IBE/2007/RP/CD/06 IBE-UNESCO Preparatory Report for the 48th ICE on Inclusive Education “The Third Workshop of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Community of Practice in Curriculum Development: Inclusive Education: The Way of the Future” Preparatory Activity of the 48th Session of the International Conference on Education. Minsk, Belarus, 29-31 October 2007 Abstract The International Conference on Education (ICE) is a major international forum for educational policy dialogue among Ministers of Education and other stakeholders (researchers, practitioners, representatives of intergovernmental organizations and NGOs). The ICE is organized by the International Bureau of Education (IBE), the UNESCO institute specialized in assisting Member States in curriculum development to achieve quality Education For All. The IBE Council, composed of 28 UNESCO Member States, has proposed in January 2007 that the 48th ICE session, to be held in Geneva in November 2008, should focus on the theme “Inclusive Education: the Way of the Future”. The 48th ICE will focus on broadening the understanding of the theory and practice of inclusive education while discussing how governments can develop and implement policies on inclusive education. The IBE is hosting a series of regional preparatory workshops dedicated to exploring and advancing inclusive education in preparation for the ICE 2008. The Third Workshop of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Community of Practice in Curriculum Development: Inclusive Education: The Way of the Future was held in Minsk, Belarus on the October 29-31 2007. This event was organized by the National Institute of Education of Belarus Ministry of Education, IBE-UNESCO, UNESCO Office in Moscow, and the CIS Council on Cooperation in Education; the venue of the conference was the Inclusive Secondary School 51 in Central District of Minsk and it had the participation of nine CIS countries. Within the framework of the four ICE 2008 sub-themes, this report addresses the status of inclusive education in the region and the ideas proposed by participants on what the next steps should be on how to advance inclusive education policy and implementation in the region. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................5 II. INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: UNITED NATIONS NORMATIVE FRAMEWORK.8 III. CONCEPTUAL DIMENSIONS OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION...........................10 2.1 SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION...........................................................................................................10 2.2 INTEGRATION ......................................................................................................................................11 2.3 INCLUSION ...........................................................................................................................................11 2.4 INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL INCLUSION......................................................................15 IV. INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES (CIS)......................................................................................................................18 1.THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA..............................................................................................................18 Approaches, Scope and Content ...................................................................................18 Public Policy.................................................................................................................18 Systems, Links and Transitions.....................................................................................21 Learners and Teachers .................................................................................................22 2. THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS .............................................................................................................23 Approaches, Scope and Content ...................................................................................23 Public Policy.................................................................................................................24 Systems, Links and Transitions.....................................................................................27 Learners and Teachers .................................................................................................29 3. THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN....................................................................................................30 Approaches, Scope and Content ...................................................................................30 Public Policy.................................................................................................................31 Systems, Links and Transitions.....................................................................................32 Learners and Teachers .................................................................................................33 4. THE REPUBLIC OF KYRGYZSTAN .....................................................................................................34 Approaches, Scope and Content ...................................................................................34 Public Policy.................................................................................................................34 Systems, Links and Transitions.....................................................................................35 Learners and Teachers .................................................................................................36 5. THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA ...........................................................................................................37 Approaches, Scope and Content ...................................................................................37 Public Policy.................................................................................................................38 Systems, Links and Transitions.....................................................................................42 Learners and Teachers .................................................................................................43 3 5. THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION................................................................................................................44 Approaches, Scope and Content ...................................................................................44 Public Policy.................................................................................................................44 Systems, Links and Transitions.....................................................................................46 Learners and Teachers .................................................................................................47 6. UKRAINE.................................................................................................................................................48 Approaches, Scope and Content ...................................................................................48 Public Policy.................................................................................................................49 Systems, Links and Transitions.....................................................................................51 Learners and Teachers .................................................................................................54 7. THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN.......................................................................................................56 Approaches, Scope and Content ...................................................................................56 Public Policy.................................................................................................................57 Systems, Links and Transitions.....................................................................................61 Learners and Teachers .................................................................................................62 8. THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA.................................................................................................................63 Approaches, Scope and Content ...................................................................................63 Public Policy.................................................................................................................63 Systems, Links and Transitions.....................................................................................64 Learners and Teachers .................................................................................................64 V. CONCLUSION - CONSENSUAL REGIONAL FINAL STATEMENT ..................66 FINAL DOCUMENT ..............................................................................................................................66 VI APPENDICES.................................................................................................................71 APPENDIX 1 – LIST OF PARTICIPANTS...........................................................................................71 APPENDIX 2 – CONFERENCE SCHEDULE........................................................................................73 4 I. INTRODUCTION 1 The IBE-UNESCO, through the Community of Practice (COP) in Curriculum Development2, is organizing a series