Insights into inclusive education through a small Finnish case study of an inclusive school context

Abstract

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

Role perceptions of School Administration Team Members concerning inclusion of children with disabilities in elementary general schools in Israel

“…Thus, the SATM's pre-service and in-service professional development as well as national policy has not, so far, managed to promote the collaborative view of inclusion and its translation into school practices. As these results join a multitude of similar findings in the pre-existing literature of inclusion (Ainscow and Miles 2008;Bourke 2010;Drudy and Kinsella 2009;Tarr, Tsokova, and Takkunen 2011), it could also be inferred that the particular portrayal of the SATM's role perceptions of inclusion that emerged are not extraordinary. Nevertheless, the analysis of this study results, evaluations and implications enable recommending various routes that should be taken in order to improve Israeli national policy for inclusion.…”

Parents’ Views on Family Resiliency in Sustainable Remote Schooling during the COVID-19 Outbreak in Finland

“…Those parents who described having no worries concerning their child's remote schooling claimed capabilities in themselves and their families as well as in the schools that supported their child's remote schooling. This finding reflects the successful collaboration and dialog between parents and teachers to support effective and inclusive teaching practices [29,30]. More often, however, parents described having challenges and worries concerning their child's remote schooling.…”

“…In an inclusive educational system, parents are supposed to be active and respected members of the school society [11,28]. In general, collaboration with parents is considered an effective inclusive practice [22,29] and dialog an important part of enhancing decision making [30]. In the Finnish context, teachers regard parents as important peer collaborators and their most important contact.…”

The Teacher’s Inclusive Culture: Assessing, Adjusting and Nurturing

“…There has been some research exploring the essence, content, and indicators of inclusive culture in society (Booth & Ainscow, 2007;Satarova, 2017). There have been numerous studies on inclusive culture in schools (Carrington & Elkins, 2002;Corbett, 1999;Nind, Benjamin, Sheehy, Collins, & Hall, 2004;Kinsella & Senior, 2007;Polyansky & Martirosyan, 2018;Scott, 1987;Tarr, Tsokova, & Takkunen, 2011;Zollers et al, 2010). Researchers have differentiated between a traditional and an inclusive school culture, which differ in values upheld by the school community (in an inclusive culture, the primary focus is on the student and teaching them vital skills that will help them in the future, while in a traditional culture the focus is on the content of the educational process), standpoints toward inclusion (in an inclusive culture, the teacher strives to meet the various needs of the student), perception of cultural groups (in an inclusive culture, members of a particular cultural group are perceived as equals, as opposed to outcasts), and relationships within a class (in an inclusive culture, the primary focus is on a highly cohesive class, mutual support, and a non-judgmental attitude toward the student).…”