Further Professional Development of Psychological, Medical and Pedagogical Council Experts as a Preparatory Phase in Designing Inclusive Educational Environment
Zubareva, Tatyana G.
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Accessible quality education is among core life values of a citizen in any country. It is also a key factor in achieving social justice and political stability of the society in general. That is why it has become really important today to implement inclusive educational environment (IEE) which would meet the needs of all children irrespective of their financial, intellectual, social, emotional and other conditions, and which would encompass both children with disabilities and gifted children, living in remote locations, representing various language, ethnic and cultural minorities, as well as disadvantaged children. It is equally important for the IEE to provide accessible quality education and successful socialization of students without dividing them into the “fully-able majority” and “disabled minority”. Inclusive educational environment is characterized by value-oriented attitude to education, upbringing and personality development of children with special educational needs (SEN), integrated resources (facilities, internal and external conditions) of their life activity in mainstream institutions and orientation towards realization of students’ individual educational strategies.
Special Needs Children and the Kursk Center for Psychological-Medical-Social Support
Zubareva, Tatyana G.
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According to data supplied by the Committee on Education and Science for the Kursk Oblast (Region,) 66, 616 pre-school children and 102, 446 school age (6 to 17 years of age) reside in the region as of October 1, 2011. Of this number 3, 273 children have been classified as “invalids” or “disabled” in some way. This figure represents around 2% of the general student population. Of these 3,144 receive an education under the label of “Limited Health Abilities.” 1,207 receive it in a general-education school, 429 at home, and only 392 in the public, special education system. Even though our region has all types of special (corrective and rehabilitational) institutions for children with “limited abilities,” in some cases it is difficult for them to gain access to a quality education from the particular institutions in the area where they live.
