DEVELOPMENT OF INTEGRATION/INCLUSION

Views of Inclusion
The aim of integration is the acceptance of each person in his/her own environment, which then allows him/her to participate as a full member of society.

In accordance with the ministerial directive of November the 4th, 1991 concerning the school integration of SEN children, integration must be understood as a means to guarantee the fulfilment of potential of children with special needs. The future aim is integration into society. The right of instruction and education includes the right for common instruction and education for all children.

The teachers of pre-primary, primary and post-primary classes and the professionals of the centres, institutions and services of Special Education are invited to establish, in line with the different educational standards, the necessary contacts to allow profitable exchanges in creating a school for all children.

The educational mission of school involves the bringing together and the mutual respect of all children in spite of their social, cultural, physical or intellectual differences.

The SEN child can and must learn in the context of daily, usual life, which offers him or her the best stimulation. The child learns through other children and thanks to other children.

Routes to Inclusion
School integration

The law of June 28th, 1994 changing and completing the law of August 10th, 1912 and modifying the law of March 14th, 1973 concerning the organisation of primary education and the creation of institutions and services of Special Education indicates that children with motor, sensory, intellectual and emotional difficulties of compulsory age may be integrated into mainstream schools.

The Government makes sure that every child of compulsory school age, who cannot follow mainstream or special education because of his or her intellectual, emotional, sensory and motor difficulties and who has special needs, gets
- appropriate instruction in a centre or institution of Special Education or
- individual help and support by a service of Special Education in mainstream pre-primary or primary schools.

Pupils with special educational needs can benefit from support services of Special Education, also when frequenting post-primary or post-secondary school.

In accordance with this law the “Service ré-éducatif ambulatoire (SREA)”, was created, which in agreement with the inspector of primary education and the local authorities or the concerned director of post-primary schools, organises the support for these children who, because of their intellectual, motor, sensory or emotional difficulties, have special needs and require specific pedagogical help during their school time.

The SREA is responsible for pupils with difficulties.

“The SREA elaborates and organises orthopedagogical measures and is responsible for remedial teaching in pre-primary, primary and post-primary schools, according to the propositions made by the “Commission medico-psycho-pédagogique Nationale (CMPPN)”.

This commission requires that experts examine a child. This same board selects one or more qualified persons in order to hear the parents’ views or the responsible persons’ opinion about the optimal education for the child. These qualified persons give the board a report on the results found. The board proposes options for the child in consideration of these reports. These proposals are communicated to the parents or the responsible person, who can decide between possibilities. The parents’ decision must be taken in the 2 months following the proposal. If after this time, the parents haven’t taken any decision, the child can be enrolled in an institution or service of Special Education by decision of the minister.