Creating Future Together

Creating Future Together? Problems and Perspectives of Inclusive Education in Russia 926-EDU-IAR-RU

Activity Report Short Answers: 1) If you had the funding and any other supporting resources needed, what would your project accomplish in one year? In 5 years? In one year my project would have accomplished the following results: (i) interviews and focus-groups with experts on the matter of educational reform concerning the inclusive education (ii) survey of parents of the disabled and non-disabled children as well as students and teachers and other professionals involved (iii) interviews with selected parents and students (iv) two case studies: at the special school for segregated education and mainstream school where the disabled child is enrolled (v) recommendations for policy implications (vi) tv program (one or two times) on the issue of the project in five years, i would have a possibility to implement the recommendations and to trace the progress of reform on a local level; to disseminate the findings on federal level and internationally; to network with those in Russia who are interested in pursuing the inslusive education; to promote research in different aspects of this reform among my colleagues and students as well as in other regions of Russia. 2) If awarded a fellowship, would you forego all other commitments for the period of the fellowship year? If not, what other commitments do you plan to undertake during the fellowship year? I would have a chance to diminish teaching load but maintain administrative obligations as a head of the department. Among the teaching duties, however, i would maintain a few courses for several reasons, in that number, in order to have my results and approaches discussed with the students.

3) In your area of interest, what do you consider to be the most important topics of debate and discussion (locally or internationally) within the media, your academic discipline, professional circles, and/or among politicians? Social construction of disability, segregation as a latent function of education, unexpected consequences of educational and economic reforms in Russia, status of social work and social pedagogy as new profession, re-formulation of 'defectology' into special education in today's Russia, empowerment as a principle of education and social work, social mobilization of the oppressed, acitization of the disabled people's movement, enhancing action and participatory perspective in public policy analysis. 4) Briefly describe what you have done in the past as a professional, researcher, or activist which demonstrates your ability to carry out your proposed project. I have done a research project under MacArthur grant focused on post-soviet welfare and professionalization of social work in russia, the book is to be ready for publication by september 2001, I collaborate with NGOs of the disabled, with local authorities, businesses and educational organizations in regards to educational opportunities of the disabled. Have good collaborative relations with Saratov city committee for education with the Head and Vice-Head - on the matter of research and expertize as well as planning to establish a Center for Civic Education in Saratov. Have good collaborative relations with the Ministry of Labor and Social Development of Saratov oblast on the matters of research, policy development and expertise, projects development, further qualification. Have done preliminary studies at a boarding school for children with cerebral palsy and a TV program is being prepared in Saratov TV on the matters of education for the disabled. 5) What new resources that you do not now have full access to including individuals, organizations, libraries, archives, databases, technologies, etc. do you intend to utilize while carrying out your proposed project? Selected schools in Saratov city, libraries in the west (publications on inclusive/intergrated education in english language), periodicals, archives about Russian special schools, technologies for inclusive education - i am going to engage into collaboration the colleagues and students from architecture, electronics, and technical departments of my unviersity which is Saratov State Tecnical University. I have preliminary agreements to establish a competition among the students on developing social and technical ideas to promote independent living and social integration of the disabled. this idea is supported by the ministry of labor and social development of saratov oblast. 6) Briefly identify the audience you would most like to reach with the results of your research and the related policy proposals. How do you expect this audience to respond to your proposals?

the audience will be the local government, administration of schools, social workers and social pedagogues, defectologists (special educators), as well as students with disabilities and their families, non-disabled peers and theri families. there will be debate and disagreement but i believe the idea of inclusive education is very close to its implementation and we need to do research to promote it and to see the possible obstacles and perspectives. 7) What are your ultimate career goals? I would like to establish in saratov the center for civic education and also i wish to have a phd student with disability to defend his/her dissertation about the social issues of disability in Russia. I would like to promote the disabled students into higher education and in particular in sociology and social work. i also would like to promote good management in education and social work, in order to do this, i am going to establish at our university a specialization "social management" and also, to develop international master in social sciences in saratov so that there will not be just moscow and stpersburg which offer such programs and therefore promote braindrains from the province. Research Proposal (RP): the project's objective and plan for fulfillment The research is focused on the resources and perspectives for developing the policy of inclusive education as a factor of social equity in today's Russia. The main objective of this project is an analysis of conditions, elaboration of the ways for implementation and proposition of social consequences of integrative/inclusive education in a contemporary Russia' society. Children with disabilities are in most cases in Russia taught in special schools which effect cognitive and social development of the students. The project aims to study the advantages and disadvantages of segregated educational system as well as check the conditions for integrative schooling in order to give recommendations for regional educational policy makers. I intend to do ethnographic evaluation study as well as survey and would like to engage mass media into public discussion of the issue. The project will have components of action and participatory research. The specific tasks in the plan of fulfillment of the project for one year are as follows: - Comparative analysis of policy of inclusive education in cross-cultural / international perspectives; - interviews and focus-groups with experts on the matter of educational reform concerning the inclusive education - survey of parents of the disabled and non-disabled children as well as students and teachers and other professionals involved - in-depth interviews with selected parents and students - case studies at the special school for segregated education and mainstream school where the disabled child is enrolled (v) recommendations for policy implications, including the recommendation for retraining of teachers, special educators and social pedagogues (school social workers) - engaging the local authorities to the discussion of the problem and its practical solution,

including round table with administrators and tv program (one or two times) on the issue of the project - dissemination of the results through mass media and scholarly publications as well as preparing handouts and information for popularization of the idea of inclusive education. My teaching for social work students which will serve as one of dissemination chanels for the research results. - an explanation of how the results of the project might be applied in practice in the relevant country(ies), and if appropriate, more broadly to the region as a whole. Today the important issues debated in public policy are related to unexpected consequences of educational and economic reforms in Russia, re-defining disability, segregation as a latent function of education, status of social work and social pedagogy as new profession, re-formulation of 'defectology' into special education in today's Russia, empowerment as a principle of education and social work, social mobilization of the oppressed, activization of the disabled people's movement, enhancing action and participatory perspective in public policy analysis. The idea of inclusive education is not debated yet in Russia but it may be very close to its implementation if we do research and action to promote it and to see the possible obstacles and perspectives. A model of inclusive education will be possible to establish at one or two secondary schools in Saratov where preliminary agreement has been arranged. The preliminary agreement has been arranged with the Saratov committee of education concerning the establishment of the Center for Civic Education, which will in particular aims on re-training of teachers and other professionals involved in primary and secondary education. This re-training should concentrate on many issues of civic education but in that number it would be possible to have sessions on inclusive policies of schooling. The project will create a possibility to implement the recommendations and to trace the progress of reform on a local level; to disseminate the findings on federal level and internationally; to network with those in Russia who are interested in pursuing the inslusive education; to promote research in different aspects of this reform among my colleagues and students as well as in other regions of Russia. This will be possible to do through the arranging workshops and conference, publications, TV programs, Internet, and disseminating video-materials. The main results of the project work will be reported and discussed at the Ministry of labor and social development of Saratov oblast, at the Saratov committee for education, Russian and international conferences, lectures and seminars at university where I teach and at specially arranged trainings and workshops. The results will be published in a collection of papers on inclusive education after a series of seminars and workshops. Students with disabilities and their families will be involved into these discussions and their voices will be presented in publication.

The outcomes of the research project will have significance for developing policy measures and higher education in areas of teachers' training, special education, social work, social medicine and sociology. The findings of the research will be possible to use in new textbooks on related subjects. In particular, the textbook on disability issues for social workers and social pedagogues will be developed using the results of this research. ransition - Pauline Ritchie Transition is the process of changing from one state or condition to another. Everyday each of us experiences transition. Sometimes its easy, other times its difficult but what is important is how we manage transition to be successful. SCHOOL TRANSITION Overview A recommendation from that evaluation study was the need to increase the linkages between the pre-primary and primary levels. A transition study was done to determine factors operating at the point at which pre-school students made the transition to the next level of education-Grade 1. Why aren’t children performing better in the Readiness Skills in Grade 1. Specific Objectives to compare the expectations of teachers at both levels regarding – what students should know – what they should be able to do – what social skills they should have at the end of their pre-school experience. • to determine parental expectations in relation to both levels of schooling. • To determine the extent to which resources to support teaching were evident at both levels. • To assess the extent to which teachers at both levels were using approaches appropriate to that level of education. • To determine the extent to which the curriculum used at the Grade 1 level articulated with that used at the pre-school level. Methodology The study was designed to trace and study students in their pre-school classrooms and then early in their education at the primary level. Fifty four (54) basic/infant/preparatory school were selected for the study. Data were collected from the teachers of exit classes in 49 of the 54 preschools and from 89 teachers of Grade 1 classes. A total of 351 students were identified in the pre-school exit classes and were traced to (when they made the transition) to Grade 1. 257 parents/guardians were also interviewed. Key Findings • Parents, pre-school and primary teachers had common opinions on – what students should know – be able to do and the social skills they should display at the end of pre-school

RECOMMENDATIONS • Teachers at these levels should have specialised early childhood training • More emphasis should be placed on children mastering skills especially those related to visual perception, auditory perception and number knowledge. • Teachers should be trained to use assessment procedures that focus on age-appropriate skill acquisition rather than acquisition of facts Children entering Grade 1 should be routinely tested for visual and hearing impairments. • Sex differences in aspects of the Readiness Tests should be researched to identify factors that determine the differences at such an early stage of students’ development. • Classrooms at both levels need to be provided with adequate amounts of learning materials and resources that allow for a greater level of self-directed student learning and less reliance on the chalk-and-talk approach. Both curricula need to be implemented as intended – The Integrated Approach. Community members and parents could make significant contributions. More appropriate furniture should be made available to pre-schools and Grade 1. The Ministry of Education should ensure that the space allocated for Grade 1 students complies with the same regulations as for pre-school children. GOJ/UNICEF TRANSITIONS PILOT PROJECT The Transition Project, as proposed by U.N.I.C.E.F.,” is designed to facilitate the implementation of strategies to improve existing structures in pre-schools and primary schools and create new structures, which can help to bridge the gaps between the two levels. The project will attempt to address not only the point of actual entry in primary school, but also what happens to children over the first two years in primary school. This is because of the recognition that, in order to help children through transition periods, there will need to be support beyond the point of school entry. Interventions will be designed to address problems identified at the family/community level, system level, management level and teacher level. It is intended that the project will be designed and developed within an action research framework where the broad strategies recommended will be developed gradually and adapted according to feedback received from the various stakeholders.” To address specific problems already identified, and thereby facilitate achievement of the overall aim of the project, five components have been conceptualised: Project Goal and Target Population The goal of the project is to improve school readiness and performance of children age 3+ - 8 years in pre-primary and primary schools by developing and testing methods for supporting children’s transition to school and ensuring the school’s readiness to receive them. The target population for the project includes the following beneficiaries in South East Clarendon.

Readiness is the readiness of children from the pre-primary school for Grade 1 in Primary School and the readiness of Grade 1 for the children from the pre-primary schools. Transition should be smooth between both schools. Grade 1 classrooms should look similar to the pre-school classrooms from which children came. It is therefore incumbent on the Grade 1 teacher to provide the stimulating print rich learning environment for the children they receive. List of Best Practices in the Transition Project · Joint training of pre-primary teachers and Grades 1 & 2 teachers monthly. · Involvement of parents in all training programmes with teachers at monthly workshops. · Special Parent Workshops held monthly. Topics include parenting, nutrition etc.

· Provision of equipment for each class in all schools eg. CD Cassette Players, Folding Book Cupboards, Carpets etc. · Provision of materials including kits, books, puzzles and other teaching/learning materials. · Use of Portfolios for Continuous Assessment. · Use of Camcorders to record classroom performance to improve teaching/learning methods and classroom management. · Community involvement in W.A.S.H. Project in collaboration with the Coalition for Community Participation in Governance. (C.C.P.G.) · Field Trips with teachers and children from pre-primary (Basic Schools) to Primary School · Children leaving for Grade 1 visit between June and July to meet their new teachers and familiarise themselves with their new school. · Summer programmes include workshops for teachers and parents and Summer School for “Children at Risk.” · Summer programmes include workshops for teachers and parents and Summer School for “Children at Risk.” · Tracer study of children leaving pre-primary and their performance in the Grade 1 Inventory. The results will be compared to those of other pre primary children outside of the Transition Project to see the effectiveness of the project.

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