Events

Stichting Perspectief organizes a conference on Inclusive Education
On 31 st October, 1 st and 2nd November 2005
at the Daidalos Centre, Driebergen,
The Netherlands.

From August 2003 all primary schools in The Netherlands have to be open to pupils/students with an intellectual or physical disability and/or students with challenging behaviour. The Act “Leerling Gebonden Financiering” (LGF) on individualized funding gives students and their parents the opportunity to choose regular mainstream education. This is the first step in a process to make inclusive education possible. But there’s more to be done in order to make primary, secondary, tertiary and adult education a real option. Good quality and meaningful education for every student in a comfortable and stimulating learning environment is the core objective.

Stichting Perspectief organizes a three day conference with interactive workshops that are based on examples and experiences from both The Netherlands as well as the best practices from other countries. Some of the issues that will be discussed and studied are the implementation process, the daily practices of inclusive education for all schools and the partnerships between schools and their local communities. New Zealand has been active for over 10 years to make inclusive education possible for all students at all schools and in their own communities.

Stichting Perspectief has therefore invited two highly experienced professionals from that country. Missy Morton is a senior researcher and manager of professional development who specializes in inclusive education. She has conducted research with regard to the effects and impact of inclusive education in New Zealand.

Rebekah McCullough was the national manager for the “Centre for Learning”, an in-service training institute for support workers. She’s also an experienced teacher and trainer herself and works as a consultant for Ministries in New Zealand, UNESCO and other international organisations on disability issues and inclusive education.

Missy and Rebekah will share their experiences in an interactive manner with the participants of the conference. Other workshop presentations will be conducted by Mario Nossin and Astrid Greven of Stichting Perspectief who have worked with Missy and Rebekah during the first six months of this year. They have compiled lots of information (in word and video) in New Zealand about inclusive practices in school and in the community. This will be complimented with practical examples from The Netherlands.

The starting point is that a person with a disability can go to the school of their choice with all of the other children/students in their own neighborhood or community. All students, regardless of their culture or background, can go to the same schools in the same classrooms. Going to the mainstream school in your own area is firstly a choice of the heart and only secondly of the head or the wallet.

The conference will be over a three day period but each of the days has its own theme that will highlight an aspect of inclusive education. These are the central three themes:

1. The Curriculum: How is curriculum used as a national education plan and as a framework for teaching in the school and the classrooms that includes the involvement of community.
2. The Practice of inclusive education: good examples and best practices of learning strategies, methodology and instruction. How can these be used in your own situations.
3. The Outcomes for the Community: what are the results for the persons themselves and the community at large in terms of friendships, networks, culture etc.

All of the days will have lots of opportunities for your own input and questions. Plain English is the main language but all presentations will be done using simple language and personalized (whisper) direct translation will be available. Some presentations will be in Dutch.

The conference is particularly of interest for:

• Parents of pupils with special needs
• Education professionals such as teachers, teacher aids, internal and external professional development workers and school managers
• Policy managers at national and local level
• People who have an interest in the subject of inclusion

Professionals pay 200 euro for one day / 350 euro for two days / 500 euro for the full three day programme. Non-professionals contribute 20 euro for one day / 35 euro for two days / and 50 euro for the full three days.

This initiative is supported by the National Council for Disability, the Parent Organisations, The (Self) Advocacy groups, ROC’s (Polytechs), Service organizations, Seminarium for Orthopedagogiek, Inclusive Education, De Toekomst and the Taskforce Disability and Community.

You can now secure your place and make a reservation, put 31st October, 1 and 2 November 2005 in your agenda!

Our websites www.perspectief.org and www.inclusie.nl will inform you about the latest. Please send an e-mail with your personal details and we will send you a confirmation. You can also use this address for questions or remarks or to download this announcement and the programme when this has been finalized. Please forward this message to other people who might have an interest in this subject.

Contact Person: Heleen Hartholt, coordinator Perspectief.
e-mail: info@inclusi.nl
Telephone: ++31(0)30 236 3000 (during the summer holidays only during the morning)
Fax: ++31(0)30 236 3009

Events

09/08/2005