Lithuania: experiences and challenges

1
Lithuania experiences and challenges ahead
2
Educating students with SEN analysis of the
situation (1)
3
Educating students with SEN analysis of the
situation (2)
4
Educating students with SEN analysis of the
situation (3)
5
Educating students with SEN analysis of the
situation (4)
6
Educating students with SEN analysis of the
situation (5)
7
Promoting an inclusive approach in education
policy (1)

• The state educational strategy for the years
  2003-2012 and the programme of its
  implementation
• 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 learners with SEN and provide an
  opportunity to them to learn at 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

8
Promoting an inclusive approach in education
policy (2)

• The Law on Education (2003)
• 15.3. Special needs education can be provided by
  any school that offers compulsory or
  comprehensive education, also by other
  educational providers, and sometimes - special
  schools
• 15.5. Persons with SENs... can acquire education
  and/or qualification. The time needed for formal
  education can be prolonged for a SEN person
• 34.3. Accessibility of education to persons with
  SENs ensured by adapting school premises,
  providing psychological, special pedagogical and
  special assistance as well as special assistance
  devices, special educational materials and other
  ways in accordance with legislation

9
Improving the system of provision of special
pedagogical and psychological assistance

• The 3-level Model of Provision of Special
  Pedagogical and Psychological Assistance and the
  Programme of its implementation in 2003-2005
• The 1st level A School level detection,
  assessment, provision Initial detection of a
  students problem a teachers and the School
  Special Needs Education Commissions
  responsibility
• The 2nd level a local Pedagogical Psychological
  Service assessment and evaluation,
  recommendations for further education and
  provision
• The 3rd level National Centre for Special Needs
  Education and Psychology

10
Improving the system of provision of special
pedagogical and psychological assistance

• The order of financial assistance for
  municipalities that decide to establish municipal
  pedagogical psychological services (2004) The
  MoES allocated 1 mill. Litas for the year 2004
• For the EU Structural Funds two national
  projects Prevention of drop-outs and
  Developing a network of PPS have been prepared
  and started being implemented in the year 2005
• The changes in the Law of the Local authorities
  passing some of responsibility for
  pedagogical and psychological assistance

11
Vocational training of persons with SENs

• The Concept of vocational education and training
  of persons with SENs (2004)
• The draft of the new Law on Vocational Education
  and Training (2005)
• SEN persons who have not achieved compulsory
  education according to the national standards
  have a possibility to attend vocational training
  programmes at different levels (I, II, III)
• Transition between the compulsory school, the
  vocational training school and a labour market
  must be ensured, ITP is needed

12
The main challenges ahead (1)

• To further improve the national educational
  policy to ensure "A School for All" ideas are
  being implemented effectively
• To solve a problem with the two Laws available
  the new Law on Education (2003) and the Law on
  Special Education (1998)
• To further improve the system of financing of the
  education system from the year 2005 plus 20
  were allocated to the funding of the so-called
  "back-packs" for each pupil with SENs in a
  mainstream setting. Some funding from these "back
  packs" might go to funding of local PPS, teacher
  assistants, additional pedagogical and
  psychological assistance, text books etc.
• To improve the system of provision of special
  educational material and ICT according to the
  Model of Provision of Special Educational
  Material that has been created in recent years

13
The main challenges ahead (2)

• To introduce the new Concept of Teacher
  Education and to ensure that each graduate has
  necessary knowledge for dealing with the diverse
  student body including pupils with SENs
• To further develop the In-service Teacher
  Training system so that teachers can have an
  access to a bigger variety of programs regarding
  inclusive education, to improve the Centre for
  Quality Assessment in In-Service Training
• To further promote international cooperation
• To take an active part in activities of the
  European Agency for Development in Special Needs
  Education

14

• "We are all at 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
• (From the materials of the Dakar World Education
  Forum)