This paper examines developments in inclusive education in Bulgaria (BG) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) in the context of actual and desired accession to the European Union respectively. It seeks to provide insights into the national special education traditions in these countries and aims to establish how these have influenced current developments in inclusive education together with and alongside powerful external change agents. This research focuses on policy makers' perspectives on changes associated with inclusion. There are significant similarities in the way inclusive education reforms are being perceived and implemented in both countries, and analysis suggests there is a strong need for regional co-operation with shifts in both policy and practice.
This study seeks to present data and discussion arising from a case study of a school in Finland renowned for its practice in the inclusion of learners with additional support requirements due to cognitive and physical disabilities. It aims to establish how the school staff understand their practice with inclusion through day-to-day professional experiences. The process of reflexive dialogue has enabled authors to reconceptualise our understanding of inclusive education through gaining deep contextual insight. The case study emerges as an inspiring effort to reduce exclusion and isolation through skilful manipulation of physical, institutional and communicative contexts, from which we may draw valuable lessons. The case study demonstrated high levels of personal motivation in teachers and assistants, used as a force for participation in inclusive education – bottom-up, via dialogue, consultation, voluntary involvement and transformation by exposure. This democratic approach was evident in and supported through leadership and management, teaching and learning, and the involvement of the wider community
BRAC (Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee) is the largest non-governmental organisation in Bangladesh that is involved in the provision of education to 674,229 children, including 25,637 children with disabilities (BEP, 2014). The aim of the research reported in this paper is to explore BRAC Primary School teachers’ teaching efficacy, attitude, sentiment and concern towards the inclusion of children with disabilities in regular classrooms, in order to inform future efforts and developments with inclusive education. 400 randomly selected BRAC primary school teachers from 48 districts of 7 regions of Bangladesh participated in this research. The Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practice (TEIP) and Sentiments, Attitudes, Concerns regarding Inclusive Education-Revised (SACIE-R) (Sharma, Loreman, &Forlin, 2012; Forlin, Loreman, & Sharma, 2011) scales were utilities in this study along with a demographic questionnaire. The results show that BRAC teachers have relatively high level of overall teaching efficacy, moderately positive attitude and generally low concern towards inclusion of children with disabilities. The study found no significant relationship between the background and demographic variables used for this study and BRAC teachers’ teaching efficacy and attitude. The study also revealed a significant difference in BRAC teachers’ concern based on students’ disability type, and a significant positive relationship between teaching efficacy and attitude and concern. Based on the findings, the study suggests further collaboration between government and BRAC to create the conditions for higher teacher efficacy and positive attitude towards inclusion of children with disabilities, providing school support, resources, and extensive training opportunities.
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