The general aspects of the development of the inclusive educational system are characterized by processes related to the creation of equal conditions for students. In this regard, it is necessary to pay special attention not only to the student’s material lifestyle, but also to his physical and mental capabilities. Especially in this direction, it is necessary to create appropriate conditions in the organization of training for persons with disabilities.
Due to the fact that the development of this process is continuous – it includes stages related to preschool education, general education, secondary special education and higher education, it is necessary to create a systematic algorithm in inclusive education.
In each country, the inclusive education system is formed based on the traditions, customs and prevailing values. Also, the mentality of different peoples and the legislative aspect aimed at improving the educational system will have an effective effect on establishing a priority direction in this regard. In this sense, it is appropriate to note the role of the regulatory and legal mechanism that serves to ensure the effectiveness of the reforms implemented in our country in this regard.
Development of the system in Uzbekistan
The process of improving inclusive education in Uzbekistan has a step-by-step system. In accordance with the President’s decision “On measures to further improve the system of education for children with special educational needs”, the concept of inclusive education development in the public education system in 2020-2025 is the main link of this stage. In the “Roadmap” for the implementation of the concept of development of inclusive education in the public education system in 2020-2025 in 2020-2021:
— developing and approving a list of medical instructions that allows children with special educational needs to be sent to general secondary and professional educational institutions with an inclusive education system;
— improvement of the system of early identification and support of children with special educational needs;
— organization of vocational training courses for students of specialized educational institutions and development of the procedure for issuing certificates;
— to include “Special pedagogy” instead of “Defectology” in the classification of higher education directions and specialties;
— a number of tasks related to the processes of providing educational institutions where children with special educational needs receive education with special literature and methodological manuals have been defined.
These are important because they are aimed at strengthening the organizational and economic aspects of improving inclusive education in Uzbekistan. But in the development of this direction, it is necessary to pay special attention to the processes related to the socialization of education. It should not be forgotten that pedagogical aspects have the main place in the organization of inclusive education in accordance with relevant foreign experiences.
Experience of foreign countries In European countries, the USA and other developing countries, the development of this field takes on a social character. For example, in Germany, a certain proportion of students in inclusive education receive mixed education in regular classrooms. However, they are also kept with the conditions related to the individual educational process, and they have the opportunity to receive the necessary medical assistance and correct defects during their studies.
In higher education, on average, 4-8% of all students are students with disabilities. In accordance with German law, students with disabilities are provided with special technical and assistive devices deemed necessary for everyday life. They are continuously provided with social and medical assistance through state social services. Students with disabilities must pay a portion of these costs if their parents’ income is above the median income. Each university has a network of consulting services or bureaus, where the student is assisted in all necessary educational and organizational matters. Students with disabilities may use support services during their studies. Students with physical and other disabilities often have the right to extend the term of submission of semester work, to replace the written exam with an oral one or vice versa, as well as to take the exam individually.
In many European countries, inclusive education has similar features to the German system. The process of educating people with disabilities has a positive effect on their future participation in work, maintaining free social relations with society.
In the United States, inclusive education has long been part of the mainstream education system. There, the normative legal documents of education are defined as mandatory for all categories of children. In this regard, auditoriums were created for students with mental retardation and hearing impairment. Advanced psychological and pedagogical concepts of American scientists form a large layer in special pedagogy and are the basis of inclusive education.
In 1973, the United States Congress, based on the experience of the District of Columbia, passed the Handicapped Education Act (later renamed the Handicapped Education Act), which provides for the necessary funding for special education in the local school system. In the United States, 30 percent of students diagnosed with an intellectual disability are segregated from other children. A partially inclusive format has been developed for students with intellectual disabilities. A distinctive feature of the use of inclusive education technologies in the US higher education system is the establishment of departments for working with people with disabilities in universities.
The Romanian higher education system is based on the principles of anti-discrimination, acceptance of equality, social justice and human rights. Equal conditions are created for all students with disabilities and special education needs. currently, only a small part of students with disabilities in Romania can study in educational institutions together with other students, most of them study separately in special educational institutions.
After the Salamanca World Conference in Romania in 1994, new projects on inclusive education were launched. One of them is RENINCO (National Information and Cooperation Network for Social Integration of Children with Special Needs), which was launched in 1994 and contributes to the creation of a network of information support agencies for students with special needs. These news agencies help families of students with disabilities and provide information about inclusive education institutions, special programs and events. Another Tempus project is supported by Western Universities and Eastern Teachers Association. It focuses on the development of teacher training programs, management and support plans for inclusive education. Four major Romanian universities (in Bucharest, Cluj, Iasi and Timis) and secondary schools participate in these projects.
What should you pay attention to?
Based on the experience of inclusive education in many countries with different levels of economic and social development, the following can be indicated as the main directions of its introduction:
— focus on the individuality and flexibility of the educational process;
— diversification of educational services;
— to expand the opportunities to educate children with disabilities without long separation from their families;
— development of teacher training programs in inclusive education, etc.
The practical implementation of priorities in this regard applies equally to all stages of the algorithm of inclusive education. In particular, large-scale measures are being implemented in Tashkent State University of Economics in this direction. In a short period of time, 10 video lectures prepared on the basis of “surdo” translation were prepared and posted on the university’s online platform system and “YouTube” channels. In addition, regular activities are being carried out within the framework of the system of preparing audio lectures and Braille-based textbooks for the blind.
Taking into account the expected nature of income from education in the market conditions, the development of inclusive education imposes certain obligations on the state. Meeting the local needs of socially vulnerable families and children requires a continuous funding process. The general characteristics of funding have a direct impact on the quality and effectiveness of teaching.
In accordance with the analysis of situations related to students with disabilities in the development of the inclusive education system in Uzbekistan, it was noted that strategic tasks for assisting children with disabilities and additional measures related to their practical implementation are determined on a regular basis. Acceleration of inclusive education reform, which is considered as a component of the current reforms in the field of education, requires that the education process, often, be oriented towards meeting the educational needs of each child. The inclusive education system differs from the integrated education system in terms of its content, purpose, tasks and program of action.
In our opinion, in the future, within the framework of reforms related to the development of inclusive education in Uzbekistan, the following tasks occupy a special place:
— to expand the provision of information to the population about the inclusive and integrated education system;
— disclosure of the legal basis of inclusive education;
— to study the problems facing this direction and find ways to solve them;
— to study the basics of supporting this education;
— analysis of the principles of introducing the inclusive education system;
— to study the theoretical, practical and legal situation regarding the implementation of this system;
— setting goals and objectives of inclusive educational institutions;
— getting to know the teacher’s work and purpose;
— getting to know the duties of employees of inclusive educational institutions;
— to determine the level of cooperation of experts with parents;
— study of reforms carried out in inclusive educational institutions;
— to study the stages of involvement in this study, ways of implementation, analysis of work experiences.
Inclusive education does not isolate students from society. They will have the opportunity to generalize the skills they have acquired. The family-kindergarten-school-vocational college-higher education-employment system will create a foundation for parents to bring students with disabilities to general education institutions and higher education institutions easily and safely in the future.
Kongratboy SHARIPOV,
Rector of Tashkent State University of Economics.