Fundamental Principles and Beliefs of the Project

The Canada-Ukraine Project “Inclusive Education for Children with Disabilities in Ukraine” is based on partnership between government, educational institutions, and non-governmental organizations to focus their efforts towards developing inclusive education model in Ukraine that is grounded on social approach, gender equality, knowledge transfer and human rights, with focus on educational issues.

The project focuses on the  key components of policy development, education, civil society at the national, regional and local levels. In the policy component, the project aims to assist government ministries to align their policies  using an interdepartmental approach at the national, regional and local levels. The project views inclusion as a systemic process targeted at meeting the needs of every child and advocates for high quality, accessible education for children with disabilities.

In the education component, the project contributes to developing inclusive practices in mainstream schools, and provides knowledge to educators, school principals, and parents to encourage success of all children. The education component is working within the education system to introduce changes in the system  educator qualification, and ; establish new ways and approaches to teaching inclusive education strategies.

In civil society, the project is targeted at expanding the belief that school is for all children, by empowering parents and non-governmental organizations,, to create partnerships with government institutions by promoting the need for inclusion in a society which respects each individual.

The project is funded by the Canadian International Development Agency and is grounded on collaboration between the following Canadian and Ukrainian organizations: Canadian Center on Disability Studies Grant MacEwan University. National Assembly of Disabled of Ukraine, Ukrainian Institute of Special Pedagogy and the All-Ukrainian Agency “Step by Step”.

Lviv and Simferopol were selected as pilot regions for the project.

A goal of the project is to transition from the view  that it is not the child, but the system which needs to be changed from a medical model of disability to a social view of disability.  This model views disability not just as physical condition, but as the way in which a person with disability interacts with their environment, and highlights and the barriers which impede full and effective participation in the community.

Inclusion is viewed as providing equal access to education for children with disability and promotion of inclusion at all levels – in communities, families, schools, country as a whole.

The project applies different approaches to change  attitudes through seminars, trainings, conferences, forums, training courses,  and research