Education
Policy guidelines on inclusion in education
Strengthening the focus on inclusion in strategies and plans for education
Authors:
Publisher:
International Institute for Educational Planning, UNESCO, 2009
These guidelines explain the relevance of inclusive education and describe how inclusion is linked to Education for All. They outline the key elements in the shift towards inclusion with a particular focus on teaching for inclusion and the role of teachers, other educators, non-teaching support staff, communities and parents. It also provides some simple tools for policy-makers and education planners for hands-on analysis of education plans in view of inclusive education.
The guidelines aim to assist countries in strengthening the focus on inclusion in their strategies and plans for education, to introduce the broadened concept of inclusive education and to highlight the areas that need particular attention to promote inclusive education and strengthen policy development. The following are the ways in which barriers to inclusion can be reduced:
- carrying out local situation analyses on the scope of the issue, available resources and their utilisation in support of inclusion and inclusive education
- mobilising opinion on the right to education for everybody
- building consensus around the concepts of inclusive and quality education
- reforming legislation to support inclusive education in line with international conventions, declarations and recommendations
- supporting local capacity-building to promote development towards inclusive education
- developing ways to measure the impact of inclusive and quality education
- developing mechanisms to identify children not in school and find ways to help them enter school and remain there
- helping teachers to understand their role in education and that inclusion of diversity in the classroom is an opportunity, not a problem.
- attitudinal changes and policy development – through clarifying inclusive education, regional and national advocacy and dialogue, making sustainable socioeconomic policies and the use of an integral multi-sectoral and collaborative approach
- ensuring inclusion through early childhood care and education by early childhood interventions
- making curricular changes for cohesive transition and articulation, making the curriculum less academic, developing opportunities for formal and informal education and encouraging multiple stakeholders to participate in curriculum design.
- teachers and teacher education – through better teacher-education programs, training of all education professionals, and improving the teachers’ welfare
- resources and legislation – incorporate notions of inclusive education national legislation, sign, ratify and domesticate international conventions, and make equitable, transparent, accountable and efficient budgetary allocations for inclusive education.
