Sociální pedagogika | Social Education

ISSN 1805-8825

E: editorsoced@fhs.utb.cz

W: http://www.soced.cz

Social and pedagogical aspects of the development of

inclusive education

Olena Budnyk & Serhii Sydoriv

To cite this article: Budnyk, O., & Sydoriv, S. (2019). Social and pedagogical aspects

of the development of inclusive education. Sociální pedagogika/Social Education,

7(1), 36–48. https://doi.org/10.7441/soced.2019.07.01.03

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.7441/soced.2019.07.01.03

Published online: 15 April 2019

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This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY).

Copyright © 2019 by the author and publisher, TBU in Zlín.

Sociální pedagogika | Social Education

36

volume 7, issue 1, pp. 36–48, April 2019

https://doi.org/10.7441/soced.2019.07.01.03

ISSN 1805-8825

Social and pedagogical aspects of the development

of inclusive education

Olena Budnyk, a

Abstract: The article substantiates theoretical and practical

aspects of implementing inclusive education in the conditions of

Serhii Sydorivb

integration of Ukraine and other former Soviet countries into

a global educational space, and also characterizes important

socio-pedagogical aspects of the inclusive environment.

It emphasizes a demand for forming a new philosophy of

education with regard to changing attitudes towards persons

with disabilities, especially in post-Soviet countries, as remaining

traditional views and beliefs of today concerning teaching

students with disabilities and their biased perception in society

are still dominant. Gender stereotypes about inclusive education

that characterize the mindset of a particular nation are also

considered. Socio-pedagogical barriers of inclusion are

presented. The article highlights important aspects of

establishing an effective pedagogical cooperation between

schools and families of students with special educational needs

Contact

(SEN) and suggests tentative forms of work with parents at

a, bVasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian

inclusive schools. The authors offer examples of the practical use

National University

of didactic materials in ESL/EFL teaching at elementary school, in

Pedagogical faculty

particular inclusive graphic posters and audio-visual aids for

Shevchenko Str. 57

forming democratic values and tolerant attitudes towards

Ivano-Frankivsk

students with disabilities and SEN.

76025, Ukraine

aolena.budnyk@pu.if.ua

Keywords: inclusive education, socialization, socio-pedagogical

bserhii.sydoriv@pu.if.ua

interaction, pedagogy of tolerance, students with disabilities

Sociální a pedagogické aspekty rozvoje

inkluzivního vzdělávání

Abstrakt: Tento článek se zabývá teoretickými a praktickými

aspekty zavádění inkluzivního vzdělávání v podmínkách

integrace Ukrajiny a dalších zemí bývalého Sovětského svazu do

globálního vzdělávacího prostoru, a také charakteristikou

důležitých socio-pedagogických aspektů inkluzivního prostředí.

Zdůrazňuje požadavek na vytvoření nové filozofie vzdělávání,

Correspondence:

která by zohledňovala měnící se postoje vůči lidem s postiženími,

serhii.sydoriv@pu.if.ua

a to především v postsovětských zemích, protože ve zdejší

společnosti stále dominují přetrvávající tradiční názory a postoje

Copyright © 2019 by the author

and publisher, TBU in Zlín.

k výuce studentů s postižením a jejich subjektivní vnímání.

This work is licensed under the

V potaz byly vzaty i genderové stereotypy o inkluzivním

Creative Commons Attribution

vzdělávání, které jsou charakteristické pro smýšlení konkrétního

International License (CC BY).

národa. Dále jsou zde prezentovány socio-pedagogické bariéry

inkluze. Článek zdůrazňuje důležité aspekty zavedení efektivní

pedagogické spolupráce mezi školou a rodinou studentů

37

Budnyk & Sydoriv / Social and pedagogical aspects of the development…

se speciálními vzdělávacími potřebami (SVP) a navrhuje

prozatímní způsoby práce s rodiči v inkluzivních školách.

Autoři nabízí příklady praktického využití didaktických materiálů

při výuce angličtiny jako druhého/cizího jazyka na základních

školách, obzvláště inkluzivní grafické plakáty a audio-vizuální

pomůcky pro formování demokratických hodnot a tolerantního

přístupu ke studentům s postižením a SVP.

Klíčová slova: inkluzivní vzdělávání, socializace, socio-

pedagogická interakce, pedagogika tolerance, studenti

s postižením

1

Introduction

Implementation of inclusive education is an ongoing process and a dominant trend in many countries

of the world. Hence the integration of countries into the global educational space requires formation

of a new philosophy of education based on humanization, tolerance and modernization of education

systems, in order to provide quality services for various stakeholders, including those with special

educational needs. Most countries in Western Europe, the USA, Canada and others celebrating their

diversity and multiculturalism have been defining inclusive education for students with disabilities as

the dominant form of education since the previous century. Inclusive education in the Nordic countries

(Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Finland) is one of the most valuable areas of education and

social policy. The introduction of inclusive education as a comprehensive process in Scandinavia dates

back to the second half of the 20th century, when special education became unable to meet all the

requirements of a healthy society with equal opportunities for everyone (Andriichuk, 2017).

Some countries of Eastern and Central Europe have long abandoned totalitarian regimes of the past

and are displaying positive advances in inclusive practices. This provides grounds for determining

educational prospects of inclusion, taking into account ongoing socio-pedagogical challenges. Various

countries have different needs and peculiarities; some EU member states lag behind, but all show

constant progress towards equality in education. An overview of national education in Lithuania states

that all children and youth with special education needs should have the opportunity to study in

different types of schools and in a favorable learning environment, following formal and non-formal

curricula (”UNESCO program,” 2019).

There are still difficulties in resolving problems of inclusion in both the theoretical and practical context

in the post-Soviet space and some countries of Eastern Europe. This includes revising and updating the

regulatory framework for inclusive education, developing educational and methodological support for

working with students with special educational needs, applying rules and principles of universal design

to the infrastructure and learning environment of educational institutions, allocating funding for social

initiatives for people with disabilities, etc. Society should take into consideration the interests and

needs of persons with disabilities, along with representatives of "socially vulnerable groups" (orphans,

persons with behavioral disorders, children whose parents have disabilities, students from low-income

and migrant families, those with disadvantaged social backgrounds, etc.). The education of today

needs to reflect the demands of social justice and develop benchmarks for differentiation of the

educational process and individualized social and pedagogical programs.

The aim of the article is to substantiate the social and pedagogical aspects of introducing inclusive

practices in general education institutions, both theoretically and empirically.

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Budnyk & Sydoriv / Social and pedagogical aspects of the development…

2

Research methods

The comparative method has made it possible to study international experiences in implementing

inclusive education. The application of this method enables systematization of research data on social

and educational strategies of inclusion, and ensures forward-looking conclusions about theoretical and

practical aspects of the development of inclusive education in the context of reforming the system of

national education, while taking into account international standards.

Content analysis has been used to analyze and generalize scientific, pedagogical, psychological and

educational literature on inclusion of students with disabilities, published during the last decade,

within the socio-pedagogical context.

Hermeneutic analysis has enabled us to highlight the socio-pedagogical foundations of the

development of inclusive education, within the framework of mutual understanding and

establishment of a constructive pedagogical cooperation among all stakeholders of the educational

process.

3

The problem of socialization in the inclusive process

European teaching practice has had a certain tradition of adapting the educational environment to the

needs and demands of students with disabilities, and of maintaining a high level of pedagogical

interaction and psychological support based on cooperation and co-creation in an inclusive classroom.

Recent decades showed significant improvement and progress with regard to inclusion in the Czech

Republic, the USA, Finland, Japan, and Canada. However, concerning the latter, the effectiveness of

inclusive education in different Canadian provinces is not always high. Although the overwhelming

majority of the citizens of the country endorse the idea of inclusion and understand the importance of

socializing "special" students and forming a tolerant attitude towards them, a significant proportion of

the population still supports traditional segregation approaches to teaching students with mental and

physical disorders (Lyons, Thompson, & Timmons, 2016). This is also true for the USA – there are states

that generally do better at inclusion (Minnesota, Massachusetts, California, etc.) than others (Alabama,

Mississippi, Wyoming, etc.). Concerning post-Soviet countries, the socialization of persons with

disabilities is very low, being mainly visible in capital cities. Socializing children with disabilities in

schools around the world is considered an important task of providing quality education for all and

creating conditions for satisfying the cognitive needs of students in the least restrictive environment.

In mainstreaming, traditional attitudes and beliefs regarding teaching students with disabilities, as well

as their perception in society, play an important role. This is also true with teachers because their

beliefs have a significant impact on their readiness to work in an inclusive educational environment

(Main, Chambers, & Sarah, 2016). Implementation of techniques of educational integration will make

it possible to alleviate contradictions between the equal rights of persons with disabilities in choosing

a life path, forms and methods of instruction, educational services and actual inequality of

opportunities for different social groups (Kolupayeva, 2014, p. 11).

Dominant gender stereotypes that characterize the mentality of a particular nation or ethnic group

play a significant role in the socialization of children with disabilities in an inclusive classroom. Today,

there is no doubt that every person, regardless of his/her origin, religion, beliefs, nationality, etc., has

an equal right to a quality education. However, many children with disabilities in countries with low

and middle income are still deprived of educational opportunities (Budnyk, 2017). Gender issues are

crucial in countries where human rights are often neglected and are, alongside disability, the main

factors influencing inclusive education. For example, in Western and Eastern Africa (Guinea, Sierra

Leone, Nigeria, Zambia, etc.), gender stereotypes often do not allow a child to obtain an education

because of his/her developmental, intellectual, or physical disability. According to the findings of the

research, boys and girls with a disability experienced cases of social isolation in the educational

environment more frequently. Among students with disabilities, girls experience more emotional

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Budnyk & Sydoriv / Social and pedagogical aspects of the development…

trauma due to social prejudices about their educational potential, and they are subjected to more

sexual violence. Thus, for effective implementation of inclusive education, creating a safe school

environment for all students, as well as overcoming gender stereotypes regarding the education of

children with special educational needs, is crucial (Hui, Vickery, Njelesani, & Cameron, 2017).

Romanian scholars argue that society is still prone to a segregationist approach to education for

children with disabilities. In Romania, the problem of training teachers of special education / inclusive

education is also acute. That is, it involves the formation of professional psychological, pedagogical

and methodological competences that allow them to effectively implement an individual approach to

working with students with special needs (Blândul & Bradea, 2017, p. 337).

In many countries, particularly in Eastern Europe, there are certain difficulties in implementing

inclusive education because of the inability of schools to react effectively to rapid changes: introducing

information and communication technologies, pedagogical innovations regarding the nature and

content of teaching, new strategies for pedagogical interaction based on person-oriented education,

etc. Post-Soviet countries have actively started to implement inclusive education only in the last

decade, so it is too difficult to overcome the stereotypes mentioned above. “A truly inclusive approach

to education creates a balance between ensuring that students receive the instruction they need to

make progress academically, and ensuring that they experience a sense of belonging and social

acceptance within their schools and classrooms” (Tichá, Abery, & Kincade, 2018, p. 47). When a person

with a disability leaves school and starts living independently, the social skills and emotional attitudes

obtained while being in an educational environment will help him / her to be an active community

member.

3.1 Social and pedagogical barriers of inclusion

Merely placing students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms is not sufficient to allow for their social

inclusion, and other supports need to be in place to facilitate their acceptance by, and belonging to,

the peer group (Pavri & Luftig, 2000).

The introduction of inclusive education is often hindered by many barriers (”A Guide for Ensuring

Inclusion,” 2019; Dalin, 1980). These barriers are still relevant, especially in developing countries

1. Value barriers. In the educational process, we are faced with the problem of value differences. This

challenge arises when different categories of students are integrated into a regular educational

institution: immigrants, students with disabilities, children from poor families, representatives of

various ethnic, cultural and religious groups, etc. This can lead to obstacles to pedagogical

communication and socialization in the educational environment, and thus there are certain conflict

situations regarding implementation of learning strategies.

2. Power barriers. Introduction of any educational reform often leads to changes in the power

structures, redistribution of certain duties and obligations, etc. Concerning inclusive education, this

barrier is also present due to the involvement of multidisciplinary professionals in the inclusive process

(teachers, teacher assistants, medical staff, social workers, school psychologists, etc.). Therefore, the

effectiveness of an inclusive process will depend on a combination of team responsibility, mutual

understanding, pedagogical expertise and so on.

3. Practical barriers. Inclusive education implies and requires, first of all, universal design and

adaptation of the whole educational process, along with curriculum, methodological and resource

support for the needs of students with disabilities. If these requirements are not met, resolving social

and pedagogical problems of inclusion may face serious practical barriers.

4. Psychological barriers. In an educational process, there are often cases where its participants

(teachers included) do not support innovations and resist any changes. Their traditional views do not

allow proper psychological perception of the inclusive process. Psychological difficulties may arise in

the systems "teacher – student with SEN," "parents – teachers working in the inclusive class," "students

with disabilities – students without disabilities," "parents of children with disabilities – school

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administration," etc. Psychological barriers are of a specific nature, and overcoming them may demand

much time and require professional assistance. At the same time, there are concerns about

maintaining emotional and psychological comfort while teaching students with SEN. Teachers of

students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) face the challenge of managing core

academics alongside maladaptive behavior that may be insurmountable without embedded support

from mental health professionals (Hunter, Elswick, & Casey, 2018).

Thus socio-psychological and pedagogical barriers that sometimes exist in education seriously affect

the effectiveness of inclusion. After all, it is a teacher who should be able to facilitate the positive

perception of students with special needs, and enhance their optimism and self-confidence in their

strengths and learning skills. A positive atmosphere at school, a sense of security and support for

parents, teachers and classmates help to overcome any conflicts.

It is no coincidence that scholars emphasize the importance of the emotional factor in educating

teenagers in the inclusive process, forming their social-emotional competencies in a family, at school,

and among peers (Budnyk, 2017). Studying the socialization of Spanish and Romanian students with

disabilities, researchers have demonstrated that school and family have significant influence. At the

same time, the family’s low emotional influence, particularly among Moroccan women, suggests the

deterioration of the institution and the existence of inter-generational differences. (Ayala & Cala,

2017).

If students with disabilities are more isolated and/or rejected than their peers without disabilities,

the question arises as to how acutely students with disabilities perceive and internalize such

feelings of rejection when they occur. Put another way, when these students are actively rejected

or ignored by their peers without disabilities, do they perceive and take to heart such rejection and

what does that rejection make them feel about their future ability to initiate or sustain appropriate

social relationships? (Pavri & Luftig, 2000, p. 9).

Children with disabilities have a very acute feeling of being rejected. This can negatively affect learning

progress and relationships with peers and teachers. Moreover, social rejection of a child with

disabilities at the initial stage of his/her schooling, along with insufficient interaction with friends, may

negatively impact his/her future, since such a child will suffer from self-consciousness and low self-

esteem and will always feel uncertain of his/her abilities, fearing a situation of being re-excluded by

society.

3.2 Socio-pedagogical interaction of the teacher with the parents of students with

disabilities

An important aspect of organizing the work of a teacher in an inclusive class is the establishment of

proper social and pedagogical interaction with parents of students who have peculiarities of

psychophysical development. After all, parents are full participants in the educational process,

especially in an inclusive school. They have the right to: choose educational institutions and forms of

education for junior children; make decisions on participation in the innovative activities of a

comprehensive educational institution; elect and be elected to bodies of public self-government of

general educational institutions; apply to the relevant education management bodies with questions

of education and raising children; and protect the legitimate interests of children (Budnyk, Chervinska,

& Blyznyuk, 2018).

The problem of the involvement of parents in the educational process deserves particular attention in

an inclusive class (Parents May Underestimate Their Importance to the IEP Team; Parents Provide

Critical Input; Parents Work More Closely With Their Children Than Other Adults Can; Parents Are the

Best Advocates for Their Child; Parents Provide Comprehensive Insight for Transition Meetings, etc.)

(Logsdon, 2019). After all, the education of children with special educational needs is a joint task of

parents and teachers. Parents’ positive attitude towards these activities certainly contributes to

integration processes, both in school and in society as a whole. For the purposeful preparation of the

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family members of children with peculiarities of psychophysical development for active participation

in the process of inclusive education, the following forms of teachers’ work with parents are useful:

conducting special trainings, purposeful conversations, lectures on raising the pedagogical culture of

parents, developing appropriate methodological materials, viewing feature films on relevant topics,

and organizing (if necessary) meetings with various specialists (medical workers, artists, priests,

volunteers, social workers, etc.) (Budnyk, Chervinska, & Blyznyuk, 2018). Social-pedagogical work with

the family of a child with special educational needs should take into account that a student's academic

progress and well-being depend to a large extent on the participation of parents in the process of

socialization in the school environment. Parents' feedback and participation can help with an objective

assessment of the adequacy of the requirements for providing educational services to their child, and

for taking action in cases of maladaptation, social exclusion, and psychological and/or emotional stress.

Consequently, the cooperation of teachers and parents in an inclusive classroom provides for

synchronization of the goals, tasks, methods, and forms of organization of the educational process,

maintaining psychological comfort and proper social and pedagogical conditions for the development

of children with disabilities.

3.3 Pedagogy of tolerance in inclusive education: Case study from Ukraine

“There is a clear need for teacher preparation programs to address the social acceptance of students

with disabilities in the general education classroom and to provide teachers with strategies needed to

facilitate the social functioning of all their students” (Pavri & Luftig, 2000, p. 14). Pedagogy of tolerance is an important tool and a condition for effective implementation of inclusive education. In modern

science, the phenomenon of tolerance is viewed in many aspects: philosophical, political, sociological,

psychological, pedagogical. Accordingly, the following types of tolerance are distinguished: racial,

class, ethnic, religious, geographical, educational, age, physiological and gender. (Tereschenko, 2013,

pp. 17–18). However, in all these areas of research, tolerance is closely related to human features such

as: patience, trust, empathy, altruism, benevolence, etc. (Todortseva, 2004). The pedagogy of

tolerance is defined as the willingness to accept others as they are and interact with them on the basis

of mutual understanding (Denysenko, 2018). The pedagogy of tolerance in an inclusive classroom is

manifested primarily in the culture of communication of children, teachers, parents and others. After

all, students should understand that in spite of differences, it is necessary to counteract, perceive and

accept people as they are. Being tolerant may be a rather difficult task for students at elementary

schools where children with disabilities study. They lack social skills and the ability to manage their

emotional states, and sometimes they display high demands towards others and the surrounding

world. Therefore, the pedagogy of tolerance is the direction in educational policy without which

qualitative changes in education in general, and inclusive education in particular, are not possible.

The idea of pedagogy of tolerance shaped our case study, devoted to training pre-service teachers to

develop tolerance and a positive attitude towards children with disabilities and introduce principles of

inclusive education while teaching the English language at elementary school (Easton, 2019; McLean,

2019).

The purpose of the case study is to investigate and practice the means of conveying the ideas and

principles of inclusive education to university students / pre-service educators, and ensuring their

assimilation of these ideas and principles while they develop their course-projects on methods of

teaching English to preschoolers and elementary school students.

The setting and participants. Course projects were carried out at the Ivano-Frankivsk college of the

Precarpathian National University in Ukraine in the 2017/18 academic year. 20 students of the 4th year

of study majoring in Elementary Education and 20 students majoring in Preschool Education were

involved in working on course projects in teaching the English language, with the application of the

ideas of inclusive education and their approbation through pedagogical practice at various preschool

and elementary school institutions in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk.

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The materials. The developed course project products were teaching aids, created or adapted for use

in inclusive settings (authentic graphic or text posters, grammar tables, anchor charts), e-versions and

guided recommendations for use in a classroom. An emphasis was placed on the accessibility of the

teaching aids for students with various educational needs: visual disabilities, deaf and hard of hearing,

developmental, intellectual and behavioral disorders. In particular, with regard to visual aids for

students with reduced and deteriorated vision, the following features were taken into account:

reduced speed of processing visual information, narrowing or disappearance of visual fields, irregular

ocular movements, binocular and stereoscopic vision disorders, color blindness, difficulties in selection

and differentiation of colors, sensitivity to contrast changes, and ability to perceive simultaneously

various features and properties of objects when viewed (Fedorenko, 2016, p. 486).

The procedures. At a preliminary stage, the students were acquainted with the concept of inclusive

education along with its principles and ideas, and an analysis of inclusion in Ukraine and the USA was

made. The workshop-seminar Inclusion in Education in the USA and Ukraine: Moving Together, which

was held in Ivano-Frankivsk on October 27-31, 2017 as a part of the ADA Inclusive Education Fellowship

Program, greatly contributed to the motivation of students who studied the availability of modern aids

for teaching English at the elementary level.

The aims of the study were defined: to analyze pedagogical conditions and methods of teaching English

for preschoolers and elementary school students, study the availability of positive practices of

inclusion in Ukraine and internationally, and suggest ways of incorporating ideas and principles of

inclusive education into the educational process in regular and inclusive schools and kindergartens.

The students worked in small groups of three, meeting with a teacher on a weekly basis, discussing

ideas and ongoing challenges, collecting and analyzing information, developing activities and aids to

teach particular grammar and lexical topics, and offering ways to meet the objectives.

While developing teaching aids in the form of graphic posters, the following factors were taken into

account: visibility – dimensions of posters (80x180 or 80x120 cm); font Sans Serif Arial Regular or Black,

font size 32 and larger; color gamut (optimal combination of colors for students with amblyopia:

red - yellow, with myopia: blue - white, yellow - black, green - white); elements of augmentative and

alternative communication, Picture Exchange Communication system, core and fringe vocabulary. As

they are used in inclusive educational institutions around the world, those are effective means of

teaching English and training teachers and educators (Sydoriv, 2018).

An important feature of the course projects by pre-service teachers was the graphical and textual

representation of persons with disabilities on posters for teaching the English language to children

(text, visual, and moral and ethical components), which contributed to better communication and

socialization of students. Inclusion at the nationwide level in Ukraine is just starting; the majority of

teachers, students and parents have had no extensive experience of interacting with students who

have disabilities, hence the posters may herald changes and introduce ideas and principles of inclusive

education indirectly. "Differing curricular, pedagogical, and pupil evaluation practices emphasize

different cognitive and behavioral skills in each social setting and thus contribute to the development

in the children of certain potential relationships to physical and symbolic capital" (Anyon, 1980, p. 10).

During the case study, we drew on the idea of Zones of Regulations (Kuypers, 2011), introduced in

schools in Minnesota, which help students recognize and deal effectively with uncontrolled and

unproductive emotional states. Using certain evidence-based practices, such as visual supports,

positive behavioral interventions and a Picture Exchange Communication system, as well as an emojis

system created by the students and children's naive drawings, we have developed a table of zones of

emotional regulation, incorporated into a study of conjugation of the infinitive "to be" in the present

simple tense (see Figure 1).

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Figure 1. To be in the Present Simple Tense + zones of regulations

As a result, 12 inclusive graphic posters and 2 interactive tools for teaching English in elementary school

have been produced that aim to develop communicative and socio-cultural competence, grammar and

vocabulary: "Modal Verbs," "To Be in the Present Simple Tense + Zones of Regulations," "The Present

Continuous Tense," "About Myself and My Friends," "Modal Verb Can," "Modals Can, May, Must,"

"Present Continuous," "Holidays and Celebrations," "What's the time?," "Past Simple," "Present Continuous."

Since children may not have seen students with disabilities at school before, we tried to incorporate

ideas and principles of inclusive education in a curriculum indirectly, step by step. "Hidden curriculum

is an implicit curriculum that expresses and represents attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors that are

conveyed or communicated without awareness and are manifested indirectly by words and actions

that are parts of the life of everyone in a society" (Alsubaie, 2015, р. 126). In the case study, we have

tried to incorporate certain elements of hidden curriculum aiming at indirect communication of the

principles and ideas of inclusive education. For instance, visual images of students with disabilities in

the process of positive educational and social interaction with healthy peers, along with descriptive

sentences, were selected to reach the goal: Kids can study together. | Were the children having fun

during the break? | Nazar may not break things of other children. | Victor must not mock children who

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Budnyk & Sydoriv / Social and pedagogical aspects of the development…

cannot speak well. | Can Vlad run and jump? No, he cannot. Vlad can ride a wheelchair, he has a

disability. He moves very cool and fast in it. Vika and Vlad can go for a walk together, they are friends.

| You may read my book. You have my permission, but do not tear it. | May I help and hold a door for

you? | We must stop people who bully others. | Must I respect the rights of people whom I do not

understand? | I can play football, but I cannot skate. | We are different, we are friends. We do not

tolerate bullying. | We support and help each other. | Can Olya read ordinary printed books? No, she

has a visual impairment. She can read braille books and listen to an audio text on her iPod. | Mike

cannot play tennis; he can play volleyball. | Can kids study together? Yes, they can (see Figure 2).

Figure 2. Poster for learning the modal Can

It has been anticipated that such educational aids help to raise awareness about inclusive education

and disseminate ideas of tolerance, respect, mutual support, adherence to socially accepted rules of

conduct, equal rights and opportunities, and gender and ability equality. They contribute to the

productive cooperation of students in a classroom, motivate them to learn English, and increase the

self-esteem of children with disabilities. Ideas about social norms and rules of behavior, the pedagogy

of tolerance, and principles of Universal Design for Learning (alternative use of an audiobook, iPod,

graphic icon) have also been used while developing and testing posters during teaching practice at

school. The inclusive education posters have the potential for aesthetic and non-verbal communication

of progressive ideas in class, during a break, or at parent meetings, guest visits or pedagogical practice

(Sydoriv, 2018).

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Thus, the introduction of the proposed methodological tools in schools should serve the purpose of

spreading ideas of inclusive education and more effective socialization of students with disabilities and

special educational needs, as their number in the inclusive classrooms of Ukraine has tripled since

2016. The pedagogy of tolerance implies a productive dialogue and interaction with students who were

previously excluded from school and society. "These students reported increases in reciprocal

friendships and lower levels of social alienation after being in an inclusive classroom for the whole

school year" (Pavri & Luftig, 2000, p. 8).

The students had an opportunity to use the developed teaching aids during their pedagogical practice

in preschool and school institutions. It should be mentioned that there were no students with special

needs on an official list during their pedagogical practice, as there was a limited number of inclusive

classrooms or schools. However, in subsequent years the number is expected to grow dramatically.

Thus the student applied the developed aids to teaching English to healthy children; meanwhile, the

ideas of inclusiveness were disseminated among students, teachers, school administration and

parents.

The project’s defense in spring 2018 highlighted different stages of work in the university and during

educational practice. The results were as follows:

 the study demonstrated that such types of educational tasks contribute to the formation of

tolerance towards students with disabilities and help to form an unbiased perception of special

educational needs;

 the study highlighted the lack of well-developed educational aids to be used in inclusive settings,

and initiated the first steps in rectifying this;

 the school students and preschoolers demonstrated progress in learning English grammar and

lexical units with the use of the developed aids;

 the ideas and principles of inclusion were first introduced and assimilated for over 200

preschoolers and school students during pedagogical practice;

 the developed posters and methodological guides will be used, reproduced and modified as

necessary by university graduates / pre-service teachers.

The conclusion. Ongoing research into the use of visual aids with inclusive educational strategies and

techniques (UDL, peer-assisted learning, educational assessment and intervention, response to

intervention, differentiated instruction, supporting student self-determination and social inclusion)

is considered promising. These strategies, previously little known or used in Ukraine, need to be

included in the teacher training curriculum for use at universities and for in-service training.

4

Conclusions

Implementation of inclusive education is characterized by difficulties and challenges, some of which

are described in the article. Notwithstanding globalization processes, each country has its own needs

and challenges with regard to social or educational inclusion.

Implementers need to take into consideration a number of factors, the majority of which are heavily

influenced by the specific socio-economic and educational environment of the region or country

where inclusion is being implemented, including available resources, the culture, and

characteristics of students and families. Each country, either on its own or with supports, therefore

needs to chart its own path toward inclusion based on its societal values, education legislation, and

available supports (Tichá, Abery, & Kincade, 2018, p. 55).

46

Budnyk & Sydoriv / Social and pedagogical aspects of the development…

The study highlights both the theoretical and practical aspects of implementing inclusive education,

characterizes important aspects of establishing an effective pedagogical cooperation between schools

and families of students with special educational needs (SEN), and suggests tentative forms of work

with parents at inclusive schools. The case study from Ukraine highlights the development and

practical use of didactic materials, in ESL/EFL teaching at elementary

schools, that seek to introduce the ideas and principles of inclusive

education and form democratic values and tolerant attitudes towards

The tentative forms

students with disabilities and SEN. Today, it is important to develop a

of work with

student's creative personality and abilities, despite differences or

parents at inclusive

special needs. At the same time, we include students with disabilities

in a partnership to address specific learning tasks, including working on

schools are needed.

posters while learning English.

Implementation of inclusive education in the socio-pedagogical aspect involves the following tasks:

 overcoming stereotypes in society that propagate a biased (negative) attitude towards students

with special educational needs, with regard to their abilities and rights to education in regular

schools within their local community;

 analyzing and implementing findings of ongoing socio-pedagogical research for identification of

social and/or personal problems of a student with a disability, and an immediate response with

professional psychological and pedagogical support;

 creating a welcoming educational environment aimed at compensating for the adverse

socialization experience of students with special educational needs, providing proper assistance

in creating favorable conditions for their adaptation / socialization in the school environment;

 ensuring social and pedagogical support for parents of children with disabilities;

 working with gifted children, especially those with special needs (developing their artistic,

athletic or academic talents);

 organizing events for active leisure activities of students with disabilities, helping to establish

friendly relations with peers and integrate them into society;

 sustaining social and pedagogical cooperation between school staff and parents of students with

disabilities to meet the challenges of inclusive education at various levels;

 adapting educational and methodological support and modifying the educational process with

the purpose of forming a new philosophy of education – the pedagogy of tolerance;

 holding diverse social and educational activities to promote inclusive education and partnership

pedagogy, enhancing the pedagogical culture of the parents' community in order to reveal and

promote tolerant attitudes towards children with disabilities and their parents.

Inclusive education is a global trend, having local peculiarities and challenges. Each country has its own

unique and valuable experiences, and by sharing these, humanity can move towards a just and equal

society, assisting and empowering each other. In Ukraine, the project Without Borders: Sustaining and

Supporting An Inclusive Education Learning Community, with the support of the Institute for

Community Integration, University of Minnesota and the US Embassy in Ukraine, and in partnership

with the Ministry of Education of Ukraine, Ivano-Frankivsk college, Precarpathian National University,

Kharkiv Humanitarian Pedagogical Academy, Kherson State University, Khmelnytskiy comprehensive

secondary school №8, the “Step Into Life” charity organization and others, has been launched, and

aims to create:

1. A dynamic inclusive education community of learning, composed of a network of education

professionals in the field of inclusive education, along with parents.

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Budnyk & Sydoriv / Social and pedagogical aspects of the development…

2. A Ukrainian National Inclusive Education Consortium composed of multiple universities

committed to the implementation of inclusive education policies and practices, with the capacity

to produce new educators with an understanding of inclusive education practices and the ability

to effectively implement them, as well as the capacity to serve as a resource center for schools.

3. A variety of inclusive education schools located in the targeted regions that can serve as model

sites that have been supported to showcase inclusive practices.

By including people with disabilities, we include ourselves in the prosperous future that is being

prepared by today’s preschoolers and school students.

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Table of Contents

(Andriichuk, 2017).

la (”UNESCO program,” 2019).