Inclusion: theory and practice : Effective Schools for All in the UK and Macedonia

From integration to inclusion - the Macedonian experience

Zora Jachova
Liljana Samardziska-Panova
Milka Ivanovska

Some views on the necessity for implementation of the project

In R. Macedonia during the last twenty years several separate classes for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) have existed within the frame of mainstream schools - a physical form of integration, separate classes for children with impaired hearing - functional integration, also some sporadic forms of social integration.

We can not discuss about the quality of integration and the number of children with SEN integrated in mainstream schools because of lack of exact evidence¹. Yet, despite the lack of database evidence referring the integration of children with SEN into mainstream schools in Macedonia, some sporadic activities lead to the following:

• Need for organised training for teachers in mainstream schools in order to get acquainted with the inclusive methodology, technology and learning strategies in the classroom.
• Provision of specific teaching materials as well as adaptation of school premises.
• Need for coordination of specialists in the team as to provide support to the parent of children with SEN.
• Full participation of the children with SEN in organising activities related to inclusive practice.
• To inform the children with no SEN and their parents about the need and the importance of their participation in the process of inclusion and creation of climate for its implementation.

Consequently, the seriousness of the approach towards solving the complexity of the problem is more than evident.

Numerous dilemmas which resulting from the issues related to inclusive education have been addressed through:

• Analysing positive experiences of other educational systems in the world relating to inclusive education.
• Reviewing our teaching practice in the process of integration.
• Reviewing the up - to date theoretical knowledge and practical experience both in the country and abroad pertaining to inclusive education.
• Setting the goals and needs of our contemporary didactic thought on inclusive education.
• An attempt to overcome the existing problems in the current practice in the process of integration.

To conclude: it is inevitable for Macedonia to strive to integrate its educational system into the contemporary European standards and models of inclusive education through initiating and implementing innovations in its system of education based on the already established didactic foundations of a longer tradition.

Within this context, attempts have been made to promote the development of inclusive education through providing data base information in order to:

• Review relevant legislature
• Initiate new concepts for teacher training
• Introduce and develop relevant inclusive educational model for children with SEN
• Secure flexibility and adaptation of the national curriculum
• Extend the role for special need schools so that they can function as resource centres
• Get the support of the Associations for Rehabilitation
• Establish mechanisms for coordination.

The fact that our teachers feel the need for relevant methodology for inclusion, technology and strategy in the inclusive practice, led to introducing activities aimed at educating teachers of mainstream schools in which attempts are being made to introduce inclusive practice.

In order to achieve this goal, all relevant institutions have initiated and supported such activities which translate into a better and more humane education which, on the other hand, means provision of local infrastructure and coordination of experts who will support and provide relevant teaching materials and aids for mainstream schools in which children with SEN are integrated.

In this respect, the implementation of the project "Integration of pupils with special educational needs in R. Macedonia" as a segment of the project "Special Needs in the Classroom"² , seems to be the most relevant way of demonstrating the inclination towards inclusive standards and supporting the enthusiasm of traditional schools. Yet, it also emphasises the danger of impulsive and disorganised integration of children with SEN.

II In the project implementation the following institutions will take part:

• Pedagogical Institute of R. Macedonia, as the initiator of the whole project demonstrating the support of the Ministry of Education
• Coordinators representing UNESCO and University of Manchester, Great Britain, (Maggie Balshaw, Gaynor Smith and Hilary Lucas) that will conduct the seminars for mainstream teachers,
• Representatives of UNICEF Office in Skopje.
• Consultant specialist who will coordinate and give support to the teachers and to the team responsible for the implementation of the Project in R. Macedonia.
• Representative of the Institute of Defectology.
• Representatives of parents of children with SEN.
• Representatives from the Ministry of Education.
• Headmasters, teachers, pedagogues, psychologists, defectologists of the five project schools.

1. Primary School Dimo Hadzi-Dimov, Skopje
2. Primary School Koco Racin, Skopje
3. Primary School Partenie Zografski, Skopje
4. Primary School Dane Krapchev, Skopje
5. Primary School Gjorgi Sugarev, Bitola

MANAGEMENT TEAM OF THE PROJECT:

Project manager - Liljana Samardziska - Panova, assistant director to the Pedagogical Institute of Macedonia

Consultant specialist - M.A. Zora Jacova, assistant at the Institute of Defectology

Members of the team:

Ilija Leshkovski, independent advisor at the PIM
Marija Simonova, pedagogical advisor at the PIM
Gorgi Gagacev, independent advisor at the PIM
Milka Ivanovska, pedagogue in P.S. Dimo Hadzi Dimov, Skopje
Violeta Gorgieva, psychologist in P.S. Dimo Hadzi Dimov, Skopje

III IMPLEMENTED ACTIVITIES

1. Initial training of the teachers in mainstream schools
2. Presentation of the content of the UNESCO resource pack for implementation of inclusive practices at a school level
3. Ongoing exchange of experiences among schools
4. Dissemination of the learning from the "Inclusive Classrooms" seminar to the colleagues in the school through organised internal workshops for grades 1-4 and 5-8
5. Carrying out active learning methods emphasising the collaborative learning in the inclusive classroom
6. Intensified collaboration with the parents:
   - informing the parents with the ethos and the aims of the project;
   - carrying out internal workshops for overcoming the barriers and application of appropriate strategies within the framework of "Effective Schools for All";
   - active participation of the parents in the implementation of the project activities
7. Emphasised participation of children with SEN in organising activities of inclusive practice
8. Ongoing monitoring of the implementation of the education process and documenting developments and progress of all pupils
9. Disseminating the experiences from the project schools to those schools where positive climate is created for joining the project
10. Collection and compilation of documentation and evidence of all the phases of project implementation in both the kindergartens and the schools
11. Expanding the network in eight new kindergartens
12. Animating the public (faculties and specialised schools), sensitising the local community and establishing support mechanisms and network for professional counselling
13. Positive effects of the project made a major influence on the existing legislation and the National Strategy for Education in R. Macedonia

IV BARRIERS

1. Rigid education system
2. Uncertainty of the ability to respond accordingly to the SEN of the children
3. Difficulties in establishing quality collaboration with the parents of pupils of Roma nationality and sub-cultural families
4. Lack of resources and equipment in the schools

V OUTCOMES

1. Application of various forms of collaborative learning approaches in the teaching process with the aim to improve the everyday communication between children with and without SEN and to improve the self-esteem of all pupils
2. Collaboration between group members when carrying out collaborative activities
3. Increasing the interest and commitment of all pupils when carrying out activities
4. Increasing pupils' motivation to participate in the learning activities
5. Developing positive attitudes and understandings of pupils without SEN to accept and acknowledge differences
6. Raising public awareness about children with SEN
7. Creating learning environments that include all
8. Promoting inclusive practice in the project schools
9. Establishing the fundaments to build the Macedonian model of inclusion
10. Preparation of teacher reference materials to serve as basis for inclusive practices (in progress)
11. Established support mechanisms and specialist counselling
12. Encouraging cooperation with all parents in the local community
13. Active involvement of parents in the process of inclusion
14. Strengthening the collaboration between the school teams
15. Positive outcomes from the collaborative learning will be shared during the activities in the "Step-by-Step" and Interactive Learning Project schools
16. Intensified cooperation between the management team and the school teams promoting good team work experiences

VI VISION

1. To raise public awareness about needs of children with SEN through the electronic and printing media
2. To create learning environment that includes all
3. To promote inclusive practices in the local communities in R. Macedonia
4. To design the most cost-effective Macedonian model of inclusion that will cut down the cost of special educational provisions
5. To prepare teacher reference materials to serve as basis for inclusive practices (in progress); to publish a newsletter of the project
6. To strengthen specialist support mechanisms and networks (rehabilitation institutions, specialised schools, teacher-training colleges)
7. To encourage the cooperation with all parents in the local communities
8. To define indicators to assess the outcomes of inclusive practices in R. Macedonia
9. To expand the network of mainstream schools in R. Macedonia
10. To identify a group of mentor-teachers and organise and support seminars based on the resource pack for teacher training
11. To organise methodological workshops for planning, monitoring and assessment of the educational practices in order to design a flexible National Curriculum
12. To keep being informed about the world trends and initiatives
13. Evaluation of the project results and achievements by December 2002

¹The next step of the project is to register children with SEN and identify the quality of integration. The aim is to gather positive experiences from the five schools in Macedonia included in the project. We hope that the collected evidence will help to set up a local network of experts that will provide continuous support and will coordinate the work of the people included in the team specially trained how to carry out inclusive practice.

²The project "Special Needs in the Classroom" was initiated by UNESCO in 1988. The aim of the project is to create a set of ideas and materials to be used by teachers and teacher instructors in different parts of the world. Through this project mainstream schools are expected to positively address and recognise differences among pupils. To prepare materials designed to educate teachers is a big challenge, since they should be relevant to a wide spectrum of countries, primarily developing ones.

A survey, covering 14 countries, under the auspices of UNESCO, led by a team of experts from The University of London, points out three different priorities in the development policy:

• Compulsory education for all children
• Integration of children with SEN into mainstream schools
• Raising the level of training for teachers in the other two priorities are to be achieved.

Working on the project the team is trying to help teachers find answers to questions related to difficulties in learning during their own practice. When trying to increase the level of effective learning and meet special needs, following aspects should be considered: active learning, setting goals, presentation, practice, feedback information, continuous evaluation and support in the process of learning.

Inclusion: theory and practice : Effective Schools for All in the UK and Macedonia

29/05/2001