iNcLuSive EduCation Contributions from an experience in Uruguay THE WORLD BANK 2006 ©2006 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20433 All rights reserved Graphic design and print: MONOCROMO info@monocromo.com.uy Phone: +598 (2) 400 1685 Montevideo, Uruguay Dep. Legal: 338332 Printed in Uruguay CONTENTS Introduction 6 Executive Summary 8 I. ALTERNATIVES FOR SCHOOL INCLUSION 1 What is Inclusive Education? 10 2 The challenge of diversity 11 3 What are special educational needs? 12 4 Why include? 13 5 International Legal Framework 14 6 Is Inclusive Education more expensive? 15 II THE URUGUAYAN EXPERIENCE 1 Educational context 18 2 Attention to “special educational needs” in Uruguay 19 3 Legal Framework 20 4 Alternatives for School Inclusion 20 III DEVELOPMENT OF AN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION COMPONENT 1 Composition of the Inclusive Education component 22 2 A contribution to educational quality 23 IV THE INCLUSIVE SCHOOL 1 A tool for change 26 2 Types of Educational Improvement Projects (PMEs) 27 3 Preliminary Results 28 4 PMEs for School Inclusion and Transformation of Teaching Practices 29 5 Some examples 30 V OPERATIONAL ASPECTS 1 How is an Educational Improvement Project formulated? 32 2 From awareness-raising to evaluation: the project cycle 32 3 Who participates? 33 4 How are participating schools selected? 34 5 How are the funds calculated? 35 6 What are the benefits received by schools? 36 VI COMPLEMENTARY STRATEGIES 1 The Role of State School Inspection Divisions 38 2 The Role of Special Education Schools 39 3 The Role of Civil Society 40 4 Development of a Network of Inclusive Schools 41 5 Advocacy and Communications Strategies 42 5 Advocacy and Communications Strategies 37 6 The role of schoolchildren as agents for inclusion 45 VII ALTERNATIVES AND CHALLENGES 1 Certification of included schoolchildren 48 2 Guide the transformation of Special Schools into Resource Centres 49 for Inclusive Education 3 Address the socio-cultural dimension of inclusion 50 4 Developing Mechanisms for Monitoring and Evaluation 56 School No. II from Colonia: A history of inclusion 57 Foreword Based on the commitments assumed by the the World Bank places a high priority on the inclusion international community during the Millennium of all children in the regular education system, Summit, multilateral agencies are working with including boys and girls with disabilities and/or with national governments to promote the principles of learning difficulties. inclusion and equal opportunity, within the overall goal of socio-economic development. The disability The absence of adequate transportation, the lack of issue is intrinsically linked to this agenda. teacher training for dealing with the needs of students with disabilities, problems with equipment Worldwide, disabilities affect at least 600 million and infrastructure in school buildings, scarce people, 400 million of whom live in the poorest educational materials, and inflexible school curricula countries. If these individuals are denied inclusion in are just a few of the more frequent and obvious the development strategies, it will be impossible to obstacles to quality education for all children. But the reduce poverty by half by the year 2015, as main obstacle is the lack of knowledge concerning established under the Millennium Declaration. If the great benefits of inclusion and the even greater children with disabilities are denied access to schools, costs of exclusion. it will be impossible to meet the goal of providing every girl and boy with the opportunity to complete Among other initiatives and activities in the field, the their primary education by 2015. World Bank is currently focusing on developing implementation guidelines to ensure that all new Inclusive Education is an essential element for schools are accessible and that all teacher training ensuring that all children will be educated, regardless activities have components on Inclusive Education. of their physical or sensory condition or level of intellectual development. The World Bank In the context of Latin America and the Caribbean, collaborates with governments in Latin America and the most recent projects have already adopted this the Caribbean to introduce activities and projects that approach. This book documents one of these projects promote Inclusive Education as a quality - the Inclusive Education initiative developed in enhancement strategy for all students. While Uruguay since early 2000, as part of MECAEP1 , a recognizing the important role of special education national quality education project financed by the institutions, particularly as training and resource World Bank. The MECAEP project in Uruguay centers for regular schools and teachers in general, illustrates some of the numerous mechanisms for 1 The first MECAEP Project began in 1994. It is arguably one of the most innovative educational projects in Latin America, having introduced regular student assessments, the development of Educational Improvement Projects, implementation of fulltime schools, and universal preschool enrollment. A decade after the MECAEP Project was first implemented, Uruguayan schoolchildren partici- pated in the PISA evaluation and achieved some of the best scores in the Region. Foreword | 5 promoting Inclusive Education. The project provides a Besides the direct impact on pupils’ education, it valuable example of what a country can do to inspire helps generate extensive awareness-raising in the and encourage the educational community to ensure educational system and in the community at large. inclusion in the classrooms, and through the classrooms, to reach the homes with a new In presenting this experience, the World Bank seeks educational paradigm, oriented towards diversity and to review and expand its own role in the area of the inclusion of all. Inclusive Education, beyond the financial support provided to countries to implement programs, but The MECAEP experience has demonstrated that it is also promoting knowledge and practice for a real possible to effectively expand coverage and move inclusive approach to development. beyond special settings exclusively dedicated to disabled pupils. By providing financial support directly to regular schools, on the request of the school communities and according to their particular needs, new solutions, resources and opportunities for inclusion and a better quality of education for all school children were generated throughout Uruguay. Ricardo Rocha Silveira Rosangela Berman Bieler SENIOR ECONOMIST, LAC LAC DISABILITY AND INCLUSIVE The funds can cover technical assistance for teacher EDUCATION SECTOR DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST, WORLD BANK WORLD BANK training, implementation and monitoring of curriculum adaptations, school transport, building accessibility, pedagogic materials and resources. Uruguay: Una experiencia de inclusión escolar | 6 Introduction This report describes an experience, developed jointly recently been implemented (2003) prevents an by the Uruguayan National Department of Public exhaustive study of its results and impact thus far, Education (ANEP) and the World Bank, of the publicizing the experience internationally is justified implementation of an Inclusive Education due to the need for documentation of actual 2 component . The goal is to demonstrate a concrete experiences developed on a national scale. It is hoped example of what countries can do to implement such that this will allow the public to envisage models for inclusive education in practice, within the framework the implementation of inclusive education. of strategies proposed by the “Education for All” initiative and the Millennium Development Goals The report was prepared by Sergio Meresman under (MDGs). the supervision of Rosangela Berman Bieler and Ricardo Rocha Silveira for the Department of Human This document does not attempt to provide either Development, Latin America and the Caribbean details of the conceptual framework or political Region, World Bank, and received funding from the arguments for setting the international guidelines of government of the Netherlands. The report was inclusive education programs3 , but rather responds to based on documents and contributions from the the demand for practical examples that illustrate an Board of Primary Education (ANEP-CODICEN), operational strategy. One of the promising Uruguay, elaborated by Teresita González de characteristics of the Uruguayan experience with the Tantessio, Gladys Delgado, Luis Belora, Ivonne Vidal, implementation of the Inclusive Education Stella de Armas, Anahir Martinol, and Rosario Valdés. component was that it did not require additional In the chapter dedicated to evaluation proposals, we programs or resources; rather, the process was considered drafts made by the Department of incorporated as a new tool within an overall strategy Educational Improvement Projects from CEP and by for improving the quality of education in the country. Helena Vianna. Although the fact that the component has only 2 The funding for Inclusive Education does not represent an “institution” within itself but the resources equivalent to one million US dollars mobilized to support Educational Improvement Programs in the framework of the Improvement of the Quality of Primary Education. A significant part of these resources were earmarked in favor of Inclusion Projects 3 For further information on the conceptual aspects and main conclusions on inclusive education, we recommend the report “Educa- tion for All-Together: including children with disabilities”, by Susan Peters, part of the World Bank Series on Education. Introduction | 7 Executive Summary This document describes the experience developed population. By modernizing teaching, learning jointly by the National Department of Public strategies, and promoting the development of social, Education (ANEP) of Uruguay and the World Bank in cognitive, and emotional skills, better participation the implementation of an Inclusive Education and performance can be achieved both inside the component. school and out. In 2003 and 2004, the Inclusive Education Introducing Inclusive Education funding as a component supported the implementation of School component of an on-going program to improve Inclusion Projects in 125 Schools of Regular Education academic quality utilized the previous learning and and in 13 School Inclusion Projects in Uruguay. The accumulated experience of Uruguayan teachers and regular schools are using Inclusive Education funds to schools in designing and implementing projects. This provide architectural improvements (to facilitate facilitated a rapid integration at the level of regular access and mobility for children with visual, hearing, and special schools while the regional education or mobility disabilities within the school space), to authorities’ (called Departmental Inspections in obtain specialized support and training for its Uruguay) participation in the process was based on teachers to meet the academic needs of all their their own specific needs and resources. students, and to promote inclusive participation by families and the overall community. Special education Students with disabilities and other special academic institutions and civil society organizations participated needs participate in an inclusion process whose goal in the strategy as support and advisory resources. is total inclusion in academic life. Schools benefiting from the provision of the technical and financial The implementation of an Inclusive Education assistance needed to carry out such improvements component attempts to reinforce social integration must adapt their teaching and learning strategies to based on equality and poverty reduction and each student’s needs and capabilities. decreasing exclusion in Uruguay. Since “inclusive education” aims to contribute to quality education for everyone, the benefits of this project are not limited to children with disabilities or special academic needs but extend to the entire school Uruguay: Una experiencia de inclusión escolar | 8 i ALTERNATIVES FOR SCHOOL INCLUSION 1. What is Inclusive Education? Many children enrolled in school as well as many who are not currently attending school have spe- Inclusive schools are built by the participation and cial needs. agreement of all educational stakeholders and Inclusive Education is an essential resource for view their students’ integration in the school as a these children, reintegrating them and defending part of the learning process. Inclusive schools are their space in school. The fundamental principle is based on the rights of all children to be recognized, that all children should have the same opportunity and to recognize themselves, as members of a to learn, and that everybody benefits when children community to which they belong, regardless of their social or cultural background, ideology, with disabilities are included. This means that regu- gender, ethnicity, or personal differences resulting lar schools should be prepared not only to recog- from a physical, intellectual, or sensory disability nize and meet the needs of all students, including or intellectual gift. those who have traditionally been excluded from access to education, but also to ensure their partici- pation in school under equitable conditions. (4) Children with different abilities and socio- countries at least one out of ten persons has a physi- cultural situations learn together. (It is more inclu- cal, cognitive, or sensory disability (the latter in- sive.) cludes deafness and blindness). These 10% repre- There are many more children with disabilities sent approximately 50 to 55 million primary school- than most people realize. According to a 1991 re- age children in developing countries. Of these, it is port by the Special United Nations Rapporteur on estimated that fewer than 5% finish primary school Human Rights and Persons with Disabilities, in most - a goal set by the Millennium Development Goals and the Education for All initiative. Of a total of 411,000 students registered in Uru- guayan Elementary Education, about 8,800 go to “Inclusive education” requires an adaptation of special education schools (boys and girls with intel- schools and teachers to the diverse and indivi- dual needs of their students. lectual, visual, mobility disabilities, and with per- sonality disorders). Another 3,900 children with Diversity itself benefits the school, teachers, and disabilities are integrated in the regular schools. students, by allowing them to recognize the similarities and differences reflected in their These children differ in the types and levels of their community. The ultimate objective is a healthy disabilities that include learning, speech, physical, and productive population in which everyone mobility, cognitive, sensory, behavioral, and emo- contributes fully to and enjoys economic, social, tional. Some have disabilities that are neither obvi- and cultural habitation. ous nor easily detected. These children are less likely to attend school and more likely to drop out early or to repeat a grade. Inclusive Education places Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 10 emphasis on the individual contributions that these ited to children with disabilities. Diversity benefits children make to the schools they attend, providing the school population as a whole by generating opportunities for them to play an active role while changes that revitalize the social, cognitive, and overcoming the physical and social barriers that limit emotional skills and performance of everyone in the their access. school community. It would be a mistake, however, to believe that the beneficiaries of an inclusive education are lim- 2. The challenge of diversity The difficulties arising from each child’s specific fects the school’s resistance (or willingness) to needs can be compensated for, minimized, or even change, its flexibility in the face of pressure, and its aggravated by the educational response and char- capacity for openness to diversity. The degree of acteristics of the school setting in which the child institutional identity also indicates the viability of a develops. Each school has its own culture, knowl- homogeneous culture coexisting within various het- edge, values, rituals, and expectations; its own struc- erogeneous cultures, in tandem with a new regula- ture and functional dynamics; and its formal and tion of different achievement levels. informal communication networks. All of this af- Alternatives for school inclusion | 11 3. What are special educational needs? Special educational needs (whether temporary or ing and enjoying school are related to highly diverse permanent) refer to barriers that act to block or halt factors, including the following: learning and participation and which affect a large • Cultural and attitudinal barriers involving dis- number of persons and situations. Nevertheless, criminatory behaviors by other children, their there is a longstanding tradition that equates “Spe- families, and teaching staff. cial Education” exclusively with students with dis- abilities, without taking other types of children and • Teacher training, which does not always prepare needs into account. teachers to approach the special needs of their It is also true that “special educational needs” students. do not necessarily have to be met through special- • Curricular design, evaluation and promotion ized services or more sophisticated materials than systems which tend to be based on standard, non- those used in a regular classroom. Transformed inclusive models. teaching practices, as a starting point, can help to • Lack of complementary technical and pedagogi- solve many of the requirements of children with cal resources to reinforce the school’s ability to special needs. deal with diversity. The barriers that prevent boys and girls with special educational needs from actively participat- Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 12 4. Why include? All over Latin America and the Caribbean, schools complete their course of study, highlighting the evo- have been rethinking their work based on new para- lution of each learning process and taking into con- digms and premises, seeking to introduce other ways sideration the different pace required by each indi- of reasoning, working, and living as a community. vidual student. It is now widely recognized that high-quality public The main challenge of the new century will be education is a universal right and a fundamental to successfully make diversity an enriching experi- element of social inclusion. It is also acknowledged ence for all concerned. Dealing with this challenge that every child has a unique capacity and potential requires taking a chance on new educational, cul- which therefore requires a unique educational re- tural, political, legal, technological, and economic sponse to realize. proposals. It will require a global effort to render The overall challenge for the future is as simple the emerging globalized world viable and sustain- and complex as answering the following questions: able. School inclusion becomes effective when a set Which values should a school impart in an increas- of institutional, social, and community actions adapt ingly segregated, violent, and competitive society? and are organized, planned, and made operational, Which knowledge should be transmitted as a prior- in order to guarantee a feeling of ownership and ity? What should be done in order to move a school inclusion. This means not only placing students with towards greater equality and better quality? disabilities or other special needs in regular classes, The value of Inclusive Education lies in the pos- but also removing the barriers that prevent their sibility of diversifying teaching-learning strategies, participation, thereby accepting and placing value adjusting institutional frameworks, linking in dif- on individual differences. ferent ways the approaches which students take to Alternatives for school inclusion | 13 5. International Legal Framework A vast international legal framework for children • World Education Forum, Dakar (2000) with disabilities regulates their right to Inclusive • Meeting of Ministers of Education from Ibero- Education and establishes the responsibility of states America (2000) to provide it: • Millennium Summit (New York, 2000) • Convention on the Rights of the Child (United Nations General Assembly, l989) • 7th World Congress on Educational Inclusion (San Luis, 2002) • First World Conference on Education for All (Jontien, 1990) What all of these conventions, laws, decrees, decla- • Inter-American Convention for the Elimination rations, and regulations express is the singular com- of All Forms of Discrimination against Persons mitment of states to effectively incorporate people with Disabilities (Organization of American with different capacities into various aspects of com- States, 1999) munity life. While their scope varies in terms of ap- plicability or enforcement, their main objective is • Uniform Standards for Equality of Opportuni- to combat discrimination and to uphold the rights ties for Persons with Disabilities (United Nations, of children and adolescents. This public policy also 1993) includes the rights of people with disabilities. • World Conference on Special Educational Needs, Salamanca Statement (UNESCO, 1994) • Santiago Statement, Second Summit of the Americas (1998) Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 14 6. Is Inclusive Education more expensive? In the past, many governments failed to provide The costs of exclusion on the other hand are high education for children with disabilities in regular in terms of lost productivity, wasted human poten- schools, claiming that educational inclusion is too tial, and harm to health and wellbeing, as shown in costly and produces limited benefits. However, the the following table: evaluation of international experiences in educa- tional inclusion1 has demonstrated that it is no more expensive to educate a child with special educational TOTAL ANNUAL GDP LOST DUE TO DISABILITIES needs in a regular school than in a special school. In fact, a 1994 study by OECD estimated that the in- GDP LOST BILLIONS OF U$) MAXIMUM MINIMUM clusion of children with special educational needs ESTIMATE ESTIMATE in regular classes might be seven to nine times less High-income countries 1,300 900 expensive than placement in special schools. 2 Medium-income countries 480 339 Research has also demonstrated that when an in- clusive education approach is adopted, there is an Low-income countries 192 135 increase in overall learning performance by children TOTAL 1,936 1,365 involved. Source: R. L. Metts (2000) 1 Audit., HMI Commission on Special Education (1992) in CSIE Inclusion Information Guide, www.inclusion.uwe.ac.uk/csie 2 OCDE (1994). L’integration scolaire des infants et adolescent handicapés. Ambitions, théories et pratiques. París: OCDE. It is neces- sary to recognize the need to maintain the focus on “special education” in some cases. Nearly all countries still provide special education for some deaf and blind children. For the deaf population, for example, the positive self-image developed by children in a setting in which sign language is used can be more valuable than the benefits resulting from their inclusion in a regular class. Alternatives for school inclusion | 15 2 THEURUGUAYAN EXPERIENCE 1. Educational context Uruguay was a pioneer in Latin America in achiev- ing universal primary education (since the late The transition from social homogeneity to one 1950s). This important achievement has been of heterogeneity represents not only one of the strengthened in recent years through a strong in- principal challenges for policies in the vestment at the preschool level, allowing the coun- educational sector but also an opportunity for try to rapidly universalize access for the four-to-six- rethinking schools through the paradigm of year-old population. inclusion. But in addition to achieving universal access, Uruguay has decidedly invested in improving edu- cational quality and retention rates in primary edu- cation, so that some 90% of the population now dents in public primary schools. The transition from finishes six years of primary education, placing the the social homogeneity paradigm towards one char- country above average for Latin America and on acterized by heterogeneity and equality is one of the the road to achieving the same standards as devel- principle challenges for policies in the educational oped countries. sector. This means an opportunity for conceiving Rapid social transformations in recent decades our schools through the paradigm of inclusion by: and deterioration of “educability conditions” (Lopez-Tedesco, 2002) for a major portion of chil- dren attending public schools have created an un- • fostering new forms of teaching, in keeping with precedented opportunity for education in Uruguay. the “conditions for educability” and including The conditions for educability deteriorate when everyone; families cannot guarantee their children’s prepara- • providing greater flexibility of institutional tion for the requirements of school and when the frameworks in order to seek a better link between schools fail to adapt in order to compensate for dif- families and the school community; and ficulties that accompany social, cultural, and lin- • an inclusive approach to the completion of stu- guistic diversity. dents’ course of study in school, highlighting each Thus the existence of “special educational needs” student’s progress as required case by case, so as transcends the issue of disability. There is a grow- to interrupt the vicious circle of segregation and ing need to adapt the school curriculum and the resignation by the weakest. teaching-learning process if we wish to cover all stu- Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 18 2. Attention to “special educational needs” in Uruguay In Uruguay, the right to education is linked to the sonalized educational needs of disabled children in- democratic tradition and ideals of the founders of a tegrated within the framework of regular schools. public school system based on the principles of uni- Since 2001, collaborative projects have been car- versal, free, and mandatory schooling and has been a ried out with the Organization of American States model in the Latin American and Caribbean region. (OAS) in 6 schools in Montevideo.1 These projects Historically, attention to children with “special emphasize teacher training and extend the concept educational needs” has been the responsibility of of special educational needs to include those result- Special Education Schools. The noteworthy expan- ing from critical socioeconomic settings, while ex- sion of special schools led to a total of 75 establish- panding into secondary education. ments nationwide by the mid-1960s, a figure that The “Educational Policy Guidelines” proposed has remained constant since then, reflecting a policy for 2001-2004 provide a new milestone that addi- that seeks to invest public resources in inclusive ap- tionally demonstrates an inclusive and pro-diversity proaches and equal opportunities. approach to the management of overall educational Along with these developments in the field of policies. These guidelines emphasize the need to fos- Special Education, Uruguay has been a pioneer in ter successful learning through a series of tools based the Latin American and Caribbean region in terms on inclusive attention to special educational needs: of including deaf and blind children in regular • Teacher’s attention to each child’s individual pace schools. This policy was also backed for many years and unique characteristics; by placing teachers with visual and hearing disabili- ties in regular schools. • Attention to the diversity of cultural and psy- In 1985, with the return of democracy to the chosocial situations; country, the Board of Primary Education developed • Promotion of teaching strategies that are adjusted a Special Education Project proposing the elimina- to work with diverse populations; tion of closed classes in regular schools, moving to- • Orientation of school management according to ward a system of support classes for students with children’s rights; and special educational needs. Pioneering experiences were conducted, such as that in School No. 70 and • Coordination of intra- and inter-institutional in- several kindergartens, in which the goal has been to tegration while facilitating networks for school- train and advise regular school teachers. This pro- community interaction. cess led to the creation of “support teachers” and “itinerant teachers”, trained to respond to the per- 1 “Educating through Diversity in the Mercosur Countries”, a Multinational Project for Technical Assistance and Personnel Training in Special Education, OAS The uruguayan experience | 19 3. Legal Framework International norms and commitments signed by disabilities or other special educational needs, in ad- Uruguay in the Treaties for the Rights of Children dition to emphasizing the importance of promoting and the International Conventions on Disability pro- inclusive environments in the school and community.2 vide the inspiration and form for educational poli- Within this framework, Uruguay is currently re- cies that seek inclusion of all children in school. Na- viewing the school standards and rules related to tional Act No. 16.095 (1989) on “Comprehensive grading and passing systems to adjust them to the Protection for Persons with Disabilities” establishes principles of diversity and seeks to allow all chil- the principle of “equalization of opportunities” and dren to obtain appropriate certification for their safeguards the right to education for children with course of study in school. 4. Alternatives for School Inclusion Students with “special educational needs” (result- sub-sectors with the curriculum adapted to his or her ing from disability or otherwise) can be part of a special educational needs are conducted in the re- school inclusion project in a regular school through source classroom with specialized itinerant support. various curricular options: Option 4: The student participates in a special cur- Option 1: The student participates in all activities riculum, attending all the activities in the special- in the regular course and receives specialized atten- ized classroom while sharing recess, official acts and tion in an individual class with the help of a special ceremonies, and extracurricular activities in general itinerant teacher (in a complementary mode). with his or her schoolmates. This represents an op- tion for the child’s physical and social integration. Option 2: The student participates in all the activi- ties of the regular class and attends the resource class- Option 5: The student participates in all educational room with a special itinerant teacher for those learn- activities of the regular class and receives help from ing areas or sub-sectors in which he or she requires its teacher, providing access to activities with increas- more significant curricular adaptations. ing levels of difficulty which take the student’s needs into account. Option 3: The student participates in some learning sub-sectors with the regular class, while the areas or 2 Other pertinent Uruguayan legislation includes Act 16592 on “Severe Disabilities”; Act 13711 on “Diagnosis of Mental Retarda- tion”; Act 16095 on the “System for Guaranteeing Comprehensive Protection for People with Disabilities”; and Act 16,169, “Amend- ment to Provision of the Act on the System for Comprehensive Protection”. Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 20 3 DEVELOPMENT OF AN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION COMPONENT 1. Composition of the Inclusive Education component The development of an Inclusive Education com- lowed the country to capitalize on the lessons learned ponent emerged in Uruguay in 2003 as part of and the experience accumulated by teachers and the process of Improvement in Educational Qual- schools in the formulation and management of Edu- ity that the country had been implementing since cational Improvement Projects (PME). 1994. With resources from the National Department of Public Education and the World Bank, the In- The Inclusive Education component is implemented clusive Education component funds school inclu- within the framework of a set of social policies sion projects, providing Uruguayan schools with aimed at strengthening social integration on the an opportunity to practice school inclusion poli- basis of equity and the reduction of poverty and cies with an overall strategy of defending equity exclusion in Uruguayan society. and improving educational quality. The integration of the Inclusive Education strat- egy as a sub-component of the Project for Quality Improvement in Primary Education (MECAEP) al- Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 22 2. A contribution to educational quality The Inclusive Education component reaffirms a com- mitment to quality that transcends the traditional The integration of the Inclusive Education view of disability and the way schools respond to component as a sub-component of a broader special educational needs by joining with (and con- educational program already under way allowed tributing) to the overall processes of institutional the country to capitalize on the lessons learned empowerment, autonomous school management, and the experience accumulated by teachers and teacher training and development, and strengthen- schools in the formulation and management of Educational Improvement Projects. ing of family-school-community links. Educational quality requires enriching the pro- cesses by which students develop their learning ex- perience. It involves adjusting and updating the cur- the life of the educational community. As a result ricular content and teaching activities as ways of they are able to build their own path towards the helping students develop socially significant and implementation of educational changes, identifying relevant learning, allowing them to perform ad- the difficulties, effecting the possible changes and equately on cognitive, emotional, productive, ethi- maximizing the strengths and resources of both the cal, and social levels. school institution and the community. The implementation of Educational Improve- Participating schools have shown progress in the ment Projects with financing from the Inclusive development of strategies for autonomy. Favorable Education component aspired to advance two con- indicators of this process include the growing use crete objectives: of innovative teaching and learning methodologies, increased opportunities for teacher training, and 1. Decentralization of schools, school autonomy strengthening of family-school-community ties. and strengthening of educational institutions’ Pedagogical Projects (i.e., Educational Develop- 2. Establishing conditions and strategies for the ment Projects or School Projects) as a way of inclusion of all children. tangibly improving the quality of teaching and In a context of significant socioeconomic deteriora- learning. tion and social transformations that affect all groups, Educational Improvement Projects have become an schools are increasingly committed to their role of effective tool for autonomous school management integrating and weaving the social fabric. The ex- in Uruguay, since teachers themselves (in consulta- clusion of underprivileged boys and girls (either tion with children and their families) conduct an because of their varying abilities or differences re- analysis of the school’s overall situation and its vari- sulting from their socio-cultural backgrounds) raises ables (physical, spatial, organizational, and rela- the challenge for educational institutions to provide tional), interpreting what is most visible while bring- an appropriate response to such diversity. ing to light the more obscure factors that condition Development of the Inclusive Education component | 23 4 THE INCLUSIVE SCHOOL 1. A tool for change The Educational Improvement Projects (PMEs) are Since the beginning of the program in Uruguay, an initiative of the National Department of Public more than 1,600 PMEs have been funded, reaching Education (ANEP), the head educational authority a total of nearly 420,000 students and at least 18,050 in Uruguay. The Projects’ implementation is made teachers participating directly. Some 64% of these possible by national budget funds from the Board PMEs have targeted urban schools, 19% rural of Primary Education (CEP) and financing from the schools, and 17% special schools. More than half World Bank, within the framework of the Project of the projects are in schools with students from for Quality Improvement in Primary Education socially underprivileged backgrounds. An average (MECAEP). of one out of three proposals has been funded, and Uruguay began implementing the PMEs in 1995 each project has lasted from one to two years. as a tool for institutional and pedagogical transfor- The funds allocated have averaged U$ 2,100 per mation with the aim of producing a positive impact project, depending on the size of the student body on the quality of learning. The Educational Improve- at each school. ment Projects aim to enrich the teaching-learning process and provide the school with a medium- and long-term plan to integrate classroom and extra-cur- ricular activities in a theme chosen by the educa- Educational Improvement Projects provide tional community itself, based on its relevance and schools the opportunity to invest in change by means of strategies emerging from the teaching capacity to optimize learning processes at all levels. staff and as a function of the existing curriculum, Until 2001 the Educational Improvement where children are the center of the teaching Projects underwent a process of experimentation and process. validation under the MECAEP. Having evaluated their success and achieved consolidation, the Projects were incorporated institutionally as a regular pro- gram by the Board of Primary Education. MECAEP monitors the entire process of capacity-building for the schools in both the drafting of proposals and the management of projects. Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 26 2. Types of Educational Improvement Projects (PMEs) From their initial implementation until 2001, the PMEs covered the more traditional areas of the Through the Educational Improvement Project, the school curriculum: Language, Mathematics, Social school seeks to generate spaces for creation and Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Art Education, as reflection that allow it to identify its main problems well as those linked to crosscutting areas: Educa- and build possible strategies to solve them, with tion in Values, Health, and Environment. These the teaching staff as directors in the process of PMEs are known as “classics”. change and the children as its main protagonists. In the year 2002 a new classification was adopted to give greater specificity to projects in the areas of Health and the Environment. These projects aimed to integrate “education for life and the environment” into the school’s daily functioning as part of a com- mitment to the children’s formation and develop- ment, fostering healthy habits and responsible be- haviors between themselves and their environment. The inclusive school | 27 3. Preliminary Results An impact study conducted in Uruguay in 2000 In addition, it was shown that the benefits of PMEs showed the following in relation to Educational go beyond their direct educational impact on stu- Improvement Projects: dents. The school dynamics as a whole are trans- formed when PMEs are implemented. These include • The Projects improve school efficiency and effi- the relationship between school and community, cacy in management and scheduling. teachers and students, and among teachers them- • They strengthen teachers’ work culture and im- selves, all of whom are concentrated on a project prove their relations with students’ families and with a common objective. This kind of teamwork communities. strengthens and increases the level of motivation, • They improve students’ curricular performance. which influences everyone’s attitudes. The prepara- tion alone of a work plan to submit as a proposal • They help reduce the gap between the academic for a PME is a highly positive step because of the performances of schools from privileged and critical analysis and strategic thinking it requires of underprivileged socioeconomic settings. the school. • From 1996 and 1999, the improvement in stu- dent performance was greater in schools with PMEs as compared to the national average. Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 28 4. PMEs for School Inclusion and Transformation of Teaching Practices The PMEs for School Inclusion and Transforma- possibility of accessing “special” technical and fi- tion of Teaching Practices (ITP/PMEs) incorporated nancial resources that allow them to organize strat- in Uruguay since 2003 are another highly valuable egies for inclusion. resource for the democratization of education. They are implemented within a series of public policies aimed at strengthening social integration based on equity and the struggle against exclusion in Uru- guayan society. School inclusion is thus seen as a WHAT ARE AN INCLUSIVE SCHOOL’S VALUES? strategy that helps promote an inclusive society. The main proposal of the ITP/PMEs is to con- • To build a sense of community, promote belonging and participation, and help achieve tribute to improving the quality and equity of Uru- democracy and citizenship. guayan education. A specific goal is to provide an • To develop a sense of empathy by teaching that appropriate and relevant response to the diversity all persons have unique characteristics and of needs emerging from the students’ families and abilities. the individual realities which impact teaching prac- • To promote the value of diversity by favoring tice in classrooms. learning skills for living in a community. The ITP/PMEs are based on teachers’ prior • To help recognize that all students have knowledge of the methodology for formulation and strengths, cultivating self-esteem, and management of school projects. Contextualization strengthening the sense of self-respect and and decentralization of the pedagogical task are two individuality. characteristics that facilitate the gradual process of • To use creative ways of dealing with challenges, empowerment in the schools. teaching collective problem-solving and developing teamwork skills. When a regular school’s classrooms receive chil- • To provide all children with stimulating dren with special educational needs (SEN) and en- surroundings in which to grow and learn. sure the completion of their schooling and the full- ness of their participation, it becomes an Inclusive School. The ITP/PMEs offer regular schools the The inclusive school | 29 5. Some examples Since 2003, Uruguayan School Inclusion Projects their libraries and academic resources. have been developed in 125 schools and in 13 De- To learn from selected ITP/PMEs examples in partmental Inspections. Uruguay in 2003-2004, visit: Some of these projects use Inclusive Education http://www.cep.edu.uy/InformacionInstitucional/ funds to pay for architectural changes needed to fa- InspecDivDptos/Deptosyservicios/PME/Inclusion/ cilitate access and mobility for children with visual, selccionados_2004.htm hearing, or mobility disabilities. Other projects make use of the Inclusive Education component resources Access stories written first-hand by teachers and stu- to hire specialists and to incorporate innovative prac- dents by visiting Uruguay’s Elementary School tices such as “yoga in schools” (which fosters a cli- Council’s electronic bulletin at: mate of friendship and openness). http://www.cep.edu.uy/InformacionInstitucional/ Still other projects have improved their institu- InspecDivDptos/Deptosyservicios/PME/Inclusion/ tional capacity by training teachers and updating ultimo_boletin.htm Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 30 5 OPERATIONAL ASPECTS 1. How is an Educational Improvement Project formulated? The procedures for drafting a proposal for an Edu- cational Improvement Project (PME) can be ex- The forms used by schools to design their plained as follows: Inclusion Projects and Operations Manual and • The school’s faculty starts with the observation other support material can be obtained at the following internet address: of a current situation within the classroom which is considered unsatisfactory and improvable. http://www.cep.edu.uy/InformacionInstitucional/ InspecDivDptos/Deptosyservicios/PME/Inclusion/ • Having analyzed the situation, the school’s staff documentos.htm proposes to search for solutions to what is con- sidered the “main problem” by proposing strat- egies and actions that focus on an integrated, thematic line. inspectors, directors of Teacher Training Insti- • A project document is drafted based on the PME tutes, and superintendents/principals of so-called Drafting Manual. Practice Schools (for teachers-in-training). • The project’s documents are evaluated and se- lected by an ad hoc committee including school 2. From awareness-raising to evaluation: the project cycle The development of an Educational Improvement AWARENESS - RAISING DRAFTING Project involves a series of stages aimed at institu- tional relevance and development of appropriate and useful objectives in light of the priorities of each school and community (relevance). A project cycle thus evolves in which a series of successive stages can be observed: EVALUATION EXECUTION • Awareness-raising, the stage in which it is neces- sary to encourage and motivate the various play- ers in the school and community to become in- FOLLOW-UP/ volved in producing changes in the school. MONITORING Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 32 • Drafting or formulation, in which the entire • Follow-up and monitoring, the process of on- school community is involved in envisaging the going evaluation and verification of the project’s project’s achievements and “expected results” development and results, including adjustments based on the identification of a problem situa- in the original plan. tion, target-setting, and development of an ac- • Evaluation, the process which evaluates learn- tion plan. ing experiences and provides information for the • Execution, consisting of the implementation of achievement of goals and objectives that can then the activities planned in the Project. serve as input for reopening the project cycle. 3. Who participates? All institutions belonging to public primary educa- tion participate in the call for Projects financed by WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES FOR the Inclusive Education strategy: DRAFTING SCHOOL INCLUSION PROJECTS? • Regular Urban Schools • Special Education Schools • A regular school drafts a School Inclusion project. • Rural Schools • Several regular schools from the same rural area pool together to draft a School Inclusion • Full-Time Schools project. • Practice Schools • A State School Inspection Division drafts a School Inclusion project. • Kindergartens All schools are invited to draft proposals and apply for the resources available through the Inclusive Education strategy. In order to be selected, the ap- “consolidated school groups”, where up to three plicant schools (both urban and rural) should have schools pool together to develop an Inclusion a staff of three or more teachers. Rural schools with Project, sharing the technical and financial resources only one or two teachers are eligible as are so-called allocated to them. Operational aspects | 33 4. How are participating schools selected? The allocation and distribution of funds for Educa- An index based on socioeconomic, institutional- tional Improvement Projects is based on an open functioning, and results indicators was created to contest in which all public schools in Uruguay are elucidate the project distribution in urban and rural invited to participate. Schools only participate if they schools. For rural schools, the indicator adopted was are interested in doing so. the repetition rate. Distribution is as follows: The Call for Projects is conducted annually. The 1. 50% of PMEs in “high-risk” schools projects are evaluated by a designated panel which bases its work on an Evaluation Manual specifically 2. 30% of PMEs in “medium-risk” schools designed for this purpose. 3. 20% of PMEs in “low-risk” schools In order to avoid Project selection from pool- ing in schools with the greatest institutional and This overall strategy led to a distribution of PMEs project-drafting capacity, the Educational Improve- with approximately 85% in urban schools – includ- ment Projects establish a system of equitable allo- ing special schools - and 15% in rural schools with cation based on socioeconomic characteristics, in- more than one teacher. cluding a positive discrimination for schools dis- playing the greatest needs and/or unsatisfactory educational results. Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 34 5. How are the funds calculated? The financial support for Educational Improvement school year under way at the time the proposal is Projects is provided by the National Department submitted, applying the following formula: of Public Education through the Project for Qual- ity Improvement in Primary Education (World BASIC AMOUNT (same for all schools) Bank). As of the year 2003, the MECAEP Project U$ 1,000 had funded a total of 1,250 Educational Improve- ADDITIONAL AMOUNT ment Projects in public schools all over Uruguay. (proportional to the number of students) The amount allocated per project varies from U$ 4.40 X N U$ 1,500 to U$ 3,000. (where N is the number of students enrolled) The amount of funds that the school receives to develop its Improvement Project is calculated on Having signed the institutional agreement, the funds the basis of the number of students enrolled for the are disbursed in two equal installments. Operational aspects | 35 6 What are the benefits received by schools? The schools selected to develop an IPT/PME receive 3. Many school districts hold Educational Improve- technical and financial assistance for a period of one ment Project exhibits completed by students and year. This assistance is provided gradually over the teachers in order to publicize progress to the course of the year in which the Improvement Project broader community. is implemented. During the development of the 4. Monitoring and follow-up of each Improvement Projects, each school must submit regular progress Project is done by the State School Inspection and accounting reports, as well as a Final Report Division, specifically by the School Inspector when the Project is concluded. corresponding to the given School, in coordina- tion and collaboration with staff from the PME Department in the Board of Primary Education. Financial Assistance The financial assistance covers a series of additional expenditures beyond the school’s regular budget, THE SCHOOLS RECEIVE allowing it to make investments and improvements as a function of its Improvement Project objectives. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE • Teacher training • Follow-up and supervision Technical Assistance • Participation in exchange activities • Access to national and international 1. At the beginning of the year, Project Management networks Advisory Workshops are held with the Principal and Teachers who are named the “Educational Improvement Project Teacher-Coordinators”. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 2. In the middle of each year, “Learning School” • For purchase of educational materials workshops are held with the participation of the • For extra expenses linked to project activities teachers and principals of all the schools that • For minor improvements aimed at removal are implementing Educational Improvement of architectural barriers and improvement of Projects. These workshops aim to foster a for- non-classroom spaces mal space for exchange on the progress and dif- ficulties faced by the Projects, and to share inno- vative strategies and materials. Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 36 6 COMPLEMENTARY STRATEGIES The schools that implement School Inclusion PMEs • Conversion of Special Education Schools into begin a long process, full of challenges and difficul- Centers for Inclusion Resources. ties, for which they require on-going and follow-up • Mobilization of (and collaboration with) civil support. society and nongovernmental organizations. Uruguay has worked to develop a sustainability strategy that promotes mechanisms for cooperation • Development of a Network of Inclusive Schools among all those participating in the School Inclusion and a virtual community of teachers and students Project, fostering greater and more efficient utiliza- involved in the Project. tion of resources, exchange of information, and de- • Sustained action in advocacy and social commu- velopment of educational networks. This strategy seeks nications. to develop and strengthen some key areas for support • Facilitation of a component involving youth lead- and follow-up of work done by Inclusive Schools: ership and inclusion. • Institutional commitment and technical support by the State School Inspection Divisions of the Board of Primary Education. 1 The Role of State School Inspection Divisions The State School Inspection Divisions1 can also par- The ITP/PMEs headed by the State School In- ticipate by submitting proposals oriented towards spection Divisions receive a fixed sum of U$ 1,000 improving school inclusion in their jurisdiction. The that generally helps to finance objectives such as Educational Improvement Projects carried out by State community awareness-raising, training of teachers School Inspection Divisions were introduced in 2003 within their jurisdiction, or development of exchange and have been receiving highly positive feedback. and networking activities among the participating The School Inspection Divisions propose an Im- schools. provement Project based on the same criteria used Examples of recursive ITP/PMEs headed by for drafting school projects: identify a priority situ- School Inspection Divisions approved in 2003 in- ation or institutional weakness, propose the action cluded: school district courses, meetings and ex- strategies to solve it, and draft an annual activities changes between participating schools and teach- plan. These projects act complementarily by mak- ers, professional symposia to disseminate the theme ing School Inclusion feasible at the State level and of inclusion, consultancy for the drafting and man- playing a key role in consensus-building and mobi- agement of ITP/PMEs, and networking. lization of regional resources. 1 Uruguay is divided into 19 Departamentos, the equivalent of States or Provinces. Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 38 2. The Role of Special Education Schools The Inclusive Education initiative also allows for • Pedagogical research and consultancy the conversion of Special Schools into Resource Cen- • Multidisciplinary reports and diagnoses ters that provide support to the regular schools and their communities in the inclusion process. Special • Collaboration in curricular adjustments Education Schools are invited to submit Improve- • Monitoring and follow-up of inclusion ment Projects oriented towards the development of • Response to queries and requests by parents Resource Centers, and if selected, can receive a fixed sum of U$ 2,000. • Technology consultancy to regular schools for The ITP/PMEs headed by the Special Education the formulation, management, or evaluation of Schools may include: school inclusion projects. • Relocation of students to regular schools • Dual school programs • Organization and management of itinerant teach- ers’ services Complementary strategies | 39 3. The Role of Civil Society The relationship between schools and civil society Definition of adequate and pertinent goals organizations is not new to Uruguay. Experiences with collaborative activities and civil society orga- It is necessary for civil societies’ collaboration to nizations date back many years and exhibit a dis- adjust primarily to the school’s needs and priorities tinct degree of development. Nongovernmental or- and concomitantly to the supply of cooperation. ganizations collaborate significantly with schools on projects in such innovative areas as environmental Program monitoring education. This type of relationship provides a wealth of significant experiences that have yet to be It is necessary to provide follow-up on the collabo- fully evaluated, but whose sustained expansion sug- rative activity, regularly monitoring and evaluating gests that schools regard them highly. its quality, feedback, and impact. At the international level, all specialized agen- cies emphatically recommend that schools promote Sustainability participation by civil society organizations both in school management issues and in quality improve- To the extent that the involvement of civil society ment and strengthening of the school-community organizations in school activity is only possible link, recognizing the latter as social capital and con- through volunteer work or the mobilization of ad- sidering it an indicator of the quality of social re- ditional resources, it is necessary to consider the is- sponsibility and citizenship. According to these rec- sue of sustainability and define reachable objectives ommendations, several elements have been proposed and results in the short and medium term. regarding the quality of “principles” that develop an effective link between schools and civil society Dissemination organizations: It is important to create a “database” that recompiles the available technical, financial, and human re- sources in nongovernmental organizations. Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 40 4. Development of a Network of Inclusive Schools Technological progress in communications opens up The cooperative work involving State School new challenges and opportunities for education. The Inspection Divisions, Special Schools, and teachers circulation of knowledge, experiences, educational participating in the project through a “Network of tools, and school support materials is increasingly Inclusive Schools” allows implementation of the intense, among other reasons, thanks to the Internet. foundations for Inclusive Education as well as pro- With the constant growth and progress of connec- viding the instruments and resources produced dur- tivity and new communications technologies, the ing projects at the classroom and school levels. The utilization of web-based strategies and online tools Uruguayan Network of Inclusive Schools points to increasingly becomes a real alternative for teachers, the provision of the following services: students, and schools all over the world. • Making specialized information available to the The utilization of network strategies and infor- schools mation and communications technologies to sup- port inclusion projects has valuable antecedents in • Responding to queries experiences carried out in the United Kingdom, • Facilitating exchange of experiences Spain, Canada, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Peru, and • Orienting information searches through links to elsewhere. The development of these virtual net- specialized sites works and communities has sought to foster, under the premise that interaction among peers enriches • Organizing forums on issues and concerns raised the teaching and learning processes, participation by the participants by students, their families, and civil society organi- • Announcing events (congresses, courses, semi- zations,. nars) Uruguay has proposed to develop a virtual com- munity that seeks to provide a tool to solve problems • Sustaining the membership of persons and insti- of permanent support, time, distance, and resources tutions in a network of inclusion-based practices. by joining the Inclusive Schools and all those who participate in the teaching and learning processes. Complementary strategies | 41 SOME SCHOOL INCLUSION NETWORKS AROUND THE WORLD • Red de Inclusión Educativa de Chile www.inclusioneducativa.org • Inclusion International www.inclusion-international.org • Inclusion Network www.inclusion.org • Centre for Studies on School Inclusion (UK) www.inclusion.uwe.ac.uk/csie • Red de Integración Especial www.redespecialweb.org/ • The School as a Caring Community in Canada, www.quasar.ualberta.ca/ddc/incl • Supporting Individual Educational Needs in the United Kingdom www.inclusion.ngfl.gov.uk/ • Inclusive Education www.uni.edu/coe/inclusion/ • Inclusive Education in Europe www.uva.es/inclusion/ • Alliance for Inclusive Education in the United Kingdom www.allfie.org.uk/ • Circle of Inclusion www.circleofinclusion.org/spanish • Red de Discapacidad e Educación Especial www.especiales.org/ • Inclusión Interamericana. www.inclusion-international.org/Regions/americas.htm • Paso a Paso, Venezuela www.pasoapaso.com.ve • Educación Inclusiva para Niños Ciegos www.manolo.net • Enabling Education: resources for inclusive education http://www.eenet.org.uk/ 5. Advocacy and Communications Strategies It is necessary to support the work done by Inclusive As a result, advocacy and communications become Schools through permanent advocacy and dissemi- fundamental tools for support and follow-up to de- nation of principles, objectives, and achievements, velop and advance Inclusive Education. This means because the social demand for these kinds of projects maintaining a sustained strategy in public relations and is often low, and frequently, the potential benefits are consensus-building with all the stakeholders: middle- not clearly visible. Sometimes the issue of School In- level employees in the State School Inspection Divi- clusion runs up against established beliefs and social sions, teachers, families, unions, and NGOs. norms, or the erroneous perception that inclusion will In the Uruguayan experience, both communica- demand more resources (both technical and finan- tions work and advocacy (through political and in- cial) than those available to carry out the proposals. stitutional support by education professionals and Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 42 authorities) have been key factors, ever since it was Inclusive Schools, participates in exchanges, and launched, that level the playing field and seek a posi- shares educational resources, information and tive response to the projects in the schools support- teacher training materials. ing Inclusive Education. Advocacy and communications activities seek to The advocacy and communications strategy of the achieve four essential objectives: information, mo- Inclusive Education strategy has targeted a set of tivation, dissemination, and networking. actors and sectors in which it has sought to raise awareness and a sense of commitment to act as pro- moters and key disseminators of inclusion. This task Information: explaining and awareness-raising has included all those directly involved in the theme of Educational Inclusion (the educational commu- It may be the case that the various social actors are nity, professionals, and related institutions), social aware of the existence of socio-cultural diversity and leaders, opinion-makers, and the community at large the right to Education for All, but not everyone feels that involve “segmented” actions and messages both equally committed to its implications. To inform within and outside the educational system: means to make the issue known and to generate a collective awareness of the rights elucidated by so- cial and economic inclusion. Internal Public • State and national school inspectors Motivation • School superintendents and principals Since inclusion represents a new way of conceiving • Teachers of education, it is important to not assume that ev- eryone will automatically understand this conceptual • Students framework and its implications. To communicate the • School promotion committees various dimensions and scopes of an inclusive strat- • Families and the Community egy means to provide backing and commitments to a diverse and inclusive school, and not merely a cam- paign “to be nicer” to “different” people. External Public • Social communications media Presenting the project • Public forming a support network for educa- Presenting the project requires making the theme of tional inclusion: inclusion known to the various actors in the educa- • National agencies (Ministries and Social Action tional community and related institutions in order Agencies) to be understood and accepted by the strategy’s vari- ous target audiences. • International Agencies • Academic Institutions and teacher training in- stitutions Connectivity network • Civil society organizations (parent associations, This activity involves collaborating in the develop- NGOs, academic and scientific societies, social ment of a connectivity component that integrates and sports clubs, religious institutions) Complementary strategies | 43 Communications pieces developed to date MAIN OBJECTIVES OF ADVOCACY • PME/ITP logotype AND COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGIES • Poster • Promotional leaflet on the initiative • Achieve adherence by key actors (school inspectors, special education administrators • Teachers’ support document for “communication and teachers, principals, and teachers) for the with families” project drafting stage. • Teachers’ support document for developing an • Encourage the development of an inclusive school culture. informational leaflet for parents2 • Position the Educational Improvement Projects • Webpage for School Inclusion and Transformation of Practices as benchmarks for establishing In- • Newsletter3 clusive Schools. • Make the initiative known to the entire Suggested promotional and communications educational community to ensure support and participation. actions • Raise overall public awareness concerning the issue of social inclusion in order to commit • Public awards for community members who stakeholders to the implementation of the work to promote inclusion necessary changes. • Art / music / dance workshops for children in public places • Inclusion Concert • Art Exhibit for Inclusion • Painting of murals in schools (paint donated by • Walk for Inclusion a private sponsor, with collaboration by volun- teer artists) • A star soccer match for inclusion, held in the National Stadium • Inclusion workshops for parents in schools (led • Distribution of flyers at stoplights by the chil- by people from the support network) dren and teachers themselves • Painting contest among schoolchildren to be used • Creation of a song by local musicians in an almanac • Reading of stories on inclusion in public places (by writers and academics) • Posters, flyers, and leaflets in public-use areas (public and private) 2 It was considered more appropriate for each school to be able to develop its own “tailor-made” leaflet rather than having a single leaflet. A support document for teachers was developed for this purpose. 3 A monthly newsletter targeting teachers, educational institutions, and families. Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 44 6. The role of schoolchildren as agents for inclusion In the final analysis, the future of every school in- dents with special educational needs based on clusion strategy depends on schoolchildren and visual disabilities. teachers making the objectives and strategies their • School No. 336, with a critical socio-cultural own. It is necessary for the principles of inclusion context. and diversity to succeed in permeating both the class and recess. In Las Piedras During 2004, Uruguay has carried out a pilot • School No. 226, classified as a Practice School experiment seeking to develop a child leadership with an integration modality, has students with component in the School Inclusion initiative. special educational needs based on hearing dis- These “inclusive leadership” training and em- abilities. powerment activities with boys and girls participat- • School No. 149, a regular urban school. ing in the ITP/PMEs have attempted to: • Record the living dimension of the experience In each school the activity involved fourth- and fifth- of children participating in the Project for Inclu- grade children. The sample population was chosen sion and Transformation of Practices in a group on the basis of strengthening each institution to of schools. multiply the experience. The groups had diverse • Investigate in a pilot mode a methodology to characteristics in terms of their social situations and strengthen the leadership and participation of cognitive skills. They were chosen at random, with- children who can act as agents for school in- out explicitly seeking students with special educa- clusion. tional needs. The exchange activity group included a total of • Examine the perceptions of children concerning 63 children selected by their own peers. the inclusion process and share a first analysis In a first stage (preparation, sensitization, warm- of the initiative’s principal barriers, strengths, and up), the team of educators and specialists heading weaknesses. the project visited the selected schools and carried out the preparatory activities in a meeting among 4 regular schools are currently participating in School the schools. These activities focused on play by: Inclusion Educational Improvement Projects. The schools invited to participate in the Projects showed • exploring game dynamics in relation to the issue a strong component of schoolchildren’s participation of inclusion (participation, leadership, segrega- in achieving the objectives of inclusion. tion, resistance); The selected schools were: • laying the foundations for the preparation of a In Montevideo “project task” to be developed by the boys and girls with the objective of raising their aware- • School No. 38, classified as a regular urban ness and providing continuity for this first activ- school with an inclusive modality that has stu- Complementary strategies | 45 ity, while preparing groundwork for the second activity; and TRAITS OF SCHOOLCHILDREN THAT ACT AS • identifying the boys and girls most sensitized to AGENTS FOR INCLUSION the issue of inclusion. • Attuned to cooperative group work. Subsequently, an exchange meeting was held among • Ability to engage in dialogue with peers. the schoolchildren from participating schools, seek- • Willingness to organize themselves and ing to take a first step towards the integration of a others for the group task. network of children committed to the principles of • Positive attitude towards the task. inclusion. It is expected that in the future they will • Know how to clarify and precisely describe be able to replicate in their own schools the activi- ideas and feelings. ties they experienced in this exchange. Such a pro- • Ability to sum up the key points in the inclu- cess serves as a way of facilitating feedback and dis- sive message. semination of the learning process, while practicing • Ability to show empathy. modalities of leadership and participation. Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 46 7 ALTERNATIVES AND CHALLENGES 1. Certification of included schoolchildren The certification of children attending inclusive schools is still one of the main administrative, le- Just as the curriculum must adapt, grading and gal, and qualitative challenges. How has this issue evaluation must also be made flexible, assessing been dealt with in the Uruguayan experience? the students’ achievements based on individual characteristics, pace, and learning style. A Traditionally, upon completion of their course personalized curricular proposal and flexible of study, students attending Special Schools in Uru- evaluation will allow the student to move guay have received a certificate which enables them through the various stages in the mandatory to continue studying; in night schools, courses in course of study. Certification is provided through the National Plenary for People with Disabilities, a document that reflects the level of competence and through the (scarce) vacancies offered at the achieved by the student. Universidad del Trabajo del Uruguay (Work Uni- versity). The latter has consolidated and expanded its number of included students, depending on the willingness of the various departments to become or her possibilities. In addition, it is necessary to “inclusive centers”. The enactment of new legisla- sign inter-institutional agreements that guarantee an tion in 19891 established the principle of “equal- inclusive setting and support network and allow ization of opportunities” and launched the process access to the curriculum. of approval of standards in Secondary Education Some strategies for certification of included stu- to allow the effective inclusion of students with dif- dents ferent abilities. • Incorporate a “Student’s Portfolio” from Primary Awareness-raising in society and expansion of Education through the third year of Secondary the inclusion policy have made it necessary to re- Education think the types of support provided to teachers and students that guarantee quality and equity in the This portfolio records basic information on the schoolchildren’s mandatory course of study. Inclu- child (report cards, technical reports, records of sion projects have demarcated a “before and af- outstanding moments in the process) in order for ter” stage in the inclusion process and become a teachers to be able to accommodate the curricu- key factor for establishing standards and guaran- lum and adapt it to the student’s educational teeing the students’ completion of the full course possibilities. of mandatory schooling. This means that for every included student in the regular school system, a curriculum will be developed that is adapted to his 1 Act 16.095 “Comprehensive Protection for Persons with Disabilities” Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 48 2. Guide the transformation of Special Schools into Resource Centers for Inclusive Education Although it is important that special education The Inclusive School strategy can and should put schools comply voluntarily with the inclusive edu- economic incentives and institutional policies in cation focus and generate their own strategies to motion that can overcome the logical resistances to transform themselves into resource centers, this pro- change. This can be accomplished in part by pre- cess must be spearheaded and guided by clear poli- senting concrete alternatives for transformation and cies that stimulate changes and present tangible tools by spreading awareness of the most successful ex- to favor inclusive education. periences. 3. Address the socio-cultural dimension of inclusion Any strategy for School Inclusion is ultimately a strat- – It is believed that the presence of children with egy for social inclusion. That is why the existing bar- special educational needs in regular class- riers in the socio-cultural dimension of the inclusion rooms will delay the learning process for the process should be taken into account and dealt with. entire group. We can list some of the barriers that have been more evident in the Uruguayan experience: Removing these barriers is a long process, since it requires behavioral changes. Along the way, there • Attitudes of parents: are some guidelines that can orient the process and – resistance to change, both for the children al- help everyone overcome the barriers to inclusion: ready attending the schools and those seek- ing to be included; • Get families involved. – fear of having less individual support avail- • Open the schools to the community and civil able; and society organizations. – fear of losing special benefits; • Strengthen networks and alliances between the school and the community. • A strong “culture of homogeneity”: – It is felt that children with special educational • Work together with the Special Schools to nar- needs will achieve worse results in regular row the gap between regular education and spe- schools. cial education. Alternatives and challenges | 49 4. Developing Mechanisms for Monitoring and Evaluation A tool is being developed to evaluate the inclusion 4. Family intervention in the process of inclusive edu- of PMEs and Practice Transfers. It works to enrich cation. the teaching/learning process and provide schools 5. Relationships with institutions servicing the com- with a flexible plan that meets the diversity of de- munity. mands by its students. This is a timely moment to conceptualize the 6. Real and active participation by students. framework of the term evaluation as “the continu- 7. Benefits obtained by (all) students. ous ordered and systematic process of tapping quali- 8. Educational continuity (adherence to the regula- tative and quantitative information that responds tions on mandatory attendance until completion to certain requirements - validity, dependence, re- of the first section of middle school, equivalent sponsibility, utility, precision, viability - obtained to junior high school). through diverse techniques and instruments that, after being compared with established criteria, al- The analysis of these factors involves a “rearrange- low us to issue value judgments aimed at facilitat- ment” (Enguita, 2001) of school organization, in- ing decision-making related to the object of evalua- cluding such diverse dimensions as: tion.” (Torres, Gonzales, 2004). Therefore, the educational thrust of evaluation a) different utilization of times in the school calendar; is not limited to specific moments outside the edu- b) involvement in problems and opportunities that cational process but is developed parallel to and “exceed” the limits of the classroom group; and integrated within it. The evaluation process must thus be developed in a continuous and personalized c) an active and harmonious relationship with the way, with student education and the teaching pro- community-sustained process of innovation in cesses as its goals. teaching strategies that encourages reflection and The first evaluation undertaken thus far by the guides the school towards an institutional model. School Inclusion Projects in Uruguay therefore in- volves an analysis of the implementation of some of its basic items2 : 4.1 Changes in Institutional Culture 1. Changes in institutional culture. The changes to be detected in the institutional cul- 2. Modifications in pedagogic and teaching prac- ture presuppose an interaction where different people tices. have entered into communication and achieved un- derstanding in all areas: affective, ethical, and cog- 3. Teacher’s attitudinal changes towards collabora- nitive. An inclusive institutional culture should pro- tive work. 2 This considers the proposals drafted by a team designated by the Uruguayan C.E.P. (Board of Primary Education). Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 50 mote learning models in which each student con- 1.2 Changes in Pedagogical and Didactic tributes his or her own culture. This can mean us- Practices ing individual skills and ways of learning and com- prehending to achieve greater self-reliance on those Dealing with each student’s needs requires design- skills and scholastic improvements. ing and adapting the curriculum and teachers’ The inclusive school culture should be seen as a methodology in an individualized way, integrat- space that recreates cultural life for the students, ing both the culture and characteristics of each rebuilding knowledge, feelings, and behaviors, in a student in more enriched and diverse ways. It de- conscious and autonomous way. mands a commitment to an interdisciplinary and It is thus necessary to develop communicative creative vision of good teaching practices. This skills based on cooperative and inclusive dynamics. commitment includes both self-knowledge of These approaches, specifically including those deal- teaching strategies which favor each student and ing with families belonging to minority, poor, or non- allowing for group reflection on the best proce- academic cultures, offer a suitable framework to dures to teach diversity. Curricular adaptation overcome exclusion. implies rethinking contents in at least three differ- A diversity paradigm in education implies agree- ent levels of adequacy so that all students can do ing that every educational organization should be their schoolwork according to their strategies and shaped around a community in which students, knowledge. Students thus feel encouraged because teachers, and parents are integrated. All members they all have a purpose and the teacher is familiar of educational communities tend to come from dif- with their specific ways of learning. ferent cultures, present different needs, or simply Working from this perspective also requires ex- have different concepts towards education, includ- amining the classrooms, schoolwork, and curricu- ing interests, rhythms, learning styles, motivations, lum through the prism cultural content. It means and expectations. Some indicators that represent the achieving group relationships between areas of process of development of communicative skills driv- knowledge based primarily on aspects of everyday ing change in institutional culture are: life. This view establishes intellectual habits that force • collaboration among teachers one to take into consideration the human interac- tions from as many viewpoints and perspectives as • collaboration between teachers and administrators possible. It is necessary to use curricular adaptations • horizontal communication as an opportunity to diversify educational proceed- • family participation in the school environment, ings and to attend to individual differences. Some including the classroom relevant indicators will thus be considered: • teacher and community participation in school • Teaching resources management • Curricular adequacy vis-à-vis the teacher • community involvement by teachers • Individualized work • parents’ perception of the school as an institution • Selection of interdisciplinary contents • use of community resources • Quantity and destination of teaching alterna- • spaces created for reflection by families with tives school center personnel Alternatives and challenges | 51 1.3 Teachers Attitudinal Changes towards educational agents (parents, grandparents, etc.) im- Collaborative Work proves the perception of learning and lessons. Co- ordinated action by these agents in the classroom To achieve the levels of interdisciplinary curricula, environment with their different cultures, knowl- schools should promote collaborative work among edge, and viewpoints, determines the degree of com- teachers to reflect on the development of aptitudes munity involvement in the school. between all grades. A broader vision of what takes It is thus important to encourage the following: place in each classroom can thus be achieved and • Relationships between classes and families the subject content will serve as an axis balancing individual needs with elementary dimensions from • Attention to parents’ expectations the educational system. This implies access to other • Families’ participation in the learning process phases of the school system. within the classroom Attention to diversity generates challenges and • Institutional regulations regarding the parent/ uncertainties which lead to the promotion of cre- school interface ativity and innovation, thereby strengthening the schools. This could be evaluated by using: • Times and spaces for teachers’ reflection and 1.5 Relationship with the community coordination Overcoming social exclusion requires introducing • Expectations of achievement regarding teachers’ agents and institutions from all areas. If other actors tasks and sectors are involved, they will share with the • Expectations of achievement regarding learners’ school the overall goal of inclusion, participating in tasks the planning, implementation, and evaluation of school projects. All sectors of the community can • Spaces for communication and reflection for stu- participate by contributing their ideas, sharing dents (forums, assemblies, etc.) projects, and promoting inclusive learning models. The degree of participation in school manage- 1.4 Family Intervention in Inclusive Education ment, as well as the links that are established with various social organizations, both formal and in- Processes formal, will determine the degree of progress a Family intervention in pursuit of an Inclusive Edu- school makes towards greater involvement in the cation process implies both achieving a good rela- environment and the knowledge and services avail- tionship with the environment and an opportunity able there. for improving coordination of diverse services that Possible indicators will be: require children’s attention. The idea is to strengthen • Coordinating with other educational institutions the feeling of belonging and promote a school space • Networking with other community organizations in which all feel secure and where the family also has its place. Families’ fundamental expectations and views about schools must thus be considered. 4.6 Student Participation Inclusive schools tend toward the learning com- munity model, affirming that everyone can partici- Students’ active participation should include spaces pate and contribute to the educational dynamics. where they feel stimulated to question the knowl- Classroom participation and intervention by other edge, activities, and behaviors of those with whom Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 52 they share everyday life. For all students to partici- 4.6 Benefits Obtained by All Students pate in this process it is necessary to implement flex- ible groups in spaces which often extend outside the The educational sense of a diversity-friendly activ- classroom, organized according to different domains ity or strategy depends less on technical components and the potential for learning rather than the school’s and more on the values and meanings acquired in grading system. an organizational context. The benefits of inclusion Forming groups according to levels of reading are read tacitly through all components of the school comprehension (rethinking the separation by grades) and acquire strength as they grow. fosters cooperative participation and integration of Some indicators of these benefits are: all teachers and students, favoring the teaching pro- • Underlying values and conceptions in the school cess according to diversity in learning. culture Group work enhances dexterity and negotiation skills that are part of the indispensable communica- • Meaning and intentionality ascribed by teachers tions skills for autonomy. Teachers assume a facili- to inclusive activities tating and supporting role towards the students • Degrees of participation and agreement from the through cooperative learning, using various strate- students gies. Tasks seek to create and support interdepen- dence among group members, which is the essence • Group quality in line with individual benefits of collaboration. Working in different group dynamics, such as class assemblies, forums, etc., where students feel 4.8 Educational Continuity their opinions are heard and taken into account, strengthens communication and interpersonal ties. The lessons learned from an inclusive educational Flexible and open curriculum proposals reinforce approach allow students to achieve successive goals the possibilities for students to choose, introduce within the school system and to maintain continu- changes, and focus their attention. This has organi- ity in the formal subsystems. A school character- zational implications both inside and outside the ized by a comprehensive and diversified work model classroom for cooperative and flexible spaces. The should also find points of equilibrium with regular interdependence that this process intends to education, guaranteeing that students be able to meet strengthen increases when the students are respon- mandatory educational requirements by the end of sible for the processes and group products in which the first section of middle school (junior high school). they participate. Integrating this model with other subsystems poses To assess the impact of work under this modal- a real challenge. Thus, mechanisms are still needed ity, the following indicators are considered: to articulate and involve all the subsystems, in or- • Classroom organization for group tasks der for solutions to be found to the problems aris- ing in each of them. • Grouping criteria • Task assignment • Mediation of output differences and group par- ticipation • Institutional support for group work Alternatives and challenges | 53 D) SCHOOL NO 2 In the year 2003, some 35 proposals submitted by spontaneously among all the schoolchildren, and they schools from all over Uruguay were selected to develop themselves began to ask to learn sign language.” Improvement Projects with a focus on School Inclusion, The school has highlighted the commitment and receiving resources from the Inclusive Education initiative motivation among teachers and administrative staff, who ranging from U$ 2,000 to U$ 3,000 each. One of them, have found this experience to be a refreshing and School No. 2 in Colonia, has been working since then gratifying educational “adventure”. The ITP/PME has on an innovative strategy that seeks to fully transform provided training for the school staff to deal with special the school’s work, making it more inclusive and open to needs. It has also allowed for the purchase of educational diversity. The school has a total enrollment of 335 materials and organization of activities that are open to children and in the first year achieved the permanent families and the community. inclusion of 2 girls with hearing disabilities, while 7 other boys and 5 girls are being integrated and participate in In the subsequent months there have been significant the majority of the school’s activities and spaces. improvements in overall school performance. “The opportunity to learn and use sign language has been a “Our Educational Improvement Project for Inclusion and highly enriching experience for everyone. We have seen Transformation of Practices is interweaving the work that the progress both in the acquisition of reading and the school had already been developing for several years writing and improvements in the possibilities for symbolic in terms of citizenship training. We seek to foster a and body expression. We see the contribution by the greater sense of social responsibility and a greater inclusion focus to the school’s overall project and to the commitment by the children to the city and all its development of values by children, whose ability to inhabitants,” reports School Principal Sandra García. communicate opens them to others to whom they would “For many years the school had a classroom that we not previously have related.” referred to as “speech therapy”, attended by children The challenge now is to consolidate and systematize the with hearing disabilities. However, these children were experience, strengthening its visibility and impact on the not even integrated into the school’s life, there were a community. For this purpose, an agreement is being lot of conflicts, and we realized we weren’t handling all organized between the school and the Uruguayan the codes needed for communicating well. We therefore Association for the Deaf, which has offered to provide a proposed that the entire school (students, teachers, and permanent instructor in sign language which will administrative staff) learn sign language. We thus think reinforce the teaching and foster follow-up of the that the project will benefit the entire student body, not educational project by a civil society. only the children with difficulties. The interest also grew Inclusive Education: Contributions from an experience in Uruguay | 54 ATTACHMENT ATTACHMENT I Organization of the Uruguayan Educational System In Uruguay, mandatory education includes two years on the Board of Primary Education, the lyceums on of preschool and nine years of basic education: six the Board of Secondary Schooling, and the techni- years of Primary School (1st through 6th grades) and cal schools on the Board of Technical and Vocational three years of the Basic Middle School Series (1st Education, which are in turn decentralized bodies of through 3rd years), provided in lyceums and techni- the National Department of Public Education (ANEP), cal schools with the same curriculum. From the ad- an autonomous institution governing pre-primary, ministrative point of view, primary schools depend primary, and middle-level public education. PRIMARY SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STRUCTURE IN URUGUAY LEVEL AGE GRADES TYPE Initial or Pre-primary Education 4-5 years Primary Education 6-11 years 1st through 6th grades Mandatory First Series of Middle School (Ciclo Básico, or CB) 12-14 years 1st through 3rd year Second Series of Middle School (Bachilleratos) 15-17 years 4th through 6th years Non-mandatory Inclusive education fund: the uruguayan experience | 56 ATTACHMENT II Stages in the Social Communications Strategy STAGES 1: INITIAL STEPS OBJECTIVES PROPOSALS “School Inclusion” Project submitted Logotype design in various formats. Design and production of poster and leaflet. Design of manual. Design of website content structure. Design of newsletter content structure. Design of document for joining the project (Support Network). STAGE 2: LAUNCHING / INTERNAL PUBLIC OBJECTIVES PROPOSALS Informational leaflet. Educational community informed of the initiative. Personal letter. Presentation of the initiative by the inspectors. Educational community motivated for INFORMATION: project participation and development. Build a database of the resources available in various support formats (bibliography, web pages, audio cassettes, audiovisuals, etc.). Newsletter. TRAINING: Facilitate participation by teachers and principals in workshops, courses, seminars, and conferences on the theme of educational inclusion. CONNECTIVITY: Present the project on the Internet (www.anep.edu.uy). Facilitate other communications channels with the project: bulletin boards, fax, telephone, mail. Exchange of experiences with principals and teachers from inclusive schools. Attachment | 57 STAGE 2: LAUNCHING / EXTERNAL PUBLIC OBJECTIVES PROPOSALS Support network Present the Project to institutions that are outstanding in their support to the community in order to formed. involve them and empower the project. Official letter of introduction, MECAEP/CEP. Present the Project to all the professionals and institutions involved in the education of children and adolescents. Official letter, MECAEP/CEP. Issue invitations that imply a commitment to the initiative by signing a symbolic network membership document. Invite members to participate and engage in exchange, providing details on the project’s communications mechanisms. Present the project’s webpage and establish links to the pages of the network’s members. Organize a seminar for exchange among the institutions and professionals belonging to the network and project. Consolidate a database of the network members to send the electronic newsletter. STAGE 3: PROJECT DEVELOPMENT / INTERNAL PUBLIC OBJECTIVES PROPOSALS Public School principals and teachers INFORMATION: motivated. Update the database of available resources (in different support formats). Continue the newsletter. TRAINING: Facilitate participation by teachers and principals in workshops, courses, seminars, and conferences related to the theme of educational inclusion. VISIBILITY: Develop a strong presence for the project inside the schools: posters, leaflets, and bulletin board announcements. CONNECTIVITY: Promote the use of the project’s webpage. Exchange of experiences and resources. Promote the development of shared projects between various schools. Foster the development of an electronic group (chat) of teachers. The promotional committee in each Prepare informational materials for families. school evaluates the benefits of an Develop an outstanding presence for the projects inside the schools: posters, Educational Improvement Project. leaflets, and announcements on bulletin boards. Promote the use of the project’s webpage. Inclusive education fund: the uruguayan experience | 58 STAGE 3: PROJECT DEVELOPMENT / EXTERNAL OBJECTIVES PROPOSALS Support network consolidated. Promote participation and exchange through a discussion forum (chat) on the webpage. Make room for innovations and proposals that favor the project’s objectives. Public opinion aware of the rights of persons Generate stories and interviews in the mainstream news programs in with different abilities. Montevideo and the interior of Uruguay to provide more in-depth information. Attitudes to support social inclusion achieved. Distribute leaflets, posters, and stickers to the institutions and business centers where large numbers of people circulate. National coverage obtained. Programmed press campaign. Dissemination of the project’s webpage. Attachment | 59