Inclusive educational practices around the world: an introduction.

The Council for Exceptional Children (2006), the leading organization for the education of children with special needs in the United States, provides the following definition of inclusion:

Inclusion is a term used to describe the ideology that each child, to the maximum extent appropriate, should be educated in the school and classroom he or she would otherwise attend. It involves bringing support services to the child (rather than moving the child to the services) and requires only that the child will benefit from being in the class (rather than having to keep up with the other students).

Globally, educational philosophies related to children with special needs have undergone a transformation over recent decades. As a result, policymakers, educators, and parents worldwide have made serious attempts to facilitate inclusive educational practices (Avramidis & Norwich, 2002). To highlight the global nature of the efforts for improving the lives of more than 37 million people with disabilities in the European Union, the year 2003 was dedicated as the European Year of People With Disabilities ("European Year," 2003).

Due to the diverse, culturally based definitions of special needs and that of inclusive education worldwide, the number of children categorized as children with special needs and those who attend inclusive educational programs varies widely. For example, the reauthorized IDEA (Individuals With Disabilities Act) serves approximately 6.5 million students ages 3 to 21 in the United States, three quarters of whom are educated in inclusive settings (National Education Association, 2003). Meanwhile, 90 percent of the children with special needs in Spain are educated in inclusive settings, while in Hungary only 10 percent of these children attend a classroom that implements inclusive pedagogy (European Agency for Development in Special Needs, 2003).

While this International Focus Issue is not intended to debate theoretical and philosophical questions of inclusion, as teacher educators and members of the Association for Childhood Education International, we are aware of the potential for effective inclusive education, when implemented properly. By that, we mean, for example, consideration of stakeholders' interests and needs, sociocultural factors, and teacher preparation. This issue initiates a professional exchange of ideas among colleagues worldwide.

Connection to ACEI 

The Association for Childhood Education International's Mission Statement calls for promoting "support in the global community [for] the optimal education and development of children, from birth through early adolescence." Furthermore, ACEI demonstrates its dedication toward inclusive education with the Focus on Inclusive Education, which highlights inclusive education (mainly in the United States), as well as with this International Focus Issue, which provides a more global perspective.

Our Personal and Professional Connections to Inclusive Education

The first editor's professional dedication to the topic of inclusion of children with special needs began when she was conducting research in Hungary. Her investigation addressed educators' views on diversity issues, including education for children with special needs. The interviews explored a wide range of views, from support of inclusive education to complete rejection. However, even those who theoretically supported the concept of inclusive education raised several concerns about poorly implemented practices, lack of preparation for general education teachers, and scarce resources. In addition, a teacher educator and mother of a child with Down syndrome made the following heartbreaking statement: "I don't think that healthy and children with special needs should be integrated. People in this society [in Hungary] are not willing to welcome people with special needs. You cannot take these children to a beach or any public place because people stare at them and make rude comments. Since this view will change very slowly, these children currently feel more comfortable in their sheltered environment. This is a shame." Her views, and those of other educators, did not debate the concept of inclusive education but rather called for effective instructional strategies and ways to overcome barriers. As a result, throughout the past several years, the first editor of this International Focus Issue has been involved in international research collaborations about the role of teacher education in the preparation of future teachers for inclusive classrooms.

The co-editor came to inclusive education through a different path. Through her work with students with limited English proficiency in New York State, she began to see the pattern of inappropriate referrals to special education reflected locally and, wanting to advocate appropriately, felt the need to be better informed. Continuing her graduate studies in special education and reading with a focus on language minority students, she became more aware of the educational, emotional, and social potential for inclusive education, as well as the common errors in implementation of such programs. She found the idea of a focus issue of Childhood Education on inclusive education with a global focus irresistible.

Purpose of This Theme Issue

This issue brings together the voices of educators from 10 different countries and the European Union. The authors all advocate for inclusive education, with a common goal of exploring the ways for implementing inclusive education effectively in their respective countries. In addition to this focus on a specific geographic area, they each note the importance of international collaboration on inclusive educational practices.

This International Focus Issue is an attempt to: 1) provide a sample of inclusive educational programs and practices that are designed to meet individual needs in an inclusive setting; 2) focus on curriculum and classroom practices, the role of families, and the political and sociocultural influences that determine the features of inclusive programs; 3) review national and international policies, collaborations, and trends that have had an impact on the education of children with special needs in school settings; and 4) offer discussions of barriers to inclusive education and recommendations for overcoming them.

Review of the Articles

In "Inclusive Education in Zimbabwe: Policy, Curriculum, Practice, Family, and Teacher Education Issues," Mutepfa, Mpofu, and Chataika report how curriculum and classroom practices, family roles, teacher preparation, and government policies influence inclusive education in Zimbabwe. From their descriptions, we see that inclusive education in Zimbabwe involves the identification and minimization of barriers to students' participation in traditional settings and the maximization of resources to support learning and participation. Although inclusive practice is supported by government policy documents, successful implementation is yet to be a common reality, due to a lack of commitment by policymakers towards learners with disabilities. The authors recommend consideration of models that have proven successful in other national and international settings for adaptation while examining the sociocultural features of the countries/regions.

Schanin and Reiter, in "From Integration to Inclusion: The Tirat Carmel Center for Learning Disabilities as a Lever for Beneficial Integration of Children With Special Needs," describe a transition from the paradigm of integration to one of inclusion in Israel. This change was manifested first in a philosophical-educational transformation. The process of change included four stages: entry into the process, implementation of the process, assimilation of the process, and assessment of the results of the change. Staff adaptations were successful, and the staff intends to expand its work in conjunction with teams of teachers and to develop distinctive programs for the included students, introduce new technological teaching-learning aids, expand the diagnostic competence of the staff and the relationship with academia, and facilitate the assessment of specific intervention programs and academic follow-up of projects for integrated children.

In "South African Teachers' Voices on Support in Inclusive Education," Eloff and Kgwete explored teachers' voices through interviews at a rural school in the Gert Sibande region in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Eloff and Kgwete found that teachers can be supported in inclusive education when the following key areas are successfully addressed: the challenges of perceived lack of skills and competence in teachers, large class sizes, and insufficient resources (e.g., number of teachers, support staff, and material resources). The authors conclude that addressing these key areas helps teachers feel that they are empowered and supported for inclusive education.

Huang and Wheeler, in "Including Children With Autism in General Education in China," report that, although social attention to the education of children with special needs began in the late 1970s, education for children with autism is the greatest challenge in special education in China. They point out that most school-age children with autism are still kept out of both regular and special schools. In addition, the authors identify current challenges and possible solutions for effective inclusion, which include social awareness and acceptance, teacher education, special curriculum and assessment, and legislative and financial support for inclusion.

In "Inclusive Education Across Europe: Reflections Upon 10 Years of Work From the European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education," Watkins, the Assistant Director of the Agency, describes how the work of the Agency and its member countries during the past 10 years reflects developments in the field of inclusion. The Agency is an independent, self-governing organization established by member countries to act as a platform for collaboration in special needs education among the 28 member and observer countries. The Agency's ultimate aim is to improve educational policy and practice for learners with special needs across Europe through debates on inclusive education and equal opportunities, accessibility, and the promotion of quality of education, while recognizing the differences of countries' policies, practices, and educational contexts.

Al Attiyah and Lazarus describe, in " 'Hope in the Life': The Children of Qatar Speak About Inclusion," a project that involved interviews with both general and special education students during the transition of the students with disabilities from separate schools to an inclusive situation in Qatar. They describe the children's views about inclusion and explain that, overall, children demonstrated dichotomous feelings; in other words, they were both apprehensive and curious, discriminatory and supportive, frustrated or sad and happy. The article includes a discussion and interpretation of the children's responses as well as recommendations for developing inclusive settings, based on the experiences of those involved in such a transition in Qatar.

In the article from Ukraine, "Inclusion of School-Age Children With Disabilities in Ukraine," Raver and Kolchenko describe the educational situation for children with disabilities, beginning with a background of Ukraine gaining its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and its efforts to implement reforms as well as resistance to them. Children with disabilities in Ukraine traditionally have been educated in separate schools, although inclusive education has been part of the discussion since the late 1990s. The Ukrainian Ministry of Education has lobbied for instituting international recommendations on inclusive education, and some organizational efforts exist to promote inclusive education, although such efforts face cultural resistance. Such barriers include inconsistent governmental policies and funding, negative public attitudes, and limited infrastructure.

O'Brien, in "A School for Everyone? The Swedish School System's Struggles To Reconcile Societal Goals With School and Classroom Practices," discusses her investigations into the connection between the values of Swedish society and classroom practices by way of the early childhood special education system. The author describes Swedish educational policies and the challenges surrounding moving from policy to practice, and also uncovers themes regarding classroom and school practices. The following themes regarding teaching emerged from her investigations (although these practices occur somewhat inconsistently): 1) teaching for all students sometimes does occur in the general education class; 2) social cohesiveness is an occasional priority; 3) children's differences were often accepted and respected at the preschool level, although teachers' attitudes were not so positive as children progressed through school; 4) some teachers attempted to minimize the differences between remedial and ordinary teaching, although this was a struggle for some; and 5) preparation of teachers to teach all children in the classroom remains a concern.

Thirumurthy and Jayaraman examine the challenges for special education in India in "Special Education in India at the Crossroads," including 1) the issues surrounding appropriate assessment in a multilingual country, which is enhanced by marked differences in children's socioeconomic status; 2) social stigma of disabilities as well as teachers' lack of preparation in special education; and 3) the lack of government-supported efforts at identifying children with special needs. The authors outline some organizational and governmental efforts currently underway in India to promote awareness, training, and support for the education of students with disabilities.

In the article "Students With Special Education Needs in Canada and Their Use of Assistive Technology During the Transition to Secondary School," Specht, Howell, and Young describe their interviews with students, parents, and teachers, which they conducted to develop a clearer understanding of whether current practices facilitate or hinder students' use of assistive technology (AT) as they make the challenging transition from elementary to secondary schools in Canada. Four themes/issues emerged as key to making an effective transition with AT: 1) the degree to which the use of assistive technology is accepted and the assistance provided to students and teachers, 2) time and resources for training and practice in the use of assistive technology, 3) the need for formal and informal assessment of student needs to effectively match appropriate technology, and 4) advocacy in support and encouragement of student use of assistive technology.

In "School and Classroom Practices in Inclusive Education in Australia," van Kraayenoord reports on current inclusive education in Australian schools and classrooms, with a focus on the efforts of schools to become inclusive. She also examines changing educational practices, including differentiated instruction (i.e., use of accommodations and modifications to lessons to make information accessible to students with disabilities) and Universal Design (i.e., careful creation of lessons that allow all students to access and participate in the same curriculum and that allow for student determination of the manner in which information will be accessed). Each is used in some Australian classrooms, and van Kraayenoord recommends the use of both practices as helpful and complementary. She concludes by promoting inclusive educational practices in Australian classrooms and schools, based on socially just practices, that address specific schools' contexts as well as the diversity of students in the classroom, and recognizing the benefits of such practices in international contexts.

Recommendations and Implications

Each of the articles provides implications of country-specific situations and efforts as well as recommendations for the worldwide audience. Many call for international collaboration to promote more effective inclusive education. Paying close attention to the work presented here has the potential to be instructive for those who are working toward promoting inclusive education worldwide. The co-editors hope that this issue of Childhood Education will help facilitate such dialogue.

Acknowledgment.

The editors would like to thank all authors for contributing to this issue of Childhood Education. We also owe our special thanks to the anonymous reviewers for their feedback. Special thanks go to Maria Deme, a Hungarian colleague, who provided extensive and de tailed comments during the process of editing. Finally, we want to thank Anne Bauer for her constant support in this rewarding commitment of publishing the 2007 International Focus Issue.

References

Avramidis, E., & Norwich, B. (2002). Teachers' attitudes towards integration/inclusion: A review of the literature. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 17(2), 129-147.

Council for Exceptional Children. (2006). Inclusion. Retrieved on April 18, 2007, from www.cec.sped.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NewsIssues/TeachingLearningCenter/ ProfessionalPracticeTopicsInfo/Inclusion/default.htm.

European Year of People with Disabilities 2003. Retrieved on April 17, 2007, from http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/disability/year_en.html

National Education Association. (2003). NEA priorities for IDEA reauthorization. Retrieved on April 16, 2007, from www.nea.org/specialed/ideareauthpriorities.html.

European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education. (2003). Special needs education in Europe. Retrieved on April 18, 2007.

Tunde Szecsi is Assistant Professor and Debra A. Giambo is Associate Professor, Division of Teacher Education, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers.