26.05.11
Students With Physical And Mental Disabilities Are To Be Included In Swedish Mainstream Schools

STUDENTS WITH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DISABILITIES ARE TO BE INCLUDED IN SWEDISH MAINSTREAM SCHOOLS

 

B. Linton, E. Lindgren-Hаrd

Haninge Adult Education Centre

 

In Sweden the goal of the society is to include everybody with disabilities in mainstream schools. Students with physical handicaps are always integrated in ordinary classes. Some researchers suggest that being together with non-disabled peers might make the disabled student more aware of his physical impairment, but there are also signs indicating that there are psychological factors improving the disabled student’s self-concept in an integrated environment.

 

According to Swedish law students with physical, mental or social restrictions and students who have learning problems have the right to have special support. For instance, dyslectics have the right to be supplied with audiobooks, and if necessary they can do tests orally instead of in written form. Blind students should have access to braille and for deaf students an interpreter should be available when needed. All school buildings should be easily accessible for students in wheel-chairs. In Sweden integration in ordinary schools also includes students with mild mental disabilities. The Swedish School Board is at the moment inspecting all elementary and secondary schools to make sure that they are adjusted to students with disabilities.

 

Teacher opinions about integration of physically disabled students are mainly positive, but if the handicap is severe integration is considered possible only if a rich supply of teaching material is available.

 

Haninge Adult Education Centre is offering various opportunities for adults over the age of 20 to complete their education. We also welcome disabled students. Our school building is adjusted to disabled students, with automatic door openers, elevators and toilets, all easy to access for students in wheelchairs.

 

Many of the students in our school come from war-zones and are physically and mentally handicapped and need assistance of various types and not seldom do they have to be taken care of individually, which requires specially trained teachers. Some immigrant students are illiterate and need literacy teaching before they are allowed access to ordinary courses.

 

Our school also welcomes students with mild mental disorders and concentration difficulties, and they are included in ordinary classes.

 

Students with more severe mental disorders, however, go to a special department for the mentally retarded, «Sаrvux».

 

The above-mentioned disorders are a growing problem and students with dyslexia, anxiety disorder or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder require huge resources both regarding teaching staff and premises.

 

Students who are socially incompetent have the possibilty to choose on-line courses, in which they carry on discussions with peers in virtual conference rooms in order to learn gradually to socialize with others so that they can eventually be streamed into ordinary classes.

 

Source: Актуальні проблеми навчання та виховання людей в інтегрованому освітньому середовищі. Збірник наукових праць № 6 (8). 2008


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