DEVELOPMENT OF INTEGRATION/INCLUSION

Since the restoration of Lithuania’s Independency in 1990 it has been committed to international policy documents and promoted an inclusive approach in education policy. Lithuania’s first post-communist Constitution (1992) which was approved by a referendum in October 1992 affirms the determination of the Lithuanian nation to strive for an open, just and harmonious democratic society. It claims that every child must attend compulsory education until 16 years of age. The first basis in legislation for integrated education of children with special educational needs (SEN) is the document entitled The Act of Special Educational Provision for Children with Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Educational Institutions, May 27, 1993.

This document was compiled in the context of the situation of special education in the country and accumulated experience of other countries in the managing of special education and it states that: SEN pupils in mainstream institutions may be educated:
- at a mainstream group or class, following the mainstream curriculum, but with special methods applied;
- at a mainstream group or class following a modified mainstream curriculum;
 - at a mainstream group or class following an alternative curriculum for those children who can not cope with a modified curriculum;
- at a mainstream group or class following an individual curriculum which is specifically designed according to the needs of the pupils;
-  partly in a mainstream group or class, partly in a special group or class;
-  at a special group or class.

This document may be considered as the first one that started to legitimise integrated education of SEN children in mainstream institutions. It also mandates the parent’s formal right to choose the educational institution. It also recognises the unity of identification of special educational needs and serving these needs through a Special education board of a mainstream school.
Lithuania is improving its legislation, which leads gradually to facilities provided to enhance developments and processes working towards inclusion.

In Lithuania the field of special needs education has been the product of a long-lasting earlier period, when the segregation of "the different" was a state policy. Therefore it was very clear for Lithuanian Ministry of Education that there was an urgent need to develop special needs education field in accordance with the principles stated in the United Nations' Declaration of Human rights, The Children’s Convention, the Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education.

Another important issue is commitment of Lithuania to The Dakar Education Forum where it was underlined:
"The key challenge is to ensure that the broad vision of Education for All as an inclusive concept is reflected in national government and funding agency policies". "We are all at a different pace but nonetheless striving to develop Inclusive Education or School for All learners, where we put full participation, equality and community at the centre - as a clear dimension of quality in education".

Tendencies are as follows: every year more and more of SEN pupils choose a mainstream educational settings. In the school year 1999-2000 SEN the number of pupils attending spec. (boarding) schools made up 14 %. In the school year 2004-2005 SEN the number of pupils attending special (boarding) schools was 1.1 %.

The decreasing tendency of the number of SEN students attending special (boarding) school is very stable – since the restoration of political freedom and the introduction of changes in educational policy in the early nineties up to now the number has declined.

Another very important tendency can be noted and emphasised: In the school year 1999–2000 SEN – 82 % of pupils were mainstreamed. In the school year 2004-2005 SEN – 88.4 % of pupils have been mainstreamed.

In 2004–2005 there were 10.5 pupils (of total population of pupils) with identified special needs of various levels, and 9.7 of total population of pupils with identified special needs were fully integrated (attending general education school together with their healthy peers).

The percentage of students’ educated at special (boarding) schools is as low as in those European countries which are committed to an inclusive education approach. What does it mean? Every year the number of SEN pupils who enter primary, basic and upper-secondary mainstream schools, vocational training schools with aspirations and ambitions to study at higher education schools is constantly increasing.

With the emergence of pedagogical-psychological services in municipalities, the identification of children with special educational needs improved, while special pedagogical and psychological assistance became more accessible to them as these services are provided at the place of residence of these children. In 2006, pedagogical-psychological services were established in 53 out of 60 municipalities.

The State Educational Strategy for 2003-2012 and a programme of its implementation (2003)
Special needs education field:
- to implement ideas of "A School for All" into a real Lithuanian school practice;
- to ensure accessibility of all school types introducing formal and non-formal educational programmes to SEN persons; to provide an opportunity to SEN persons to learn at an environment that meets their needs;
- to gradually decrease the number of special (boarding) schools and along with this to facilitate creating resource centres: the most advanced special (boarding) schools to be transformed into resource centres.

The system of provision of special pedagogical and psychological assistance is constantly improved:
– The Model of provision of special pedagogical and psychological assistance and the Programme of its implementation have been introduced in 2005 

The Programme of financial assistance for municipalities that decide to establish municipal pedagogical psychological services in 2004. The Ministry of Education and Science allocated 1 mill. Litas for the year 2004. 

Funding from the EU Structural Funds: the two National projects related to the prevention of drop-outs and developing a network of pedagogical psychological services (PPS) have been prepared.

From the year 2005 Lithuania allocates 20 % plus of the funding into the so-called "back-packs” for each SEN pupil in a mainstream setting. From this money pedagogical and psychological assistance is provided. Some funding from such "back packs" goes to funding local PPS, teacher assistants etc.

Lithuania is up to further improvement in the system of financing of the education system: necessary resources are provided by pupil’s back-pack to ensure a quality education to SEN pupils in mainstream schools.

A new Concept of Teacher Education has been introduced. Therefore in the future each graduator will have the necessary knowledge for dealing with the diverse students’ body including SEN pupils.

The in-service teacher training system is further developed so that teachers can have an access to a bigger variety of programmes regarding inclusive education. 

Consultants on inclusive education who were prepared during the Nordic and Baltic project „A School for All“ are disseminating their knowledge and experience.

The model of provision of special educational materials was created (using the Swedish experience in this field).

At the moment categorisation of pupils according to impairments still exists. (Definition of SEN given by the Law on Special Education (1998), Legislation act from 2002 mentioned above). But anyway Lithuania has achieved a lot striving to go further and develop its legislation regarding this matter.

Lithuania attempts to link “needs assessment” and the traditional “medical-psychometric” approach.
- First of all a wide network of pedagogical psychological services (PPSs) was developed in the country so assistance is as close as possible to families, pupils and schools.
- Developing and improving education financing reform. Each SEN pupil from the year 2005 gets plus 20 percent more funding. Funding for SEN pupil at a mainstream setting has to increase every year about 10 percent according to the Strategic Plan of the Ministry of Education and Science.
- The Collegium of Education of the Ministry of Education and Science in the year 2006 has made a decision regarding a co-existence of two laws namely The Law on Special Education from the year 1998 that is already „old-fashioned“. Therefore hopefully the only Law on Education from the year 2003 and secondary legislation accordingly are going to regulate education of persons with SEN.   
- The further step is going to be – changing the secondary legislation acts in order with inclusive approach and advanced terminology and directed towards “educational needs assessment and provision needed” much more than to impairments.