Research question
1. What was the perception of children with special and exceptional needs in historical context and how it was related to inclusion of children with special and exceptional needs into the regular school in Latvia?
2. What are the perceptions of including children with special and exceptional needs in today’s Latvia school, how it is related to the opportunities provided by the regular Latvia school.
Objective
To explore the opportunities provided by the regular Latvia school for including children with special and exceptional needs in historical context and in connection with the perception of including children with special and exceptional needs in regular Latvia school.
Value and novelty
The dialectic historical study on “normalcy” and “diversity” in the context of development of perception of children with special and exceptional needs and inclusion into regular Latvian school.
Systematized inclusive education approaches, inclusive education as multidimensional process in inclusive school.
Description of the context of inclusion of children with special and exceptional needs into the regular Latvia school. Provided definition of the inclusive education in Latvia context.
Conceptual or theoretical framework, state of art
1. Perception of children with special and exceptional needs in the historical context
Ķeniņš (1897), Dēķens (1919), Dauge (1928), Stūrītis (1932), Štāls (1935), Štāls (1936), Jurgens (1927), Inzelbergs (1923), Kronlīns (1943), Kronlīns (1939), Vīksniņš, (1937), Zemtautis (1921), Maslo (1995), Kravalis (1996), Liepiņa (2002), Ķestere (2005), Gow, Chow (1990), Winzer (1993), Safford, Safford (1996), Yell, Rogers, Rogers (1998), Ware (2000), Schalick (2001), Jonsen (2001), Befring (2001), Armstrong (2002), Riddell (2007), Замский (1995), Гонеев, Лифинцева, Ялпаева (1999).
2. Theoretical grounds of inclusive education
“Normalcy” and “diversity” in the society
Bandura, Walters (1963), Garrison, Force (1965), Goffman (1974), Armstrong (2002), Nussbaum ( 2004), Herbert (2005).
Medical and social model in education: Winzer (1993), Oliver (1990), Mason, Reiser (2000), Lindsay (2007)medical pedagogy and social pedagogy: Выготский (2003)
Perception of child’s needs and the need to belong and the consequences if the needs are not met: Masloy, (1997), Glasser (1986), Glasser (1998), Adlers (2001, 1997/1931),. Lebeer (2005 )
Sociocultural dilemma between individual and general: Выготский (2003) , Kugemass (2007), Oliver (1988), World Health organization (2001)
Ecological theory: Bronfrenbrenner (1979)
3. Inclusive education approaches
Perception of integration: Wood (1984), Booth (1983), Spafford, Pesce, Grosser (1998), Jonsen (2001), Reynolds (1962), Thomas, Walker, Webb (1998), Mason, Reiser (2000), Florian (1998), Maslo (2006)
Inclusive education as integration: (subject – chikd with special needs, object – regular school) Henley, Ramsey, Algozzine (2006), Lipsky, Gartner (1996), Mastropieri, Scruggs (2004), Rogers (1993).
Inclusive education as inclusion. (subject – every child, object – every school): Loreman, Deppeler (2001), Farrell (2005), Rouse, Florian (1996), Wade (1999), Sebba, Sachdev (1997), McLeskey (2000), Corbett (2001), Gibson, Blandford (2005), Ainscow (2002)
Inclucive education as acceptance and accessibility: Ainscow (1995), Swain, Cook (2005),
Inclusive education as participation: Booth, Ainscow (2002), Wade (1999), Ainscow (1999), Baker, Zigmond (1995), Florian, Rose, Tilstone, 2003
Inclusive education as raising standarts and success for every child.: Rouse and Florian, 2002) Rouse and Florian (1996), Gibson, Blandford (2005)
Expected Outcomes
Conclusions or expected outcomes
1. There are certain preconditions for children with special and exceptional needs education opportunities. Those preconditions are determined by dialectic development of attitudes and perception of children with special needs and proved by historic of children with special needs. Therefore it could be stated that those also are the preconditions for children with special and exceptional needs inclusion into the regular school.
2. Historically there has been ongoing discussion, how to solve pedagogical dilemma between individual needs of child and general education. In Latvia between 1919 and till 19945 there were several opinions expressed despite the very democratic and human law produced by the Latvia state in 1919. The law established compulsory education for every child, equal opportunities for all and one way track education for everybody. At the same time there were provided special provision education, so parents could choose where to send their children. Teachers and scholars discussed – which is the best place for the children with special and exceptional needs. The conclusion of this discussion was generally overlapped by those who believed, that the separate – special – provision for the children with special needs would be best. They grounded their believes on idea that only this way would be met child’s individual needs.
3. The answer for solving pedagogical dilemma between individual and general is inclusive education, which will be able to accomodate individual needs in general setting.
Theoretical grounds of inclusive education are based on cognition that every child, including children with special and exceptional needs should be viewed as individual, uniqe personality, holosticaly. Child with special and exceptional needs are not less Developed, they are developed diferentely. Never the less every child wants to be a part of the society, culture. Therefore society has a great influence on the development of every child and power to help to meet every child needs, specially need to belong. It is most of the time imposibble change the child’s condition, but it is possible to change attitudes and current culture. Therefore school as a part of the society and representative of “normative” culture should change, to become more inclusive and for future sake.
Inclusive school is demokra tic, human and child centered school, which can accommodate every child needs.
4. Inclusive education therefore offers equal opportunities for all children despite of their needs, abilities, social or material status, raise, gender, nationality, religion, political conviction, health conditions in accessible, respectful and supported settings, by full participation and succeeding. It can happen if the school changes and become more inclusive (Booth, Ainscow (2002) – develop inclusive culture, inclusive policy, practice. So it can be pictured as showed below.
5. Inclusive education has become very complex question as it has become political question, question for research and practice. As the same time inclusiveness can be viewed in different dimensions – inclusive policy, inclusive education system, inclusive school, inclusive class. Something that is inclusive at the same time in other dimension can become segregated, isolated. Therefore inclusive education is multidimensional process in inclusive school. This was proved by the analysis of Latvian context of inclusive education.
6. Perception of inclusive education in Latvia is connected with three conceptions: Inclusive education as special education, inclusive education as integration, inclusive education as inclusive education. Perception of inclusive education is based on understanding that the inclusive education subject is every child, object – every school. The indicators of inclusive education are: accessibility, the school pedagogical process consistency to every child educational needs and participation. Inclusive education would include also the right to free choice. For that school has to change – the curriculum, programs and methods. The main goal for the inclusive education – the child becomes an integral part of society.
So author concludes that the perception of inclusive education in Latvia represents the historical development of inclusive ideas, which was generally influenced by perception of children with special needs and the general school as normative school and the place where every child’s individual educational needs should be accommodated.
References
References
Books:
1. Nīmante, D. (2007) Klasvadība(Clasroom management). Rīga, Zvaigzne,.
Units in books :
1.Nīmante, D. (2006) Kas ir iekļaujoša izglītība? (What is an Inclusive Education?) Grām.: Iekļaujoša skola iekļaujošā sabiedrībā (Inclusive school in inclusive society). Rīga: IAC,. 10. – 12.lpp
2.Nīmante, D. (2006) Ja vien manā klasē nebūtu.(Problem child in your clasroom) Grām.: Jaunais skolotājs.(Novel teacher) Rīga: IAC,. 85. - 99.lpp
3.Nīmante, D. (2004) Bērni ir kā jūras zvaigznes.(Children and starfish) Grām.: Vai skola visiem? (Is there school for all?) R.: IAC.
4.Nīmante, D. (2002) Fiziskās veselības traucējumi. (Children with health problems in regular school) Grām.: Skola visiem (School for all). Red. S. Miezīte R.: SAC,. 51-121.lpp
5.Nīmante, D. (2002) Slima bērna psiholoģiski emocionālais raksturojums.(Ill child psycho emotional profile) Grām.: Skola visiem. (School for all). Red. S. Miezīte R.: SAC. 122 -128.lpp
6.Nīmante, D. (2002) Kas ir iekļaujoša izglītība?( What is an Inclusive Education?) Grām.: Skola visiem(School for all). Red. S. Miezīte. Rīga: SAC,. 25 – 33. lpp
Publications:
1.Nīmante, D. (2007) Iekļaujoša skola iekļaujošā sabiedrībā.(Inclusive school in inclusive society) Žurn. Skolotājs(Teacher), 1, 2007, Rīga : Raka.
2.Nīmante, D. (2007) Inclusion of children with special and exceptional needs into comprehensive school in Latvia. In Acta Universittatis Latviensis, Pedagogy and Teacher’ Education, Ed. Žogla, I., Vol. 715, University of Latvia, Riga, 101- 114.
3.Nīmante, D. (2008) Inclusive school in inclusive Society. In Gefahrdete Jugendliche, Ed. Kruze, A., Schultz, D., Wolffersdorf, C, Leipziger Universitarsverlag, Leipzig, 225-243.
Other references:
Prof. Irina Maslo, Latvia University, Pedagogy and Psychology department, Pedagogican unit. T. 00371 67034242, email: irina.maslo@lu.lv
Prof. Aīda Krūze, Latvia University, Pedagogy and Psychology department, Pedagogican unit T. 00371 67033861, e mail: aida.kruze@lu.lv