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International ConferenceInternational ConferenceOn the way to achieving Education for ALLOn the way to achieving Education for ALL

Development of Inclusive Education Systems: Development of Inclusive Education Systems:

what are the decisive criteria to make it a what are the decisive criteria to make it a successsuccess

Professora Windyz B. Ferreira, PhDProfessora Windyz B. Ferreira, PhD

Universidade Federal da Paraiba-BrazilUniversidade Federal da Paraiba-Brazil

windyz_ferreira@hotmail.com

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WHAT IS THE CURRENT SCENARIO CONCERNING PERSONS WITH DISABILITY?

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Current ScenarioCurrent Scenario‘ ‘

‘‘framework for thinking about how to move framework for thinking about how to move policy and practice forward, and the policy and practice forward, and the

Framework for Action, is arguably the most Framework for Action, is arguably the most significant international document that has significant international document that has

ever appeared (.) It argues that regular ever appeared (.) It argues that regular schools with an inclusive orientation are: …schools with an inclusive orientation are: …

the most effective means of the most effective means of combating combating discriminatory attitudesdiscriminatory attitudes, , building an building an

inclusive societyinclusive society and and achieving education achieving education for allfor all.’.’

(Guidelines for Inclusion, UNESCO 2005, p. 09)(Guidelines for Inclusion, UNESCO 2005, p. 09)

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Current ScenarioCurrent Scenario

Now governments must (!)Now governments must (!)

‘‘recognize the right of persons with recognize the right of persons with disabilities to education. With a view to disabilities to education. With a view to realizing this right without discrimination realizing this right without discrimination and on the basis of equal opportunity, and on the basis of equal opportunity, States Parties shall ensure an inclusive States Parties shall ensure an inclusive education system at all levels and lifelong education system at all levels and lifelong learning’ learning’

(United Nations Convention on the Rights and Dignity of (United Nations Convention on the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities, 2006 - Article 24)Persons with Disabilities, 2006 - Article 24)

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Current ScenarioCurrent Scenario““PwD remain PwD remain invisibleinvisible in the social net, they in the social net, they are seen as a ‘problem’ are seen as a ‘problem’ for those who do not for those who do not have disability. [they] have disability. [they] have been prevented have been prevented from having access to from having access to learning opportunities on learning opportunities on behalf of the unfounded behalf of the unfounded belief that [people with belief that [people with disability] are disability] are incapable incapable of learningof learning. The list of . The list of impossibilities is too impossibilities is too long, and beneath every long, and beneath every single issue on this list, single issue on this list, there is the there is the understanding that a understanding that a person with disability is person with disability is not a not a person of rightsperson of rights”. ”.

(FERREIRA, 2008, p 134)(FERREIRA, 2008, p 134)

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Current Scenario - InvisibilityCurrent Scenario - Invisibility

The The invisibilityinvisibility begins in childhood and results begins in childhood and results of: of:

segregation and institutionalization segregation and institutionalization

traditional beliefs and superstition traditional beliefs and superstition

lack of support, information and opportunities lack of support, information and opportunities for families for families

priority given to specialized treatments, priority given to specialized treatments, therapies and rehabilitation programs instead therapies and rehabilitation programs instead of schooling and opportunities to live together.of schooling and opportunities to live together.

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Current Scenario Current Scenario Result of the Medical Model of Disability Result of the Medical Model of Disability

many generations of many generations of people with disability people with disability segregated, isolated, segregated, isolated, oppressed, silenced, oppressed, silenced, dependent and dependent and disempowered. disempowered. Hence, chances in Hence, chances in life are still out of life are still out of reach for these reach for these human beings that human beings that makes around 650 makes around 650 million people all million people all over the world.over the world.

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Current Scenario Current Scenario Poverty and DisabilityPoverty and Disability

‘‘in developing countries, as in developing countries, as in more developed areas, in more developed areas, disabled people (and their disabled people (and their families) are more likely families) are more likely than the rest of the than the rest of the population to live in population to live in poverty. It is a two-way poverty. It is a two-way relationship: disability adds relationship: disability adds to the risk of poverty, and to the risk of poverty, and conditions of poverty conditions of poverty increases the risk of increases the risk of disability. Disability in disability. Disability in developing countries stems developing countries stems largely from preventable largely from preventable impairments associated impairments associated with communicable, with communicable, maternal and perinatal maternal and perinatal disease and injuries.’ disease and injuries.’

(Survey of the Literature on Poverty and Disability, (World (Survey of the Literature on Poverty and Disability, (World Bank 1999, p. 3)Bank 1999, p. 3)

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Current Scenario - EducationCurrent Scenario - Education

´in today´s increasingly globalized world, with the ´in today´s increasingly globalized world, with the raising disparities in income distribution where 60% raising disparities in income distribution where 60% of the world´s population live on only 6% of the of the world´s population live on only 6% of the world´s income, half of the world´s population live world´s income, half of the world´s population live on two dollars a day and over 1 billion people live on on two dollars a day and over 1 billion people live on less than one dollar a day, ´poverty is a threat to less than one dollar a day, ´poverty is a threat to peace´(.) Today 75 million children of primary school peace´(.) Today 75 million children of primary school age are not enrolled in school, more than half of age are not enrolled in school, more than half of these are girls. Around 70% of them live in countries these are girls. Around 70% of them live in countries of the South, particularly Africa and Asia. When we of the South, particularly Africa and Asia. When we look at children with disabilities, the tragedy is even look at children with disabilities, the tragedy is even worse (!) they account for one third of all out-of-worse (!) they account for one third of all out-of-school children’, that is, around 25 million of children school children’, that is, around 25 million of children with disabilities.with disabilities.

(Policy Guideline on Inclusive Education, 2009)(Policy Guideline on Inclusive Education, 2009)

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Is Inclusive Education Possible?Is Inclusive Education Possible?

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If inclusive education is to If inclusive education is to become a reality...become a reality...

education systems and schools, all education systems and schools, all over the planet, must become a over the planet, must become a place where no one will ever be place where no one will ever be oppressed or discriminated against, oppressed or discriminated against, where differences will be cherished where differences will be cherished and human diversity valued and and human diversity valued and where people with disability will be where people with disability will be part of the school community ‘on part of the school community ‘on equal basis with others.’equal basis with others.’

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How can education systems move towards IE?How can education systems move towards IE?- Current Scenario -- Current Scenario -

current strategies and programmes have largely current strategies and programmes have largely been insufficient or inappropriate with regard to been insufficient or inappropriate with regard to needs of children and youth who are vulnerable to needs of children and youth who are vulnerable to marginalisation and exclusion. marginalisation and exclusion.

where programmes targeting various marginalized where programmes targeting various marginalized and excluded groups do exist, they have functioned and excluded groups do exist, they have functioned outside the mainstream – special programmes, outside the mainstream – special programmes, specialized institutions, and specialist educators. specialized institutions, and specialist educators.

Too often the result has been exclusion: ‘Too often the result has been exclusion: ‘second-rate’ educational opportunitiessecond-rate’ educational opportunities

differentiation becoming a form of discrimination, differentiation becoming a form of discrimination, leaving children with various needs outside the leaving children with various needs outside the mainstream school life and later, mainstream school life and later, as adults, outside community social and cultural life as adults, outside community social and cultural life in general in general

(Conceptual Paper, a Challenge and a vision - UNESCO, 1999)(Conceptual Paper, a Challenge and a vision - UNESCO, 1999)

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Principle of Principle of InclusionInclusionThe The principle of inclusionprinciple of inclusion

conceives schools as learning conceives schools as learning organizations, whose organizations, whose communities nurture a communities nurture a welcoming culture for all, welcoming culture for all, where no discrimination is where no discrimination is accepted. It also values and accepted. It also values and fosters collaboration, mutual fosters collaboration, mutual support, closeness and bonds support, closeness and bonds between members of the between members of the school community, so that school community, so that everyone is responsible for everyone is responsible for each others’ learning and each others’ learning and achievement. Individual achievement. Individual differences, in an inclusive differences, in an inclusive school, are understood as school, are understood as both nourishment and as a both nourishment and as a means for enrichment of all. means for enrichment of all.

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Decisive criteria to make IE a success?Decisive criteria to make IE a success?

1. Adoption of the Principle of Inclusion in 1. Adoption of the Principle of Inclusion in educational public policy and legislationeducational public policy and legislation

2. Adoption of the 2. Adoption of the Convention on the Rights Convention on the Rights and Dignity of the Persons with Disabilitiesand Dignity of the Persons with Disabilities (UNESCO 2006) as the main guideline(UNESCO 2006) as the main guideline to to policypolicy

3. Mapping the Education System – educational 3. Mapping the Education System – educational provision for learners with disabilityprovision for learners with disability

4. Carrying out a reliable census on number of 4. Carrying out a reliable census on number of students with disability on roll in students with disability on roll in mainstream and special schoolsmainstream and special schools

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Decisive criteria to make IE a success?Decisive criteria to make IE a success?

5. 5. Partnership with local researchers or Partnership with local researchers or research institutionsresearch institutions

6. Ensure equality of participation & 6. Ensure equality of participation & collaboration between locals and outsiderscollaboration between locals and outsiders

7. Development of a national/local Teacher 7. Development of a national/local Teacher Education policy and programEducation policy and program

8. 8. Education systems commitment to inform Education systems commitment to inform school communities with up to date school communities with up to date materials – key resources (UNESCO, World materials – key resources (UNESCO, World Bank, Research Reports, Books, Papers, Bank, Research Reports, Books, Papers, Conferences, Websites and networks)Conferences, Websites and networks)

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Fear, pity, Fear, pity, overprotection, overprotection, segregation, oppression segregation, oppression and others social and and others social and educational educational mechanisms do not lead mechanisms do not lead to a full and productive to a full and productive citizenship. These citizenship. These experiences, therefore, experiences, therefore, must be eliminated from must be eliminated from PwD day to day lives PwD day to day lives and replaced by and replaced by empowerment, support, empowerment, support, voice, participation and voice, participation and power to take decisions power to take decisions about themselves, in about themselves, in accordance with their accordance with their slogan:slogan:

NOTHING ABOUT USNOTHING ABOUT USWITHOUT USWITHOUT US