engleski

Inclusive education in Croatia

Inclusive education brings changes as a process of inclusion of all children in regular education system in a way that allows every child the full development of potentials (Ainscow et al., 2004). Inclusion is aimed at changing the educational system to meet the individual needs of each child and create an environment that does not discriminate, but follows the concept of children's and human rights (Farrell, 2000). The concept of inclusive schools based on the assumption that all children have the right to education in a nearby local school, that all students are equal members of the school community, that each student has a special value that can contribute to their school community. The inclusion of students with disabilities was introduced in regular schools by the Croatian legislature in 1980. In the past 30 years the integration of children with difficulties has been faced with many subjective and objective obstacles, such as: negative attitudes of teachers, inadequate training for teachers working with students with disabilities, insufficient educational support to children, teachers and parents. Precisely the elimination of these barriers represents noticeable positive changes. Today, many schools have professional staff (special teachers, speech therapists, social pedagogues), whose task is to provide support to children with disabilities, their teachers and parents. Teachers have the opportunity to participate in professional development for teaching students with disabilities, consider themselves as competent to teach children with disabilities, and collaboration with professional advisors in schools is positively evaluated (Žic Ralić, Krampač-Grljusic, Lisak, 2010). Despite significant imporevements, in Croatia is still prevalent medical approach emphasis on deficits and the lack of awareness about the necessity to adjust the environment to make it available to children with disabilities.

inclusion, children with disabilities, teacher, professional support, parent, education

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