Session Information
Contribution
Based on previous theoretical work which proposes the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Children and Youth Version (the ICF-CY) (WHO, 2007) as a bridge to link social capital and inclusive education (Maxwell & Koutsogeorgou, in press 2011), this paper presents the findings from the practical application of the ICF-CY as a framework for building stronger and healthier societies by improving inclusion through social change.
Policy reviews, reports and approaches to inclusive education demonstrate various differences between countries. The aim of this article is not only to provide an insight on the issue of inclusion in education from a sociological perspective, but also to identify the influence or connection of social capital with the decision-making and design of policies which ensure participation by creating inclusive education environments based on published resources for the following six European countries: Germany, Greece Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.. This could be performed through an overview of the level of social capital – for each of the countries in question – in relation to an overview of the level of the quality of the inclusive education policies for children with disabilities within these countries. The level of quality was considered in terms of five core themes: availability, accessibility, affordability, accommodability, and acceptability (Maxwell & Granlund, in press 2011) based on the countries’ official documentation for inclusive education policies for children with disability. Are there any similar tendencies between the level of social capital and the level of quality of inclusive education policies in these European countries?
Inclusion, social capital, and the ICF-CY framework as a tool for inclusive education policies
Social capital - consisting of formal and informal social networks, trust and civic norms - is known to be a social determinant of health (CSDH, 2008). Similarly, it is known that inclusion - the integration, valuing and involvement of all in society - is a social determinant of health and also an outcome of social capital as a measure of social inclusion (CSDH, 2008). This paper takes this argument a step further by focusing on the correlation between social capital and inclusive education towards the further development of inclusive environments for children with disabilities within a European context. Social capital potential indicators are mapped to the ICF-CY, in combination with the use of the MAFES (Hollenweger, 2010) matrix as an instrument for analyzing the functioning of inclusive education policies and systems, as well as a tool for policy-planning and monitoring of issues of inclusive education environments in Europe.
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Adam F. Mapping social capital across Europe: findings, trends and methodological shortcomings of cross-national surveys. Social Science Information. June 1, 2008 2008;47(2):159-186. CSDH. (2008). Closing the gap in a generation : health equity through action on the social determinants of health : final report of the commission on social determinants of health. Geneva: World Health Organization. Hollenweger, J. (2010). MHADIE's matrix to analyse the functioning of education systems. [Article]. Disability & Rehabilitation, 32, S116-S124. Doi: 10.3109/09638288.2010.520809 Knack S, Keefer P. Does Social Capital Have An Economic Payoff? A Cross-Country Investigation*. Quarterly Journal of Economics. 1997;112(4):1251-1288. Maxwell, G., & Granlund, M. (in press 2011). How are conditions for participation expressed in education policy documents? A review of documents in Scotland and Sweden. European Journal of Special Needs Education. Maxwell, G., & Koutsogeorgou, E. (in press 2011). Inclusive education in Europe for children with disabilities: A conceptual ICF-CY-based framework as a tool for social-based inclusive education policies. American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. McGonigal, J., Doherty, R., Allan, J., Mills, S., Catts, R., Redford, M., et al. (2007). Social Capital, Social Inclusion and Changing School Contexts: A Scottish Perspective. British Journal of Educational Studies, 55(1), 77-94. WHO. (2007). International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health – Version for Children & Youth (ICF-CY). Geneva: World Health Organization.
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