scholarly journals International Comparisons of Inclusive Policy and Practice: Are We Talking about the Same Thing?

2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona D'Alessio ◽  
Amanda Watkins
Keyword(s):  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Comparative Education ◽  
International Comparisons ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Special Educational Needs ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Methodological Problems ◽  
Inclusive Policy ◽  
Methodological Difficulties

This article has been especially written by the journal Guest Editors as an introduction to key issues in making international comparisons regarding inclusive policy and practice. The authors argue that there is a very real amplification of the methodological problems faced by researchers working in comparative education when they consider the field of special and inclusive education. Two ‘problem’ areas are discussed: (i) the incomparability of terminology – words such as inclusion may or may not have the same meaning when translated into other languages and also other contexts; and (ii) the inherent methodological difficulties within the ‘target’ population of research in inclusive education – pupils with special educational needs are not identified, assessed or offered provision in the same ways within countries. This means that comparisons of approaches within countries are problematic – and comparison of these countries at an international level becomes extremely difficult. Therefore, the key question is exactly what can be usefully compared?

The 3P model for creating sustainable educational reform: an epilogue to the special issue

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (5) ◽  
pp. 571-584
Author(s):  
Thomas Peter Gumpel ◽  
Judah Koller ◽  
Naomi Weintraub ◽  
Shirli Werner ◽  
Vered Wiesenthal
Keyword(s):  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Educational Administration ◽  
Medical Model ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Trends ◽  
Global Movement ◽  
Inclusive Policy ◽  
3P Model

PurposeThis article presents a conceptual synthesis of the international literature on inclusive education while expanding upon, and incorporating, the articles in this special issue. The authors present their 3P model (philosophy, policy and praxis) and relate each paper in this special issue to different aspects of their model.Design/methodology/approachThis article serves as an epilogue to this special issue of the Journal of Educational Administration as well as a discussion of historical and conceptual distinctions between mainstreaming and inclusion while examining global trends in understanding the move toward inclusive education.FindingsThe authors examined the detrimental effects of ableism and a medical model of disability and their effects on the educational system. They conducted an analysis based on examining the philosophy, policy and practice of the inclusive movement, specifically by examining conceptual models and inclusive decisions, conceptual frameworks for describing inclusive policy and a focus of the application to educational administration. The authors examined the global movement from segregation/exclusion to integration and then to inclusionary praxis.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors maintain that the inclusion literature lacks a sound positivistic empirical base, and so they present throughout the article possible avenues for such research as well as future directions for comparative research.Practical implicationsUnderstanding the philosophical underpinnings of the inclusive movement is central to developing viable inclusive educational settings. The authors distinguish between inclusive schools and local educational authorities where stakeholders have moved toward an inclusionary system (the minority) versus locales who are reluctant to move systems to actual change.Originality/valueThis article takes a wider view of inclusionary practices, from one focusing on children with disabilities to one focusing on historical and traditional exclusionary practices. By widening the scope of the inclusion discussion, to one of exclusion, the authors present a viably wider lens to educational administration.

Developing inclusive policy and practice in diverse contexts: A South African experience

2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 631-643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Berenice Daniels
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
School Psychologists ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
White Paper ◽  
National Commission ◽  
Barriers To Learning ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Inclusive Policy ◽  
Education Support

Pre-1994, South Africa was a country riddled with inequality and discrimination stemming from the policy of ‘apartheid’. Since 1994, there have been considerable efforts made to enable the country to move toward becoming non-racial and democratic, with a culture of human rights and social justice. One of the primary tasks of the new democratically elected government was a reform of the education system. Specialized Education was initially neglected, but then in 1996 a National Commission was appointed to investigate Special Needs in Education and Education Support Services, of which the author was one of the co-ordinators. The timeline for the full implementation of the resulting White Paper 6 on Inclusive Education is 20 years. Inclusive Education in South Africa aims to meet the needs of all learners by addressing barriers to learning, welcoming diversity and fostering maximum participation by all in the culture of the school. This article, based on the author’s experience, will discuss the challenges for implementation of the policy in one of the South African districts which field-tested the recommendations in White Paper 6, a district with diverse contexts, the emerging promising practice, and the implications for specialized support professionals, in particular the role of school psychologists.

scholarly journals BReflections on a school for all: perceptions of families and teachers regarding the culture, policy, and practice of inclusion in Galicia

Aula Abierta ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 525-534
Author(s):  
María José Fiuza Asorey ◽  
Manoel Baña Castro ◽  
Luisa Losada Puente
Keyword(s):  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Educational Needs ◽  
Joint Analysis ◽  
Special Educational Needs ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Course Of Action ◽  
Education Administrators ◽  
First Time

This paper examines, for the first time in Galicia (Spain), the culture, policy and practice of teachers and families in six primary schools, with the aim of understanding their reality from an inclusive perspective and, subsequently, being able to establish some course of action for improvement. Within the framework of participatory, descriptive, exploratory and explanatory research, an adaptation of the Index for Inclusion (Booth & Ainscow, 2011) was applied to a sample of 158 families and 85 teachers. Although both groups advocated for an inclusive education, there were some discrepancies between the intentions and the daily reality of schools. Differences between culture and practice were probably the element that most brought those contradictions to light. Some steps towards inclusion have been taken so far, generating a debate on how to improve it in schools. That debate has been led separately by education administrators, teachers or families of students with special educational needs, but a joint analysis of the voices of all families and teachers, key agents to promote a school for all, has been left aside. It is about time new trails were blazed to stimulate reflection and allow for further progress on the path to total inclusion. 

scholarly journals Work of teachers co-organising the process of education of pupils with special educational needs in the opinions of public school teachers

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Niemiec
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Educational System ◽  
Educational Needs ◽  
Public School Teachers ◽  
Special Educational Needs ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
The Public ◽  
Key Issues

One of the key issues within the area of issues related to contemporary special education is inclusive education. The purpose of the presented article is to analyse the key entities participating in the teaching and upbringing of pupils in the public educational system – the roles, tasks, professional qualifications, predispositions and personality traits of teachers of pupils with special educational needs. The article also presents results of research carried out by the author among teachers at public schools in the Silesian Voivodeship.

scholarly journals Formation of inclusive culture in the implementation of inclusive education: challenges and achievements

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-37
Author(s):  
A.Yu. Shemanov ◽  
A.S. Ekushevskaya
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Shared Values ◽  
Social Constructionist ◽  
Access To Education ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Educational Organization ◽  
Equity In Access ◽  
Inclusive Policy ◽  
Educational Inclusion

The article analyzes the concept of inclusive culture and the methodology of its definition and formation, attempts to apply this methodology in different countries (USA, UK, Spain, New Zealand, Australia). In international practice, educational inclusion is created on the basis of educational organization inclusive culture which is considered as the ground of inclusive policy and practice. In the framework of organizational approach, inclusive culture is defined as a set of shared values which favour creating of inclusive community in organization. Changes of shared values accepting diversity of learners and their educational needs have a key significance in this process. These changes should concern not only declared values, but basic assumptions of educational organization members. The understanding of social justice and equity which lays in the ground of inclusive values influences inclusive policy and practice. In the modern discourse of inclusion, this understanding is based mainly on social-constructionist approach, which conditions preferences in interpretation of social justice and equity in access to education and associated with these preferences risks. In conclusion, the need for the balance between tasks of education and inclusion is suggested in order to minimize risks associated with different understandings of equity in the access to education

Inclusive and Special Education Policies in South America

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrés Payà
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
South America ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Comparative Education ◽  
Education Policies ◽  
Educational Challenges ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
The One ◽  
Social Agendas ◽  
Political Economic

In the last decade, inclusive education policies have been one of the priorities within the pedagogical and social agendas of different South American countries. However, the great complexity and enormous diversity of both concepts (inclusive education and South America) demand a detailed analysis of what it means to strive for educational progress throughout such an extensive territory. On the one hand, inclusive education encompasses both traditional special education as well as other key issues that are closely linked: equity, quality, diversity, universality, access, participation, intersectionality, rights, individualization, and so on. On the other hand, South America is a real, complex, multifaceted territory in which different countries with very different political, economic, and social situations coexist (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela). As such, it is necessary to begin with comparative education and educational policy in order to understand the different educational priorities of each region as well as the organizations and stakeholders that have an impact. The development of inclusive education has not been uniform. Indeed, because there is no consensus regarding what inclusion means and represents, though there have been correlations, its evolution has been unequal throughout different countries. A study of both national and transnational inclusive educational policies will allow us to better understand and approximate this complex reality, as well as to anticipate forthcoming educational challenges.

Inclusive education in New Zealand: rhetoric and reality

2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Anne Selvaraj
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Paradigm Shift ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Current Policy ◽  
Special Educational Needs ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Special Education Policy

Purpose – New Zealand continues to struggle with interpreting and implementing its current policy of inclusion, especially as it relates to children traditionally known as having “special educational needs”. The purpose of this paper is to trace the discursive development of institutionalised Special Education in New Zealand and examines how the funding and policy mechanisms of neoliberalism within which rights-based inclusion was introduced have complicated the planning and delivery of services in schools. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on Gillian Fulcher’s (1989) discourses of disability as they are expressed through policy documents and educational reports to examine the language and values that have underpinned the development of Special Education policy and provision in New Zealand. Findings – The paper has identified and attempted to explain the extent to which traditional forms of exclusion have continued to structure current policy and practice despite a paradigm shift to inclusion. It argues that this has militated against clear understanding, acceptance and success of this major paradigm shift. Research limitations/implications – In examining the social nature of disability, and its implications in the structures of education today, it is possible to consider opportunities for acting to address these. Originality/value – The value of this work is in taking an historical approach to help understand why there continues be a distance between policy rhetoric and the reality of its implementation in practice.

Key Issues for Digital Research: A Social Science Perspective on Policy and Practice

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
William H. Dutton ◽  
Marina Jirotka ◽  
Eric T. Meyer ◽  
Ralph Schroeder ◽  
Cohen R Simpson
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Digital Research

scholarly journals Teachers’ Attitudes toward Educational Inclusion in Spain: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 58
Author(s):  
Irene Lacruz-Pérez ◽  
Pilar Sanz-Cervera ◽  
Raúl Tárraga-Mínguez
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Complete Analysis ◽  
Attitudes Toward Inclusion ◽  
Special Educational Needs ◽  
Educational Framework ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Teachers Attitudes ◽  
Key Aspects ◽  
Educational Inclusion

Inclusive education is currently one of the main aspirations of the Spanish educational system and one of the key aspects for its achievement is teachers’ attitudes toward educational inclusion. In recent years, many studies worldwide have analyzed this aspect, but so far, any systematic review has specifically focused on the Spanish educational framework. For this reason, the purpose of this paper is to review the studies published from 2010 to 2019 whose aim was to analyze teachers’ attitudes towards educational inclusion in Spain. After a literature search in four different databases (PsycInfo, ERIC, Dialnet Plus, and Google Scholar), 34 studies were selected and reviewed. The results suggest that Spanish teachers’ attitudes toward educational inclusion are generally positive, although in some cases they are ambiguous. Teachers’ attitudes are mainly influenced by the amount of training and their contact or not with students with special educational needs. The discussion highlights that more studies with a greater methodological diversity are required in order to provide a complete analysis of teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion and that teacher training is one of the best tools to generate positive attitudes.

Neurodevelopment in the first three years: implications for child development, professional practice and policy

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danya Glaser
Keyword(s):  
Brain Development ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Brain Maturation ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
And Function ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Brain Connections

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline brain structure and development, the relationship between environment and brain development and implications for practice. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on a selected review of the literature and clinical experience. Findings – While genetics determine the sequence of brain maturation, the nature of brain development and functioning is determined by the young child's caregiving environment, to which the developing brain constantly adapts. The absence of input during sensitive periods may lead to later reduced functioning. There is an undoubted immediate equivalence between every mind function – emotion, cognition, behaviour and brain activity, although the precise location of this in the brain is only very partially determinable, since brain connections and function are extremely complex. Originality/value – This paper provides an overview of key issues in neurodevelopment relating to the development of young children, and implications for policy and practice.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document