1. The Salamanca Statement
Probably, at present, the most important international policy document about inclusion
Actually 2 documents:
THE SALAMANCA STATEMENT
FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION
ON SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION

2. The Salamanca Statement
UNESCO meeting in Salamancain Spain 7-10 of June
300 participants
representing 92 governments
25 international organisations
Gives concrete guidelines for action and responsibility

3. The Salamanca Statement
Build on:
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
Conclusions from “The World Conference on Education for All” (1990)
United Nations “Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities” (1993)

4. Introducing on international policy basis:
Inclusion:
Inclusive Schools
Inclusive Schooling
Integrated Education
Adaptive systems/adaptive education

5. Recognizing that: Every child has a fundamental right to education
Every child has unique characteristics, interests, abilities and learning needs
Education systems should be designed and educational programmes implemented to meet these diversities among children
Students with special needs must have access to regular schools with adapted education
Regular schools with an inclusive orientation are the most effective means of combating and preventing discriminative attitudes and building up an inclusive society

6. National authorities/governments shall:
Improve the education system so it can include all students
Adopt the principle of inclusive education in the legislation system to enrol all children
Develop demonstration project
Establish decentralized systems and user participation in planning, monitoring and evaluation
Encourage the participation of parents and relevant user organisation
Pay attention to early identification of special needs and Early Intervention
Give relevant education, further education, training and support to teachers and other relevant professionals

7. and…. The governments shall also
Emphasise the international cooperation within programs of education for all
Emphasise the importance of Special Needs Education as an integrated part of teacher education and training programs
Involve the NGO’s

8. Framework for Action – 4 parts
In addition to an “introduction”– there are 3 parts:
New thinking in special needs education
Guidelines for the national level
Guidelines for regional and international level

9. Introduction – some premises
The importance of an open process
What is all children?
More attention shall be paid to possibilities than to limitations
The education shall be adapted to the student and not opposite

10. What is new perspective on special needs education?
Inclusion and participation assume that students with disabilities attend ordinary kindergartens and schools on the local environment
The fundamental principle is that all children are toghether as much as possible
Inclusive education of high quality should focus on:
curriculum,
organizational arrangements,
teaching strategies
resource use
Partnership with the coomunities

11. What is new perspective on special needs education?
Inclusive education demands a focus on peers. This implies that special units, special classes and schools should be used to a limited extent, and as exception form ordinary education
Special needs education varies enormously from country to country. If a country has to have special schools they should function as resource centres for regular schools
Countries with a limited number of special schools should be advised to establish mainstream-inclusive schools

12. What is new perspective on special needs education?
The governmental planning of education should concentrate on all persons, in all regions of the country and in all economic conditions
Special needs education policy represent a new approach. That’s why adults with disabilities should have special attention.
Girls and women are often discriminated. Women and men should have equal influence and opportunities
To make EFA effective it should be plans on the local, regional and national plan

13. The national level – some point of special interest
Legislation should recognize the principles of EFA in primary, secondary and tertiary education
Parallel and complementary legislative measures should be adopted in the fields of health, social welfare vocational training and employment
Special attention should be paid to the needs of children with severe and multiple disabilities
CBR-programs and services should be developed in parallel with inclusive education
The organisation of effective education – particular for students with disabilities – is depending on high quality school management

14. The national level – some point of special interest
School management includes the responsibility of effective cooperation between teachers and other experts
Each school should be responsible for each student’s development – not only the individual teacher
Further education of teachers in special needs education should be a part of a plan
A main challenge for schools are in-service training
The importance of a flexible curriculum, adapted to the children's’ needs

15. The national level – some point of special interest
The importance of coordination of local, regional and national services and organisations
We know that the success of an incusive policy in schools are depending on early identification and intervention
Education of children with special educational needs is a shared task between parents and professionals
Parents should make the final decision concerning extra services and special needs education