scholarly journals Developing inclusive education in Portugal: Evidence and challenges

Prospects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 281-296
Author(s):  
Ines Alves ◽  
Paula Campos Pinto ◽  
Teresa Janela Pinto
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Statistical Data ◽  
System Level ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Education For All ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Curriculum And Pedagogy

AbstractThis article assesses evidence of and challenges to the development of inclusive education in Portugal, which is built on three pillars: access to, participation in, and achievement in education for all children and young people. It presents an overview of the present policy framework, followed by an analysis of available statistical data on Portuguese students with disabilities in mainstream schools. The article also discusses significant achievements at the policy and practice levels, namely the attempt to align curriculum and pedagogy and the presence of almost 100% of students with disabilities in mainstream schools. It also considers challenges, such as the issue of monitoring achievement (both at the student and system level) and investments in the system and in teacher education.

scholarly journals Collaborating for Inclusion: The Intersecting Roles of Teachers, Teacher Education, and School Leaders in Translating Research into Practice

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 32-50
Author(s):  
Donna McGhie-Richmond ◽  
Fizza Haider
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
System Level ◽  
Teacher Education Programs ◽  
Knowledge Mobilization ◽  
Inclusive Practices ◽  
Key Stakeholders

Despite empirical research pointing toward the positive impact of an inclusive instructional approach and practices on all students’ learning and social participation, educators and schools lag in adopting these approaches and strategies. For the purpose of knowledge mobilization, it is important to examine the factors that influence this research-to-practice gap. With this aim, we first outline the significant role of teachers and teacher education in implementing inclusive practices. We then synthesize findings from previous literature identifying both individual and contextual, system-level influences that impede the implementation of evidence-based inclusive practices by teachers. We emphasize the prominent role of school leaders in removing some of these barriers by supporting teachers and collaborating with key stakeholders. Further research is needed to explore the complex, interrelated factors that foster collaboration among school leaders, teachers, and teacher education programs in order to advance the development of truly inclusive education systems.

scholarly journals Students Direct Inclusive School Development in an Australian Secondary School: An Example of Student Empowerment

2005 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Carrington ◽  
Kris Holm
Keyword(s):  
School Culture ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
School Community ◽  
School Principal ◽  
School Development ◽  
Student Empowerment ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Inclusive School ◽  
Secondary State

This paper reports on processes employed at a secondary state high school in Australia, where students directed inclusive school development. The procedures used in the study were developed from the Index for Inclusion and included a student forum; a student presentation to parents, principal and teachers and a focus group interview with members of the school community. These procedures were designed to empower students to participate in school review and planning and evaluate the procedures developed from the Index for Inclusion. Samples of interview data from the school principal, staff, parents and the students illustrate a growing understanding of what inclusive education means for members of this school community. The research extends understandings of inclusive education in schools, from a focus on students with disabilities to a much broader philosophy that influences school culture, policy and practice for the diversity of students at the school. Discussion about feeling part of a ‘family’ in the school community and the description of the procedures linked to actions for change, provide evidence of a developing inclusive school culture that will inform educators interested in inclusive school development.

Teacher Education and Inclusivity

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah L. Alvarado ◽  
Sarah M. Salinas ◽  
Alfredo J. Artiles
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Learning Differences ◽  
Access To Books ◽  
Formative Experiences

Inclusive teacher education (ITE) defines the professional training of preservice teachers to work in learning spaces encompassing students from all circumstances, regardless of race, linguistic background, gender, socioeconomic status, and special education needs (SEN). This preparation includes the content, pedagogy, and formative experiences required for teachers to work in inclusive schools. To fully understand ITE, it is necessary to examine what is meant by inclusive education (IE). Indeed, it is essential to explore ITE’s definition since scholars and teacher educators have struggled to agree on what is meant by IE. In addition to disagreements about IE’s definition, support for this idea and its implementation may vary due to the cultural, historical, and political differences specific to local contexts. For these reasons, it is necessary to recognize the inclusive policies, practices, and processes that often shape definitions and concepts related to ITE. Notwithstanding the ambitious meanings of ITE across the globe, researchers, professionals, and policymakers tend to emphasize a vision of teacher preparation for working with students with disabilities (SWD) or SEN. Also, there is no consensus about which particular aspects matter in teacher education programs, primarily based on ideological differences about the core goals of IE. These differences in views and beliefs have resulted in limited understandings and applications of ITE. For instance, a student with an SEN may also come from a family living in poverty, with no access to books in the home, or speak multiple languages, including languages that are not a part of their first (formal) educational experiences. In such circumstances, there is no agreement about whether ITE programs should focus on students’ linguistic, socioeconomic, learning differences, or multiple factors. We review the research on ITE in various national contexts. We also discuss how scholars have conceptualized the preparation of future teachers and the implications for greater clarity on how teacher preparation can improve IE in an increasingly diverse society.

Towards a vital pedagogy: Learning from anti-ableist practice in art education

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-27
Author(s):  
Claire Penketh
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Art Education ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Education For All ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Art Educators ◽  
Theory To Practice ◽  
Models Of Disability ◽  
Crip Theory ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Art education has the potential to promote inclusive education for all children and young people. However, the pervasive discourse of special education, with an emphasis on individual deficit, support and remediation, can dominate our thinking about the relationship between disability and art education. This article reports on an attempt to resist the limitations of such discourses by introducing anti-ableist, crip theory to art educators (n=48). Visual and textual storyboards enabled practitioners to present, reflect and revise projects from a committed anti-ableist position. Modified projects reflected an awareness of the benefits of multi-sensory approaches, the advantages of interdependency and a greater resonance with contemporary arts practice. Acknowledging the challenges of taking theory to practice, the article suggests that anti-ableist theory can promote a vital pedagogy in art education. It concludes that crip theory can provoke practice-based resistance to deficit-based models of disability.

scholarly journals Disability inclusion in higher education in Uganda: Status and strategies

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Emong ◽  
Lawrence Eron
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Disability Support Services ◽  
Disability Support ◽  
The Status ◽  
Legal Frameworks

Background: Uganda has embraced inclusive education and evidently committed itself to bringing about disability inclusion at every level of education. Both legal and non-legal frameworks have been adopted and arguably are in line with the intent of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on education. The CRPD, in Article 24, requires states to attain a right to education for persons with disabilities without discrimination and on the basis of equal opportunities at all levels of education. Objectives: Despite Uganda’s robust disability legal and policy framework on education, there is evidence of exclusion and discrimination of students with disabilities in the higher education institutions. The main objective of this article is to explore the status of disability inclusion in higher education and strategies for its realisation, using evidence from Emong’s study, workshop proceedings where the authors facilitated and additional individual interviews with four students with disabilities by the authors. Results: The results show that there are discrimination and exclusion tendencies in matters related to admissions, access to lectures, assessment and examinations, access to library services, halls of residence and other disability support services. Conclusion: The article recommends that institutional policies and guidelines on support services for students with disabilities and special needs in higher education be developed, data on students with disabilities collected to help planning, collaboration between Disabled Peoples Organisations (DPO’s) strengthened to ensure disability inclusion and the establishment of disability support centres.

scholarly journals Inclusive Education in Technical University

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4.36) ◽  
pp. 1020
Author(s):  
O. G. Savka ◽  
E. V. Milkina
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Special Education ◽  
Young People ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Present Article ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Statistical Data ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Technical University

 The present article addresses the issue of importance of inclusive education in higher education institutions with statistical data on students with disabilities undergoing training. In this article the problems of university readiness for implementation of inclusive education of young people with disabilities are analyzed; and the legal, educational and systemic aspects of special education are investigated.  

scholarly journals Restoring Inclusive Education: Paradigm Shift from a Medical to a Social Model among Learners with Disability

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3-4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mfundo Mandla Masuku
Keyword(s):  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Paradigm Shift ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Social Constructionist ◽  
Social Model ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Education For All ◽  
Access To Education ◽  
The Social ◽  
Universal Definition

ABSTRACT This paper outlines a critical analysis of the paradigm shift from a medical to a social model, using the key concepts impacting on learners with disabilities in a schooling system. The social constructionist perspective and the social model provide a conceptual frame for examining disability and inclusive education. Inclusive education is significant for its multidimensional nature and lack of universal definition. The two main issues concerning scholars and interest groups are the lack of access to learning by learners with disability and the confining nature of disability. Despite the acceptance of inclusive education globally, the evidence in the literature suggests many limitations in broadening access to education for all. The paper found that there is an interplay of various aspects relating to inclusive education, namely the historical context and the education system, the capacity for the implementation of inclusive education, a policy framework, infrastructure and resources coordination, and a culture of inclusive education.

scholarly journals Partnerships to promote inclusive education for students with disabilities in Thailand

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-95
Author(s):  
Somkate Uttayotha ◽  
Andrew Scheef
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Public Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Residential Schools ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Teacher Education Programs ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
To Receive

Inclusive education provides opportunities for students with disabilities to learn alongside peers without disabilities. In some countries, such as Thailand, a dearth of opportunities for inclusive education means that students with disabilities are only offered enrollment in residential schools designed for students with disabilities. As a result, students are forced to leave their home communities to receive a public education. Inclusive education allows students to follow the same path as peers in their community, which benefits all parties. This qualitative pilot study featured interviews with stakeholders to better understand how schools can partner with regional entities to increase opportunities for inclusive education. Analysis of data lead to the emergence of three themes. First, the partnership led to an increase in collaboration, both between the school and outside agencies as well as within the school itself. Second, as many teachers did not receive instruction on developing inclusive classrooms while completing their teacher education programs, the coaching and mentoring delivered through the partnership was critical. Third, in order to ensure that the content of the training was meaningful and relevant, the delivery of services on-site in the school was identified by interviewees as essential. In addition to presentation of these findings, this paper includes a discussion of these findings, including implications for practice and future research.

School geography in the curriculum and inclusive education in Germany, Finland, Denmark

2020 ◽  
Vol 61 (12) ◽  
pp. 166-169
Author(s):  
Nigar Mehman Guliyeva ◽  
◽  
Rovshana Ikram Ahmadova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Key Words ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Education System ◽  
Educational Programs ◽  
System Level ◽  
Education Systems ◽  
Level Of Education ◽  
Limited Health ◽  
Geography Textbook

A number of countries have specially designed educational programs for both healthy and students with disabilities. Differences in the education systems of countries reveal differences in the teaching of geography and the application of inclusive education. This article provides information on the geography curriculum, syllabus, lesson hours, textbooks in Finland, Germany and Denmark’s secondary schools, and compares them with Azerbaijani schools. At the same time, the general content and differences of inclusive education in those countries are reflected. Key words: curriculum, geography textbook, education system, level of education,inclusive education, Limited Health Opportunities.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document