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FEAPS is an organization from Spain.
They asked questions to families of children with intellectual disabilities They wanted to know how inclusive education could be improved. They summarized the families’ answers into 20 ideas. These 20 ideas are propositions to improve inclusive education for all You can have a look at the propositions here (in Spanish). |
Last June, Inclusion Europe member FEAPS asked families of people with intellectual disabilities to share their experiences regarding education and discuss relevant proposals to improve inclusive education in Madrid.
Parents of students with intellectual disabilities from inclusive and ordinary schools from different areas of the city attended several brainstorming sessions, which led to the creation of 20 propositions.
The families’ objective was to create concrete proposals contributing to the fulfillment of Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). They asked for better consideration of the number of students and their individual learning needs, by not only focusing on academic skills but also the social model as a whole. Encouraging the use of person-centred planning tools, the proposals cover a wide range of issues.
Families requested to receive more information about the daily activities of the school. Therefore, they suggested the creation of meeting spaces for parents, teachers and students. They also recommended the launch of a commission for the promotion of inclusive education within schools, run by parents. This way, all members of the educational community can actively participate in the dynamics of the school.
To promote student participation and learning cooperation between all students, they called for the improvement of the assessment system of the students, taking into account individual goals and not only the curriculum objectives, in order to better recognize the efforts and achievements of the student. Parents also suggested that recess, dining and other times must be structured to allow the participation of students with intellectual disabilities.
They prescribed better training of the teachers during their studies, with a compulsory course on attention to diversity, and with continuous development programs after teachers finish their degrees. External evaluation of the level of inclusion and attention to diversity in the school, conducted by experts, was also required.
Families recommended the implementation of psychological and pedagogical counseling teams for students with intellectual disabilities. Moreover, the implementation of new technologies that would improve accessibility for persons with intellectual disabilities was also suggested.
To find out more about the outcomes of the families’ consultation click here or here (in Spanish).
