1. European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education
Overview of Current Work

2. Mission
The Agency is a permanent network of ministerial representatives acting as the member countries’ platform for collaboration regarding the promotion of quality and equity in education as a means to achieving social cohesion

3. Focus (1)
The Agency’s main focus is upon inclusive education within its widest interpretation – that is dealing with learner difference and diversity in all educational settings as a quality issue. The Agency’s work is essentially concerned with how the achievement of all learners at all levels of inclusive lifelong learning can be improved in a meaningful way that enhances their opportunities for an effective participation in society.

4. Focus (2)
In order to account for the heterogeneity of contexts and approaches in member countries, Agency projects and activities take a broad view of inclusive education as a systemic approach to meeting the needs of all learners, with a specific focus the pupils identified as having special educational needs.

5. The Agency network National networks in 28 European countries:
Austria, Belgium (Flemish and French speaking communities), Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales)

6. The Agency Member Countries

7. Context
The Agency works to a multi-annual work programmes 2007 – 2013 / 2014 – 2020
All Agency activities are in alignment with European Council priorities and objectives for education
All projects and activities are identified via Agency representatives as being priority for their countries

8. Activities
Collection, analysis and dissemination of information on priority themes
Participation in and organisation of conferences, seminars and political events
Liaison with European institutions and international organisations – UNESCO and its institutes (IBE, IITE), OECD Eurostat, Eurydice, Cedefop, World Bank

9. Information Provision
The Agency offers various information resources, which can be accessed via the website:
Project web areas
Country information area
Reports, literature reviews, policy flyers
News section, newsletter and the eBulletin
Agency publications can be freely downloaded in up to 22 European languages

10. Agency Publications

11. Recent projects Teacher Education for Inclusion (2009 – 2012)
Raising Achievement for All Learners (2011 – 2012)
i-access: Accessible Information Provision for Lifelong Learning (2011 – 2012)

12. Current projects Vocational Education and Training (2010 – 2013)
ICT for Inclusion (2011 – 2013)
Organisation of Provision to Support Inclusive Education (2011 – 2014)
ICT for Information Accessibility in Learning (2012 – 2015)
Raising Achievement for All Learners in Inclusive Education – continuation project (2013 – 2015)

14. Vocational Education and Training (VET) 2010 – 2013
High priority in the Agency’s member countries as well as at the EU level, e.g. VET is one of the priorities highlighted by the European Council of Ministers within the Lisbon strategy
Key question: ‘What works’ in VET for learners with SEN/disabilities, ‘why it works’ and ‘how it works’?

15. VET Methodology International Literature Review
Country Information (Survey)
28 study visits organised in all the participating countries
Analysis of the individual study visits
Creation of a VET system model
Development of recommendations

16. VET Project outcomes (1 of 2)
Identification of key success factors of VET for learners with SEN/disabilities with a clear link to employment opportunities
Identification of four patterns (recurring success factor combinations)

17. VET Project outcomes (2 of 2)
12 recommendations to in order to improve the performance of countries’ VET systems in particular areas.
What is good and efficient practice for learners with SEN/disabilities in VET and in the transition to employment is good practice for all learners

18. Organisation of Provision to Support Inclusive Education

19. Organisation of Provision to support Inclusive Education
Aims to address the question: ‘how are systems of provision organised to meet the needs of learners identified as having disabilities (under the UNCRPD, 2006)?
Focuses on inclusive settings within the compulsory school sector
Will provide information on how countries organise and evaluate provision for learners with disabilities; explore key issues and challenges and include information on innovative ways forward and change management

20. Organisation of Provision project activities
- Gathering country information via a questionnaire
- Producing a literature review to support project activities
- Visiting 5 selected sites to explore and document policy and practice in Essunga, Sweden; Flensburg, Germany; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Valetta, Malta and Vienna, Austria
- Holding 5 thematic seminars in the above countries to explore key issues

21. Information Dissemination Activities

22. On-going information dissemination activities
SNE data collection
Thematic seminars (e.g. Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties)
Occasional papers (e.g. legislation updates)
Key Principles – recommendations for policy makers
Special events

23. Special Events European Parliament Hearing 2003
Portuguese Parliament Hearing 2007
French Presidency event 2008
Spanish Presidency event 2010
Hungarian Presidency event 2011
European Parliament Hearing 2011
Danish Presidency event 2012

24. European Hearing in Portugal, 2007
European Hearing of Young People with Special Educational Needs organised by the Agency, within the framework of the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union and the European Year of Equal Opportunities
The event took place in Lisbon within the framework of the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union
The Lisbon Declaration Young People’s Views on Inclusive Education is the main result of this event

25. Lisbon Declaration 2007
‘We have the right to the same opportunities as everyone else, but with the necessary support to meet our needs. No one’s needs should be ignored’
‘Teachers need to be motivated, to be well informed about and understand our needs. They need to be well trained, ask us what we need and to be well co-ordinated among themselves’
voices-meeting-diversity-in-education/young-voices-meeting- diversity-in-education

26. Reflections on inclusive education in Agency member countries

27. Working parameters
Countries are at different starting points and have different ‘histories’ in terms of education generally and inclusion specifically
There is a need to account for that and see it as a strength
No one has all the answers
Many countries have clear examples of good practice, but all countries are still ‘moving ahead’
Learning from diversity is a principle for all Agency work
As well as being an aim for inclusive education itself

28. International Policy Context
At all times, the Agency works to guiding principles as outlined in:
Council Resolutions concerning inclusion of children and young people with disabilities into mainstream systems of education
UNESCO Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action in Special Needs Education (1994)
UN Convention on Rights of People with Disabilities (2006)

29. UN Convention on Rights of People with Disabilities (2006)
Article 24 – Education
‘States Parties recognise the right of persons with disabilities to education. With a view to realising this right without discrimination and on the basis of equal opportunity, States Parties shall ensure an inclusive education system at all levels …’
‘... The full development of human potential and sense of dignity and self-worth, and the strengthening of respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and human diversity…’

30. Inclusion as systemic change
Understood to concern a far wider range of pupils vulnerable to exclusion than those identified as having SEN
Involves a curriculum for all that considers academic and social learning. Curriculum goals and implementation should reflect this dual focus
Inclusion is a process and not a state. Educators will always need to move their work forward to enable the learning and participation of all pupils

31. UNESCO Policy Guidelines on Inclusive Education, 2009
Inclusive education is a process that involves the transformation of schools and other centres of learning to cater for all children – including boys and girls, students from ethnic and linguistic minorities, rural populations, those affected by HIV and AIDS, and those with disabilities and difficulties in learning and to provide learning opportunities for all youth and adults as well. Its aim is to eliminate exclusion that is a consequence of negative attitudes and a lack of response to diversity in race, economic status, social class, ethnicity, language, religion, gender, sexual orientation and ability. Education takes place in many contexts, both formal and non-formal, and within families and the wider community

32. Movements towards inclusion
Developments
A wider range and more flexible provision
Developing funding models
The development of resource centres  
 Challenges
Academic achievements (output) versus SEN
Secondary education
2% of pupils in separate settings across Europe
Preparing all teachers for inclusive education

33. Factors impacting upon inclusion
Coherence of services and possibilities within and across phases of educational provision: Early Childhood Intervention through to Higher Education
Horizontal factors that impact on all phases of educational provision:
Educational assessment systems
Teacher education and development
Financing systems
Provision for meeting a diversity of learners’ needs
Within all countries' systems of provision, there are a number of key factors that could be examined systematically using indicators to give a descriptive picture of trends to towards inclusion. These issues can be related to:

34. Separate or general educational legislation?
Country legislation governing special education appears to fall into one of three ‘tracks’:
Special education is mainly governed by separate specific legislation
Special education is governed by general and separate specific legislation
Special education is governed by general legislation only

35. Changes in legislation acting as levers for change
A broadening concept of SEN / SNE / inclusion – this is evident in the terms used to identify key concepts: for example a move towards the term ‘additional support needs’ and not SEN, as well as a clarification or widening definition of which groups should be considered under legislation that gives access to services
Increasing focus on the rights of pupils with SEN and their families – this relates to access to compulsory education; access to specialist support and services; access to mainstream, inclusive education
An examination of the time series data does not highlight major trends, changes and movements in countries. Some minor changes are evident, but the reasons for these are unclear and it would be necessary to conduct an examination of changes in policy and legislation, resourcing and financing structures that act as levers for change in placement of pupils with special educational needs in different settings, in order to fully understand the factors directing changes within the data sets.
It can be argued that changes in laws and policies for special education and/or inclusion within countries are likely to be the most critical levers for change that – in the long-term – would be reflected in quantitative data relating to pupils with SEN. An examination of recent legislative changes in countries reveals a number of common issues and trends in legislation:
A broadening concept of SEN / SNE – this is evident in terms of the ‘words’ or terms’ being used to identify key concepts: for example a move towards the term additional support needs and not SEN in UK (Scotland), as well as a clarification or widening definition of which groups should be considered under legislation that gives access to services (Greece and the Czech Republic respectively).
Improvements in the rights of pupils with SEN and their families – this relates to access to compulsory education (Greece); access to specialist support and services (Norway and Portugal); access to mainstream, inclusive education (Czech Republic; Iceland; Ireland; Portugal; Spain). The Greek legislation highlights the need to ‘secure equal opportunities’; the Portuguese legislation specifically takes a ‘rights based approach’, whilst the Spanish legislation reasserts the ‘normalisation principle’ in legislative changes.
Devolution of responsibilities – to local and/or regional level bodies and organisations who are charged with ensuring provision is available for all pupils as required (Iceland; Spain; UK (Scotland)).
Improving frameworks and structures of provision – all legislative changes and developments aim towards improvements in provision and services within the national system and context. However, in some countries recent changes in legislation will have widespread impact on the basic structures and frameworks for organising services. For example, in Greece, the department of Special Education will be re-organised; in Ireland, a National Council for Special Education has been established; in Portugal, as well as a re-reorganisation of all SNE services, special schools will be transformed into resource centres.
Promoting specific tools and approaches within provision – again, whilst developments are very much set in national contexts, it is possible to highlight a number of common features of SNE practice being promoted in legislative changes: the implementation of Individual Education Plans for pupils with SEN (Ireland; Portugal, UK (Scotland)); co-ordinated transition phase planning (Portugal; UK (Scotland)); bilingual educational opportunities for deaf pupils (Norway; Portugal).
The five areas of legislative movements in countries described above highlight important considerations for understanding the nature of changes that may be evident in the special needs education field across Europe in the short or longer term. These developments are related to improvements in services and provision, as well as developments and changes in societies’ thinking about disability, special needs and the rights of people with such needs. All of these factors are also highlighted in international studies and analyses as crucial aspects for improvement in educational opportunities for pupils with special educational needs.
These key factors illustrated in the legislative changes in countries are not however directly and immediately evident as changes in statistical data relating to placement of pupils with SEN. As can be seen from the information presented in above, such changes are not usually evident in the short to medium term.
The position of the Agency and its member countries is that sharing information on qualitative trends, developments and practice across countries leads to a deeper and broader understanding of the field of inclusion, which a consideration of quantitative data alone cannot give. Such a development in the understanding and thinking of decision makers in the field is – experience shows – what leads to further change and positive impacts upon legislation and policy that promotes educational and societal inclusion in countries.

36. Changes in legislation acting as levers for change (2)
Devolution of responsibilities – to local and/or regional level bodies and organisations 
Improving frameworks and structures of provision – all legislative changes and developments aim towards improvements in provision and services within the national system and context
Promoting specific tools and approaches within provision – i.e. the implementation of Individual Education Plans for pupils with SEN

37. Inclusive Policies
All policies consider and account for the needs of all learners from the beginning
Policies should be:
trans-sectoral
underpinned by a philosophy of meeting all needs
have long-term vision, but reflect local level needs
Phases of policy development:
short term: recognisable (separate) specific action plan/strategy
medium term: part of general strategy plans
long term: not mentioned, accepted as ‘a given’

38. More information www.european-agency.org
European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education
Østre Stationsvej 33
DK-5000 Odense C
Denmark