Compatibility of policy and practice – a necessary condition for developing inclusive education system Teresa Aidukienė Chief specialist of Preschool and Primary Education Division Department of General and Vocational Education Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania Šiauliai,

Educating students with SEN: analysis of the situation (1) Population Pupils Lithuanian Russian Polish Belarusian 158 English 90 Special needs students Teachers Heads & deputies Classes

Educating students with SEN: analysis of the situation (1) „Looking at education through an inclusive lens implies a shift from seeing the child as the problem to seeing the education system as the problem“ (The 48th International Conference on Education on Inclusive Education: the Way of the Future, 2008, Policy Guidelines on Inclusive Education(2008)

Educating students with SEN: analysis of the situation (1) Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) „ States are to ensure equal access to primary and secondary education, vocational training, adult education and lifelong learning. Education is to employ the appropriate materials, techniques and forms of communication. Pupils with support needs are to receive support measures (art. 24)

Educating students with SEN: analysis of the situation (1)  „A student with special educational needs is the student whose possibilities to participate in education and societal life are restricted because of his/her congenital or acquired disorder“ The Law on Education of the Republic of Lithuania (2003)

Educating students with SEN: analysis of the situation (1) „Regulations of evaluation and statement of disorders of persons with special needs and levels of special educational needs (SEN)“ Ordered by the minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania, by the minister of Health Care of the Republic of Lithuania and the minister of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania on the12 of July, No. 1329/368/98 The legislation act is used by:  – School Special Education Commissions  – Local pedagogical psychological services (PPS)  – The National Centre of Special Needs Education and Psychology  Special needs education specialists  Health care specialists

Educating students with SEN: analysis of the situation (2) The 3-level Model of Special Pedagogical and Psychological Assistance The 1st level: A School level: detection, assessment, provision. Initial detection of a student’s problem: a teacher’s and the School Special Needs Education Commission’s responsibility The 2nd level: A local Pedagogical Psychological Service: assessment and evaluation, recommendations for further education and provision The 3rd level: National Centre for Special Needs Education and Psychology

Educating students with SEN: analysis of the situation (3) „Regulations of evaluation and statement of disorders of persons with special needs and levels of special educational needs (SEN)“ Categories:  Intellectual  Specific cognitive (e.g. attention, memory, visual or auditory perception)  Emotional, behaviour and socialization  Speech and other communication  Hearing  Visual  Movement  Somatic and neurological  Complex  Other

Educating students with SEN: analysis of the situation (4)

Educating students with SEN: analysis of the situation (5)

Educating students with SEN: analysis of the situation (6)

Promoting an inclusive approach in education policy (1)  1. The Education Reform Act of June 25, 1991, consolidated democratic principles of education in the country. Children with severe and profound dysfunctions become educable  2. The Law on the Social Integration of the Disabled (1991). The disabled have the right to work, study and train, that, regardless of the cause, character and degree of their disability they shall be entitled to the same rights as other residents of the Republic of Lithuania.  3. Lithuania’s first post-communist Constitution (1992) affirms the determination of the Lithuanian nation to strive for open, just and harmonious democratic society. It claims that every child must attend compulsory education until 16 years of age.

Promoting an inclusive approach in education policy (2)  4. The Act of Special Educational Provision for Children with Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Educational Institutions (1993) is the first basis in legislation for integrated education of children with SEN. Pupils with SEN can attend:  - mainstream group or class, following the mainstream curriculum, but with special methods applied or following a modified mainstream curriculum or an alternative curriculum or IEP  - partly in a mainstream group or class, partly in a special group or class;  - at a special group or class  It also mandates the parent’s formal right to choose the educational institution

Promoting an inclusive approach in education policy (3)  5. The Law on Special Education (1998) establishes the structure of the system of special education as well as administration and management education of persons with SEN.  Basic definitions of the Law defines that “Persons with SEN are children and adults, who because of congenital or acquired impairments have limited opportunities of participating in the educational process and social life”  It increases state responsibility for providing a free and appropriate education for all children and youngsters (age range 0–21 year) with SEN in the least restrictive environment, providing all needed supplementary aids and services. The Law regulates provision of educational assistive technology and training appliances.  6. The Republic of Lithuania Law on the Amendment of the Law on Education (1998) “Upon the consent of parents (or guardians of the child), and taking into consideration requests of a child or pupil, the latter shall be referred for special education by the Special education commission of an educational institution or (and) a pedagogical psychological agency.."

Promoting an inclusive approach in education policy (4)  7. The Republic of Lithuania Law on Education (2003)  Art.15 Special needs education  1. Special needs education can be provided by any school that offer compulsory or comprehensive education and other educational providers and in sometimes - special schools  2. Persons with SEN... can acquire education and/or qualification. The time needed for formal education can be prolonged for a SEN person  Art. 22 Special pedagogical and special assistance  1. The purpose of special pedagogical and special assistance is to increase effectiveness of learning process of SEN person.  2. Special pedagogical assistance for a SEN person till 21 year age is provided by Pedagogical psychological services, special needs teachers at schools.  3. Special assistance is provided to a person who needs it. According to Law on Special Education assistive devices, teacher assistants etc have to be provided to SEN person according to his/her educational needs

Promoting an inclusive approach in education policy (5) 7. The Republic of Lithuania Law on Education (2003) Art.34 Accessibility of education to SEN persons  Upon the consent of parents (or guardians of the child) he/she can be taught at mainstream class, special class, attend a school that offers special education programme.  Child's assessment and evaluation of his/her SEN is done by School's Special Needs Education Commission or pedagogical psychological service. Educational programmes and/or education institution is recommended.  School environment has to be adapted to a SEN person's needs; psychological, special pedagogical, special assistance and assistive devices and special educational material have to be provided.

Promoting an inclusive approach in education policy (6)  8. The Republic of Lithuania Law on the Amendment of the Law on Education (draft) (2010)  The statements of the Republic of Lithuania Law on Special Education (1998) were integrated into the draft  Art. 2 Definition of special educational needs is different: „ Special educational needs – a need for assistance and services in education process that occurs due to being exceptionally gifted, having congenital or acquired disorders or disadvatages in person’s surrounding“ Persons with SEN have to be re taught according to the same curriculum taking in to account their individual educational needs

Promoting an inclusive approach in education policy (7) 8. The Republic of Lithuania Law on the Amendment of the Law on Education (draft) (2010) Art. 7 Preschool education has to be provided from the birth of a child; Art. 7 For a family whose child stays at home educational support, social and health services have to be provided in complexity Art. 67 str. Possibility to introduse a pre-schooler back pack (IK nuo 2011 m.)

Promoting an inclusive approach in education policy (7) The state educational strategy for the years and the programme of its implementation  To implement ideas of "A School for All" into a real Lithuanian school practice  To ensure accessibility of all school types introducing formal and non-formal educational programmes to learners with SEN and provide an opportunity to them to learn at environment that meets their needs  To make municipalities become founders of all special schools.  To gradually decrease the number of special schools and along with this to facilitate creating resource centres: the most advanced special (boarding) schools to be reorganised into resource centres, more services have to be provided by school founders

Promoting an inclusive approach in education policy (7) The state educational strategy for the years and the programme of its implementation  To implement ideas of "A School for All" into a real Lithuanian school practice  To ensure accessibility of all school types introducing formal and non-formal educational programmes to learners with SEN and provide an opportunity to them to learn at environment that meets their needs  To make municipalities become founders of all special schools.  To gradually decrease the number of special schools and along with this to facilitate creating resource centres: the most advanced special (boarding) schools to be reorganised into resource centres, more services have to be provided by school founders

The main challenges ahead (1) To improve quality of assessment and evaluation and availability of pedagogical and psychological assistance To improve legislation and procedures regarding assessment and evaluation. There is the secondary legislation act (draft) on classification of SEN that is based on OECD classification 3D: disability, disorder, disadvantage (2010)  To further improve the system of financing of the education system: in the year 2010 plus ~30 % were allocated to the funding of the so-called "back-packs" for each pupil with SEN in a mainstream setting. Some funding from these "back packs" might go to funding of local PPS, teacher assistants, additional pedagogical and psychological assistance, text books etc.  Liberating schools’ posibilities to use funding in accordance of their needs  To improve the system of provision of special educational material (SEM) and ICT according to the Model of Provision of SEM  To improve ECI

The main challenges ahead (2) Implementation of national programme „School development programme plus“ for the period of (EU SF and MoED)  Projects prepared for EU SF and MoED funding:  Prevention of drop-outs  Developing a network of PPSs, modernizing of working places of pupils and teachers support staff  Preparation of Special educational material  Developing student’s support system’s quality and effectiveness  Reorganization of 10 special schools into resource centres  Developing educational possibilities for SEN students  Creating of services for persons with SEN in municipalities  Promoting of availability of psychological assistance  Teachers’ and special needs specialists’ competencies to use ICT  And Model for promoting availability of preschool education

The main challenges ahead (3)  To introduce the new Concept of Teacher Education and to ensure that each graduate has necessary knowledge for dealing with diverse student body including pupils with SEN  To further develop the In-service Teacher Training system so that teachers can have an access to a bigger variety of programs regarding inclusive education  To take an active part in activities of the European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education and to further promote international cooperation  To improve a cooperation with other ministries and stakeholders to insure equity, equality and availability of education

Investment and a feedback Šaltinis: Škotijos Vyriausybė, 2010

„We are all at different pace but nonetheless striving to develop Inclusive Education or School for All learners, where we put full participation, equality and community at the centre – as a clear dimension of quality in education” (From the materials of the Dakar World Education Forum, 2000)