Inclusive Education: Utopia or Reality?

“All children should learn together”, “Every child is special”, “All children are equal” — these are slogans we read from posters about inclusive education. But how is this actually realized and is it really so great? I turned to the disability specialist Tatiana with a conversation about education in this way.-

– Firstly, tell, please, what diagnoses do you most often meet in your work?

– I am now working in the field of preschool education. In the “Special Child” group, where I am currently working, children from 4 to 7 years old are engaged. All of them have mental retardation, and of course burden with other complications. For example, mild cerebral palsy, autism, mental disorders.

– How does the assessment of the condition of such children by teachers and doctors differS from the assessment of parents?

– This is a very topical issue, perhaps the main one in this area. Because parents often overestimate their child, they do not want to perceive him as a person with a serious illness. They interfere a lot in the work of teachers and doctors. Some parents foaming at the mouth argue that their child will definitely go to a regular school in a year. Sometimes it is difficult to choose words and explain to them why in their case it is impossible.

– Are there cases when such children manage to continue their education in a regular school, contrary to forecasts?

– For children with serious illnesses, this is almost impossible. Of course, it happens that children with a bunch of diagnoses, but nevertheless developed intellectually and psychologically, get into a group. But then, after a short time of work, we can say – this is “not our case”. I always try to direct the parents of such children in the right direction in time —  so that they develop the child further.

– Now the system of inclusive education for children with disabilities is actively advertised. Tell us, what is it like?

– This is the idea of ​​teaching healthy children and children with disabilities together. For example, in one school both visually impaired children can be educated side by side with absolutely ordinary ones. Consequently, teachers learn to work with children who need a special environment, and healthy children learn to tolerate and coexist in equal conditions with peers who are different from themselves.

– In your opinion, to what extent would inclusive education be relevant to the children with whom you work?

– It seems to me there is a need to starting small. Still, as a disability specialist, I am faced with rather difficult cases. These are mental problems – aggression, isolation, and problems with self-care, coordination. So far, inclusive education in our country (Russia)  is a new and unexplored phenomenon. Therefore, if it continues to develop, then it seems to me simply murderous to immediately include in this system children with psychological and nervous disorders. This is much less understandable for ordinary children than such cases as the movement of a child in a wheelchair or deafness. Therefore, I believe that so far inclusive education is relevant only for children with physical disabilities.

– How long do you think it would take for preliminary preparation if it was decided to conduct inclusive education ubiquitously?

– I would like to first clarify what I mean by “preliminary preparation” on a national scale. This is, first, the equipment of the schools in which the system will be implemented. Secondly, the training of teachers and the development of teaching aids and programs. Thirdly, it is a solution to the questions of how universal such institutions will be. Because it seems to me that it is worth separating schools where wheelchair children can be taught from schools for children with visual impairments or autism. I think these procedures alone would have taken at least a decade. And all this time, it would be worth holding some kind of campaigning events that would accustom people to the idea of ​​widespread inclusive education.

– Imagine that such a system is perfectly sharpened, teachers are familiar with all the details, children are tolerant to each other. How much would such learning help children with disabilities?

– This is just some kind of utopia (laughs). But I would like to believe in it. Because I think such an education would increase the chances for a further full life and contribute to the development of children with a fairly wide range of problems. But again, even having created a utopia, there is no need to get too optimistic. Because this is a very big mistake. I did not say “for children with any problems”, I said about a wide range. Because, alas and ah, there are diagnoses and such difficult cases for which such an education system will not be feasible. It is very important here that teachers, parents and the state think together in the interests of the child. Because the difference of opinion in this situation is one of the main problems.