Promoting of Overall Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Armenia
Project Duration: 01.02.2017 – 31.01.2019
Location: Shirak province, Armenia
Overall objective:
The goal of the project is to support schools to establish necessary conditions for the inclusion of children with disabilities.
For this purpose, based on the Index Tool, school needs will be revealed and school development plans based on their priorities will be elaborated which will lead the schools to the creation of a barrier free inclusive environment for the education of disabled children.
A recent evaluation of NASPCM projects revealed the main barriers and challenges to inclusive education which could be grouped as follows:
- Non-accessible school environment
- Lack of (accessible) transportation
- Lack of technical aids
- Lack of teaching materials and accessible learning materials
- Lack of appropriate curriculum for SEN children
- Lack of therapies provided at schools
- Lack of teachers’ knowledge and expertise how to teach and to organize classes with a diversity of children
- Negative attitudes of the general public and of parents
All these factors create barriers for children with disabilities to study at general public schools. The TOI project will complement the EU project and will help the schools to address some of the above mentioned problems. Schools will reveal their needs through working with the Index Tool. Discovery of school needs will lead to the preparation of a comprehensive inclusive school development plan, elaborated and implemented with the collaboration of all actors of the school communities. Schools will submit grant applications to implement small scale projects and to create barrier free inclusive environment at their schools for the inclusion and better organization of education for SEN children. Through their projects schools can suggest organization of trainings for teachers and members of multidisciplinary team (i.e. psychologists, social workers, special pedagogues, therapists, etc.), provision of necessary supplies, didactic items, literature, building ramps, buying furniture and equipment, etc.
The Index can also be tailored so as to focus on a single aspect of school work or even the work of a single teacher. Further to this, it will foster a dialogue that will promote inclusive values and help their wider circulation.
Funding Partner: Caritas Germany
Project budget: 74 375 €
Project manager: Lilia Hambardzumyan