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Pilot regions

This project is being implemented over a 5 year period (2008-2013) within two pilot regions in Ukraine: Lviv and Crimea (Simferopol). Representatives from Kyiv region represent national interests and are involved in advising on project development and implementation stages and evaluation of project components in all three areas - social policy, education and civil society.

Lviv

According to the Department of Education and Science (HUON) of the Lviv Regional State Administration, a network comprising of 24 schools which are considered to be inclusive successfully operates throughout the Lviv region. However, the number of such schools is likely to be much greater according to unofficial sources. In fact, if you separate those children who are of preschool, elementary and secondary school age who require wheelchairs, 47 individuals reside in Lvivska oblast, and of those 25 of them are in Lviv. These children either attend conventional learning classes or remain in specialized individual learning programs within the parameters of the general educational system.

Those involved in the Project consider the following implemented measures among the most significant results pertaining to questions of inclusion in 2010: the Department of Education and Science of the Lviv Regional State Administration adopted a resolution in regards to providing a facility for the work of the Inclusive Resource Centre (IRC). This facility is located on the territory of the specialized boarding school for children with impaired speech on Korolenko Street in Lviv. The Psychological-Medical-Pedagogical Commission (PMPK) also currently works at the same location, which helps to provide assistance to the IRC and collaborates with the newly established centre. Further initiatives of HUON plan to provide additional facilities on the premises with a total area of 100 m2 in which will accommodate both the PMPK and the IRC. In this room it is necessary to do some repair work for the purpose of improving overall accessibility to the institution. The above example is the culmination of years of cooperation between educational, civic and governmental agencies. It is imperative that the leadership of the Department of Education and the Regional State Administration recognize the successes and achievements of the Project and continue to promote inclusion.

Yaroslav Hrybalsky
Regional Coordinator (L’viv)

Simferopol

Specialists within the Department of Social Protection of Children and Educational Work from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (ARC) visited 12 educational institutions in 15 regions of the Autonomous Republic. Their task was to examine the issue of implementing inclusive education within the general educational framework in the Crimea.

In all regions of the ARC these specialists found certain pre-school, secondary schools and other educational institutions were aiming to develop programs and metholology in organizations for inclusive education. Instructional seminars were also being conducted with leaders and educators across the educational spectrum.

The Crimean Republican Institute of Postgraduate Education (KRIPPO) introduced the position of practitioner for inclusive education. Training of teaching staff is currently conducted in the following areas: social inclusion, inclusive education, methods of implementing individual programs, comprehending problems of constraints, enhancing life opportunities, and eliminating barriers to social inclusion in society.

Under the leadership of T. I. Sukhin, specialists in the office of the Department of Education in Simferopol are developing organizational, financial, and methodical steps to implement inclusive education. Projects of the program regarding the implementation of inclusive education are already being supported in the cities of Feodosiya, Yevpatoria, Krasnoperekopsk, Armyansk, Yalta, Saki and the Saki region.

Last year at meetings of the Psychological-Medical-Pedalogical Commission (PMPK), individuals from all government levels examined 5107 children; including 2119 preschoolers, 2988 secondary school students, 320 orphan children or children deprived of parental care, and 443 disabled child. Experts from these agencies conducted 2062 individual consultations of various kinds for the following categories: for parents, practical psychologists, pathologists, medical workers, educators, and professionals from other departments.

Since December 2010, the KRIPPO has planned to organize the work of a permanent educational workshop entitled "Research and methodological bases of inclusive education in early childhood, secondary school, and non-school education.” Also, in a pilot program in a school in the city of Simferopol an educational seminar is being conducted pertaining to problems of providing programs and methodology for the work of "inclusive classes."

In October 2010, in the conference hall of the Ministry of Education and Science of the ARC a "round table" discussion was held regarding the issue of "Inclusive education for children with disabilities in the ARC. Minister of Education and Science Crimea V. A. Dzoz articulated the principal areas of the implementation plan regarding inclusive education:

• Coordination in the interdependent work of all interested ministries and departments;
• Gradual development of a specific plan of action;
• Improving the regulatory framework;
• Monthly reports on the implementation of measures to implement inclusive education in schools of the ARC.

Thus, today we can only speak about the beginning of the preparatory phase prepared by the Ministry, the Department of Education, and educational institutions regarding the implementation of inclusive education.

Regional Project Coordinator
Tetyana Panasyshena

(Utilized materials for reference courtesy of the Ministry of
Education and Science of the ARC, prepared by S. Tryfanov)