Special Education and Inclusion Policies in

Greece

Dr. Maria A. EfstratopoulouSenior LecturerSocial SciencesBG University, Lincoln

Module SEN 223

Key points of this session Have an understanding of educational

policies, legislation and inclusive practices in Greece

Introduce the changes during the last years in the Education for students with SEN and in-training services for teachers

Reflect upon social, political and economical issues associated with education and inclusion policies

Legislation and Human Rights

Legal and policy context Students with disabilities and special

educational needs are

Students manifesting significant learning difficulties during the entire or a limited period of their school life due to

We are all born free and equal (Article 1)

No matter where he is from and which language he speaks, every child has the right to enjoy and claim

his rights (Article 2)

All people are equal to the laws (Article 7)

The right to get entertained belongs to everyone…

Everyone has rights in education (Article 26)

until the first half of the twentieth century

the majority of disabled children, perceived as the social stigma of their families, were isolated within asylums ran by various charitable institutions mainly as inmates there or behind the closed doors of their homes

In 1906 “the house of the blind” and in 1923

“the school of the deaf” were founded, while in 1937 “the model special school of Athens for children with mental disabilities” became the core of special education  

The 1143/81 Law In 1981, it was the first time in the history of Greek

education that the Parliament had voted Was actually the first complete law for Special

Education in Greek history and was rightfully considered as a great accomplishment, because for the first time

the State undertook formally their duties on people with SEN

and recognized that they deserve “equal opportunities in education, social integration and preparation for the successful transfer from school to life”

The 1566/1985 Law  Criticism against the law 1143/81 finally led, in 1984,

to the publication of the law 1566/1985, which made Special Education an integral part of general education

In that way, the government tried to show their intention to abolish any separating lines between “normal” children and children with special educational needs, and to include them all in general schools.

By 1984, the Ministry of Education had abandoned the practice of founding special schools and created special classes

The 14.3.2000 LawEducation for All

The terminology of Special Education is restated, emphasizing the common educational needs of people with special needs and not the causes of their problems.

For the first time measures are taken for people with special needs in pre-school and for those who have completed basic obligatory education.

The beginning of inclusion is impelled and special schools are intended only for children with very profound learning difficulties.

The 14.3.2000 LawEducation for All

Personalized programs of help and services for every child with special needs are institutionalized, as well as the function of a Centre for Diagnosis, Assessment and Support (ΚΔΑΥ), one in every province.

New specialization areas for special education personnel are created like interpreters of sign language, instructors of mobility for blind individuals etc.

The provision of means for modern technology teaching (multimedia, common systems of earphones, dictionaries of sign language, etc.) is ensured for people with special needs. Sign language is recognized as the official language of the hearing impaired.

The department of special education is finally founded in the pedagogic institute for the scientific research such as the training of teachers of special education, curricula, means of teaching, collaboration with scientific institutions and organizations in Greece and abroad

Students with disabilities and special educational needs

sensory, mental, cognitive, developmental, psychological and

neuropsychological disorders affecting school adaptation and school learning process

pupils with special learning difficulties such as

dyslexia, dysgraphia, attention deficit disorder, pupils with complex cognitive, emotional and social difficulties, delinquent behavior due to abuse, parent neglect or abandonment or domestic

violence.

Students with special educational needs

pupils with one or more special mental skills and talents

Pupils with low school performance associated with external factors, such as linguistic or cultural particularities do not fall under the category of pupils with special educational needs

IN ADDITION

Types of support for students and trainees

Special education schools An ordinary mainstream school Separate classes in mainstream schools Parallel support in mainstream classes At home if there are particular health

reasons that prohibit a child from attending school.

The assessment of Students until 2000

was made in Public Hospitals and Centers for Medical Health, with long waiting lists for appointments, especially for pupils at the secondary education

KEDDY -Centers for Diagnosis, Assessment and Support

In 2000 under the control of the Ministry of Education the first Centers for Diagnosis, Assessment and Support were established in order to provide better services to school children.

These centres are responsible for referring students with disabilities

to the appropriate educational setting as assessed in each case,

to point out needs in technological aids,

to ensure access to learning process and school environment,

to provide continuous counseling and support to educational staff

and to certify the need for alternative format at exams.

The “Classroom Practice” project, 2001

In November 2001, within the framework of the “Classroom Practice” project, five experts visited primary schools in Greece with the mission to evaluate classroom practices from the standpoint of pupils with special educational needs.

The “Classroom Practice” project, 2001 RESULTS

school buildings were tidy and well-lit and the classrooms were of various sizes

the number of pupils in the classes ranged between 15 and 29.

Almost all classrooms featured a teacher-oriented spatial arrangement with no specialist activity areas or special place for the support of those who faced learning difficulties.

There were neither any special materials nor literature that could be of use for instruction and guidance relevant to pupils’ individual needs.

There were no computers or library thus the

lessons were based on textbooks and notebooks.

Students with special needs were integrated in the mainstream classroom following the regular course of a lesson which is the same without any support from any other professional or any kind of helpful material

Multicultural Education in Greece

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV3xDWIk6BA

Law 3699/2008 Difficulties in learning, due to sensory, intellectual, cognitive, developmental, mental and neuropsychiatric disorders which are localized after a scientific and pedagogical evaluation. These difficulties influence the process of learning and school adjustment.

Law 3699/2008

In addition, Pupils who have disabilities in

motion, vision and hearing, who suffer from chronic diseases, disorders in speech, attention deficit, and all pervasive developmental disorders are considered as having special educational needs.

Innovative elements in Law 3699/2008 It is based on the internationally recognised

characteristics of ‘a school for all’ and on the European Union principles for inclusion and equal opportunities

Mainstream classroom teachers are expected to Evaluate the need Seek assistance from the Services of the Ministry

of Education (Centers of Assessment, School Advisers, teacher of special education),

To organize the pupil’s Individual Teaching Program me

Main focus and aim Education for all children with special

needs is mandatory It places emphasis upon the

functionality and capabilities of the child instead of the child’s disability

It clearly states that education must be provided in mainstream schools for all pupils with special needs

It introduces, for the first time, an official definition concerning students with special abilities and talents as also needing educational support

Financing Special schools and integrated classes are

included in the public school system and are funded by the Greek State.

The annual budget of the Ministry of Education provides funds to the local education authorities according to their needs.

They cover the extra costs of the educational demands of the schools in their area.

Students are provided with government-funded support services according to their diagnosis, assessment and IEP

So crisis in economy means also problems in Education

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZr_Dtyi5DM

BREAK……..

But there is a GREAT distance between legislation and its (effective) application

Interviewing teachers (Lamprou-Votzaki, 2006; Bouskou, 2007; Athanasiades & Spyropoulou, 2010) Lack of appropriate teacher training

(curriculum, classroom settings, recourses and different instructions)

Lack of personnel and diagnostic procedures

Inclusion means that the educator is ready to offer the appropriate and required

support to students Nevertheless, there is lack of adequate

material and human resources 95% of the teachers who participated

in a research said they cannot effectively teach dyslexics,

99% noted there is no special educator either for the support of the teachers or the students,

98% have not been educated on learning difficulties

“There is great distance between legislation and its application. Teachers are not to blame since nobody educated them on special needs…how can there be inclusion with building facilities and schools operating in double shifts?

“In my school there are 320 students from which 50 are Albanians, 20 are dyslexics and two other schools function under the same roof. Legislation cannot thus be applied”

what teachers did to cope with their students’ special educational needs?

22.9% answered they did nothing special to compensate for their special needs.

32.1% referred to the children’s being accepted by their peers,

20.7% talked of the disabled children’s adjustment and 15% lack of knowledge and resources

Finally, 89.1% said they do not possess the qualities demanded

Teacher Education on Children with Special Needs

The ways by which the educators organize their classes, take decisions, define their relationship with the students, adopt specific theoretical approaches and practices are all factors that can support inclusion or segregation.

Therefore it is important teachers get proper education on special needs, they will become more sensitive towards students with such needs which could in turn contribute greatly to a change of thinking regarding not only these children’s education but also negative societal beliefs. 

Towards this direction and within the Operational Plan “Education and Initial Vocational Training” of the second European Community Support Framework, primary school teachers attend a two-year training course on Special Education for the first time,

In addition, Ministry of Education

and Religious Affairs designed training programs on Special Education for secondary education teachers implemented by universities

Moreover, teachers appointed to their first post in the public sector have to go through a series of theoretical and practical training sessions.

In addition, there are different categories of programs of various lengths, content, forms (based in school or out-of-school, during or after school hours) and attendance status (compulsory or optional) for the professional development of teachers.

These concerns led to the latest establishment of a new organization, “The Organization of In-Service Training of Teachers” (OEPEK), to coordinate and upgrade in-service education

This could be the solution to the lack of basic knowledge of teachers on special needs and how children with these needs can be included in the mainstream.

A new teacher recruitment system One of the reforms that have recently been introduced

in the Greek educational system is the introduction of a new teacher recruitment system. Teacher selection has been one of the main teacher policy concerns of the last decade in Greece.

It takes place centrally and hence allows a high degree of control over the number and quality of teachers appointed to the profession. The combination of an oversupply of competent teachers, primarily of the secondary school level with overall high teacher retention in schools has challenged policy makers to find a way to opt for the most able for appointment.

As a result, this selection system was first introduced in 1997 and has recently come into full effect, changing the way of entry to the teaching profession based on their performance in written assessments of their subject and pedagogic knowledge. 

Questions?