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Young Views on Inclusive Education. Brussels 7 November 2011. Group 1. Vocational Education I. Audrey MESUREUR - Belgium (FR) Stefanos MELAS - Cyprus Dagur JÓHANNSSON - Iceland Chiara BRIZZOLARI - Italy Claudia BURATTINI - Italy Yohana Angelica DEL PINTO - Italy
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Young Views on Inclusive Education Brussels 7 November 2011
Group 1 Vocational Education I Audrey MESUREUR - Belgium (FR) Stefanos MELAS - Cyprus Dagur JÓHANNSSON - Iceland Chiara BRIZZOLARI - Italy Claudia BURATTINI - Italy Yohana Angelica DEL PINTO - Italy Artūras LAURYNAS - Lithuania Melania GROTTI - Switzerland Carlo ANDERHALDEN - Switzerland
In your opinion, what is inclusive education? • Dagur: Inclusive education is about ending segregation and promoting participation in mainstream classrooms. It is about being together with our friends and belonging to the same community. • Claudia: It is our right to get quality education that gives us better job opportunities and improves our life chances.
Can you describe how inclusion is achieved at a practical level in your school? For example, how the class is organised, what programmes are in place, what type of support is in place etc. Stefanos: Inclusive Education can be realised by changing the schools to ensure that general education integrates all students. Dagur: Inclusive education can be more effective and efficient if we meet the requirements of individual students in the mainstream classroom. It is about participation in society, from kindergarten to adulthood.
In your opinion, what are the main benefits and challenges that inclusion brings or could bring to your education? • Claudia: One benefit of Inclusive Education is creating a better society, starting from school. It allows us to get a better job and have wider opportunities in life.It allows us to make more friends, to be part of the community and to feel like everybody else. • Stefanos: The challenge is how to make schools and societies inclusive. We need to fight against prejudice and change culture. We need to train teachers and make them capable of meeting the requirements of all students in the classroom.
Do you have any other comments? • Dagur: We are all different colours and together we can make a rainbow and make the world brighter.
Group 2 Vocational Education II Arvydas ZAGARAS - Lithuania Ingre IMALA - Estonia Zsófia FAZEKAS - Hungary Jonas NENORTAS - Lithuania Rolands CINIS - Latvia João FONSECA - Portugal James MARTIN - UK Northern Ireland Leanne Alice COLE - UK Wales
Joao: Students, teachers and all people involved in inclusive education need to understand and accept students with special needs.
Leanne: Students with special needs should have the freedom to make their own choices within school (such as subjects and exams) and outside of school (social activities, job, professional life). It is unfair that not everyone in Europe has the same level of physical accessibility (elevators and ramps) and support in their schools.
Jonas: Special electronic gadgets such as laptops, special hardware and programs are important for the learning of students with special needs. • James: In inclusive education we also get support from other students who help us learn. But sometimes students can also be mean, so we need to have self-confidence.
Ingre: There is often not enough staff to help and support us to learn. Sometimes teachers do not understand our lives and what we need. • Zsófia: For students with disabilities it is important not to be isolated. It is about going out and meeting people as a choice you have as a person with disabilities.
Group 3 Secondary Education I Fé LINDEN - Luxembourg Michalis NICOLAOU - Cyprus Andreani HADJISTERKOTI - Cyprus Jere Nicholas MAHLAKAARTO - Finland Aure AFLALO - Luxembourg Josette GRAÇA SILVA - Portugal Diogo JESUS NETO - Portugal Fabian CAMARA ALCAIDE - Spain Pedro ROMERO JIMÉNEZ - Spain Samantha DRYDEN-SILLARS - UK England Charlotte DARBY - UK England Elmo PESIN - Germany Kanivar GÜLER - Germany Maria BARANDUN - Switzerland
Pedro: All pupils should be in the same school and the same classes. • Jere: In some cases, for some lessons, pupils could have the option to be in small groups with others with the same type of disabilities. • Diogo: Inclusive education will help inclusion in society. • Aure: Inclusion helps to open and change minds and reduce discrimination.
Charlotte: Schools without barriers. More support is needed. More care assistants. • Sam: Teachers and parents need to know how to use the technology in order to support the pupil at school and at home. • Andreani: Pupils should be involved in general decision-making concerning them. • Elmo: Everyone benefits from inclusion.
Group 4 Secondary Education II Kamilla SØLYST BJØLSETH - Norway Méryem BELGHAZI - Belgium (FR) Zineb SAOUI - Belgium (FR) Orlando KROHN - Germany Laima LIEPINA - Latvia Edgars ŠENINŠ - Latvia Wacław DZIĘCIOŁ - Poland Jakub JARMUŁA - Poland Domen KAISER - Slovenia Nika LUŠNIC - Slovenia Þórdur JÓNSSON - Iceland Rebeca LÓPEZ RUANO - Spain Tuomas Kimmo Johannes MANNI - Finland Sofie MONGGAARD CHRISTENSEN - Denmark
Rebeca: Give support without the need to fight for it Sofie: In a class with a SEN student the teacher should have SEN education, not just a course. There should be a second teacher with SEN education
Zineb: Training for co-students to be more attentive to needs or towards changing their attitudes Nika: Same certificate at the end of education to have equal chances to get a job
Thordur: Inclusion is not limited to school (support beyond the classroom, to have "normal" friends)
Group 5 Secondary Education III Efstathios BEKYRAS - Greece Markos BOTSOS – Greece Alexandra CHRONOPOULOU - Greece Nana-Marie DALE REICHEL - Norway Robert BOYLE - Ireland Dean KELLY - Ireland Pauline BRASSEUR - Luxembourg Maria BUGEJA - Malta Lise TØRLEN - Norway Daniel MARTIN - UK Northern Ireland John BENNINGTON - UK Northern Ireland Melanie NIELSEN - Denmark Marie LAURITZEN - Denmark Honoré D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES - France Emile MAINKA - France
In your opinion, what is inclusive education? John: • Inclusive education is the bringing together of people with and without disabilities in a school setting where adaptations are in place to allow them to be fully included. • Key principles of inclusive education: • Equal access to education and possibility to choose. • Flexibility of responses to individual needs. • Solidarity in terms of helping and supporting each other’s needs.
Maria: - Inclusive education makes us feel more ‘normal’. - It is important for the teacher to encourage the student to take part with the rest of the class. - Development of social skills, awareness of acceptance of all differences and respect. - Inclusive education facilitates the achievement of qualifications for work transition and for future employment .
Can you describe how inclusion is achieved at a practical level in your school? Nana-Marie: Three options: • Mainstream classes with additional support • Inclusion units • Special classes Fundamental features of inclusive education: Architectural accessibility, setting arrangements, support teachers, technical aids and IT, adaptation of curriculum, individual educational programs, after school activities, extra time for exams, breaks for exams, social activities, awareness and knowledge about disability, support of classmates…
In your opinion, what are the main benefits and challenges that inclusion brings or could bring to your education? Marie: Benefits for students with and without disabilities: improvement of communication, better interaction, exchange of knowledge and experiences, feeling of inclusion, respect for each other, elimination of stereotypes, acquisition of knowledge about disability, flexibility in learning, effective management of diversity, gaining expertise in IT, improving social skills
Robert: Challenges: - It is a long process until you get what you need. - Teachers need to be open to understanding what the students need and how to support them. - Changing the attitude of teachers and students - It is important that teachers believe in students with disabilities. - Politicians need to invest in inclusive education. - Finding the balance between supporting the disabled and non-disabled members of the class - Funding for resources should be allocated on an individual basis. - It is difficult to eliminate bullying.
Do you have any other comments? Alexandra: Inclusive education is the right to be accepted and integrated without discrimination.
Group 6 Secondary Education IV Francesco SCICLUNA - Malta Wessel BROEKHUIS - The Netherlands Mirjam WOLFF - The Netherlands Joži KUMPREJ - Slovenia Gemma MACKINTOSH - UK Scotland Bethany STALEY - UK Wales Sophie Bethan HANNAWAY - UK Wales Mathias MACHIELSEN - Belgium (FL) Barbara GEHER - Austria Tomáš ČERNÝ - Czech Republic Lucie HRDINOVÁ - Czech Republic Robert LÄTT - Estonia Triin PUUSEPP - Estonia Jens CAMILLERI - Malta
Bethany:Inclusive education is about our rights. Sophie:These rights include • Equality • Partnership and friendship • Acceptance, trust and respect Gemma: • Good personal contacts • Diversity and understanding • To work to the same standards as others • The correct support and guidance
Lucie: “Inclusive education is a good idea... A new world is opened.”
Wessel:Everyone has the right to a good education regardless of who they are. The starting point is teacher awareness and teacher education. Mirjam:Teachers, students and parents should work together. Students should not be discouraged by anyone in any way. Some people need more support than others. Everyone's rights should be met.
Challenges Barbara:The biggest challenges in inclusive education are people’s attitudes and people’s knowledge ... Negative attitudes are a barrier. It is a challenge to make people see inclusive education as a wide approach. It is not only about good grades but also about good social relationships.
Benefits Francesco:The benefits of inclusive education are good social relationships and possibilities to get at job. It gives you the possibility to study and not have the feeling “I am different”. Triin:You are part of a bigger picture.” Robert:“Inclusive education is an investment … It makes you stronger.” Jens:EVERYONE IS EQUAL … LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.
Group 7 Secondary Education V Simon MCDOUGALL - Ireland Elin Johanna BRANDT KORALL - Sweden Keenan ALEXANDER - UK Scotland Katrina THOMSON - UK Scotland Daniel Alexander SCHOUTEN - The Netherlands Łukasz ŚMIETANA - Poland Klara Linnea Astrid ELFSTEN - Sweden Thomas KROYER - Austria Philipp STEINBERGER - Austria Mei LAN NG - Belgium (FL) François LE BEL - France Sára GERGELY - Hungary Áron ÓCSVARI - Hungary Asgerdur HEIMISDÓTTIR - Iceland
Key statements by Working group Secondary Education V: Keenan: 1. Financing additional school provision should not be the main consideration, inclusive education is an investment: if everyone is involved, it is good for the whole society. Inclusion is important for everyone, it is not only about disabilities.
Key statements by Working group Secondary Education V: Asgerdur: 2. All schools should be accessible and provide accessible tools and offer personalised education. They should be problem-solving communities.
Key statements by Working group Secondary Education V: Áron: 3. We need opportunities for personal development and independence for example through out-of-school activities.
Key statements by Working group Secondary Education V: Katrina: 4. Diversity awareness should be part of the curriculum in all schools as well as in teacher education, to increase understanding and reduce bullying.
Key statements by Working group Secondary Education V: Elin: 5. Good communication is essential! Professionals must communicate effectively, people with disabilities should be supported to communicate about their own needs.
Young Views on Inclusive Education Brussels 7 November 2011