organisation of provision to support inclusive education project
TRANSCRIPT
Organisation of Provision to Support Inclusive Education project
The European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education
The Agency is an independent organisation that acts as a platform for collaboration for its 29 member countries, working towards ensuring more inclusive education systems. The Agency’s mission is to help member countries improve the quality and effectiveness of their inclusive provision for all learners.
For more information visit: www.european-agency.org
Organisation of Provision Project focus
• The OoP project (2011 – 2014) set out to address the question:
How are systems of provision organised to meet the needs of learners (identified as having disabilities under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) in inclusive settings within the compulsory school sector?
The OoP project conceptual framework (1)
• Recognises the need for system change to move from a deficit (needs-based) model to a model that considers rights within education, including the right of the learner to participate and to express a view
• Supports a move from compensatory approaches and organisation of provision in terms of individual support to an examination of how systems of support can build the capacity of all schools
• Sees barriers as being within school systems and practices not individual learners
The OoP project conceptual framework (2)
• Places increasing emphasis on preventing failure rather than remediation and focuses on developing resilience to empower learners and schools
• Emphasises the need for co-operation between agencies and families to support active participation in decision making
• Recognises the importance of social context and meaningful learning for life
Summary of key areas (1)Legislation
• Learners needing additional support should be included in the general system
• Legislation and policy should recognise the rights of children with disabilities to (early) support, quality education (without discrimination), access to and full participation in all educational activities and inclusion in community
Inclusive capacity/capability of all schools should be increased by:
• Developing the role of specialist settings in providing support
• supporting initial teacher education and on going professional development and support though collaboration and networking
• Providing training for LSAs/others to support all learners
Summary of key areas (2)
Curriculum
• requires flexibility to develop relevant learning for all
Assessment of needs
• consider a move away from labelling and categorisation and focus on support needed to participate in all educational opportunities
• develop co-ordinated inter-agency approaches to support a move away from a ‘medical’ model
Assessment for/of learning
• on-going assessment and feedback to support further learning
• national tests etc designed to allow access to all
Summary of key areas (3)
Key role of school leaders:
• Share leadership tasks and develop support networks
• Listen to learners
• Support teachers
• Focus on learning
• Use data/information for improvement
• Collaborate with all stakeholders, local agencies - with learners and families at the centre
• Work with community leaders to develop a long term view and inclusive accountability
Summary of key areas (4)
• Move to include ‘support’ as part of general education –for all learners
• Develop funding models that are responsive to changing support needs and reward success
• Move to early support and prevention and improving capacity/capability of schools – focus on quality not quantity
Common challenges• The language of inclusion – need to develop a shared vision and
terminology
• Allocating support without ‘labels’ – acceptance of different forms of support as part of the ‘regular’ system
• Including learners with learning disabilities (curriculum issues) –particularly in secondary education
• Professional development and on-going support for school leaders, teachers, support staff
• Providing services ‘close to home’ for low incidence disabilities
• Cooperation between different adminstrations (national, local) and different agencies
• Flexible (delegated) funding models – incentives for success
Project outputs
All project results, including country reports and examples of practice, national overviews, reports from 5 selected case study sites and 5 thematic seminars can be found on the project web area
Key projects outcomes include
• a Practical tool to support decision makers
• the project summary report in 23 languages
• a Literature Review
More information
www.european-agency.org
European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education
Østre Stationsvej 33
DK-5000 Odense C
Denmark
This publication has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.The Lifelong Learning Programme ran between 2007 and 2013.