INTEGRATION

children have to adapt to school and the general educating programs

INCLUSION

children have the right to participate at general educating programs and schools

school has the duty to adopt the child

Inclusive education is a process of strengthening the capacity of the education system to reach out to all learners ... As an overall principle, it should guide all education policies and practices, starting from the fact that education is a basic human right and the foundation for a more just and equal society

UNESCO, 2009

Education for all pre-school and school children with physical and mental impairment to be given at home, in the regular and special classrooms of general education schools or special schools as close to the family location as possible.

The Law on Education (1991)

Education shall be compulsory for persons under the age of 16

Article 41The Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania

Education for all pre-school and school children with physical and mental impairment to be given at home, in the regular and special classrooms of general education schools or special schools as close to the family location as possible.

The Law on Education (1991)

Pupils at special Pupils at special schoolsschools

1990 - 11 359

2012 - 3 826

20122012Total number of pupils – 387 227

Pupils at special schools – 3 826

Pupils with special needs Pupils with special needs at general education at general education

schoolsschools

2005 – 9,4 %

2011 – 11,9 %

Children with special needs are those who have limited possibilities to take part in their educational process and social life because of their inborn or acquired disorders (1998)

Children with special needs Children with special needs (2002)(2002)Mental disordersLearning

disabilitiesDisorders of

behavior, emotions and social development

Speech disordersSeeing disorders

Hearing disorders

Movement disorders

Chronic somatic and neurological diseases

Complex disorders

Other disorders

Children with special educational needs require help and facilities regarding their exceptional abilities, inborn or acquired disorders or unfavorable environmental factors (2011)

Children with special Children with special educational needs (2011)educational needs (2011)Children having disorders

Children having disabilities

Children having learning difficulties

Children having disordersChildren having disordersMental disordersSeeing disordersHearing disordersUsers of coclear implantMovement and neurological disordersDiverse development disorders

(autism... )Hearing and seeing disordersComplex disorders

Children having Children having disabilitiesdisabilities

Learning disabilitiesBehavioral and emotional disorders

Speech and language disorders

Complex disabilities

Children having learning Children having learning difficultiesdifficultiesLearning in non native language or

living in other cultural/linguistic environment

Slowdown in the developmentHaving health problemsExperiencing unfavourable

environmental factorsExperiencing emotional crisisDo not realizing exeptional abilities

Minister of Education and Minister of Education and Science of LithuaniaScience of Lithuania

Procedure of determination of special educational needs

Procedure of organization of education of learners with special educational needs

Evaluation of learners' Evaluation of learners' special educational needsspecial educational needsPrimary evaluation - Child welfare commission (school)

Evaluation from pedagogical, psychological, medicinal and socio-pedagogical aspects - Pedagogical psychological service (municipality)

Special educational needs Special educational needs

minor moderate major severe

Criteria (1)Criteria (1)

The amount of the program content modification

The learner’s achievementsApplying the education methods and ways

Selection of textbooks and application of teaching materials

Criteria (2)Criteria (2)The need for technical equipment (means) for education

The need for special educator’s support

The need for special supportThe need for psychological support

The need for social educator‘s support

Education of learners with special educational needs shall be implemented by all schools that provide compulsory and universally available education, other education providers and, in certain cases, by schools (classes) designated for education of learners with special educational needs

Law on Education, 2011

Meeting the needs of Meeting the needs of childrenchildren

adapting the learning environment

planning and organising educational process

cooperating with family and the community

welcoming diversity

Meeting the needs of Meeting the needs of childrenchildren

adapting the learning environment

planning and organising educational process

cooperating with family and the community

welcoming diversity

Adapting the learning Adapting the learning environmentenvironment

physical environment

social environment

General considerations for General considerations for arranging the physical arranging the physical

environment environment safe and barrier-free environment

proper arrangement of light, noise level, ventilation

comfortable and attractive furniture

Environmental Environmental adaptations for children adaptations for children with seeing disorders with seeing disorders

Floor contrast for mobility ease Contrast to define borders on walls

Convenient use and storage of materials

To warn about the changes

What to observeWhat to observeLighting

Glare

Color contrast

Compensatory equipment

Environmental Environmental adaptations for children adaptations for children with hearing disorderswith hearing disorders

SeatingPossibility to see lipsReducing noiseIncreasing visual information

Environmental adaptations Environmental adaptations for children with for children with movement movement

disordersdisordersLiftsRampsWider doorwaysHandrailsNonskid floor surfacesFlexible furnitureSpecialized equipment and

technologies for reading, writing etc.

Meeting the needs of Meeting the needs of childrenchildren

adapting the learning environment

planning and organising educational process

cooperating with family and the community

welcoming diversity

PPlanning and organising lanning and organising educational processeducational process

adapting the curriculum drawing up individual educational programme for each child

applying appropriate teaching methodology

using appropriate teaching material

having extra time for individual work with the child

Educational supportEducational support

What to teach?

How to teach?

TeachersTeachersSupport the idea

Problems:- ability to use new teaching methods - ability to establish partnership

Individual educational Individual educational programme programme

Meet unique needs

Encourage self-esteem and motivation

Develop the skills that would compensate the impaired functions

Vaineta VerbanovaitėVaineta Verbanovaitė

School – multifunctional School – multifunctional centre „Žiburėlis“centre „Žiburėlis“

210 children

Basic teachingPre- school educationNon formal education

School – multifunctional School – multifunctional centre „Žiburėlis“centre „Žiburėlis“

TeachersPsychologistSocial educator 2 speach terapistsMovement therapistSpecial educatorSpecialists for children with

hearing and seeing disorders

Teaching should be a flexible Teaching should be a flexible mix ofmix ofWhole class instructionsMixed ability groupsAbility groupsIndividual attention if possible.

APPLESCHILD AND NATURE

MY SCHOOLMY SCHOOLThink about your school (the one

you attended or are working now). Was (is) it good for learners with special educational needs? Use the criteria to evaluate if the school was inclusive.

Tell about it to your group. Compare your experiences and discuss them among the group.

OUR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLOUR INCLUSIVE SCHOOL(from the point of view of your (from the point of view of your

group)group)

Design an inclusive school of your group.

Discuss and decide on 3-5 actions you would do to make the school more inclusive for the learners with special educational needs.