SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

Abstract

The article analyzes major difficulties connected with social adjustment of children with special educational needs to Russian society. Social adjustment of such children is associated with the implementation of a number of socioeconomic conditions. One of the main conditions is getting a high quality education. We consider inclusive education as the most effective possibility for social adjustment of children with special educational needs. Empirical study was conducted to examine the attitude of adult participants of educational process to the possibility of integrated co-teaching of both upstanding children and those with the special educational needs. Those surveyed were regular school teachers, parents of upstanding school-aged kids, parents of children with special educational needs: school-aged disabled and special needs children. Most parents consider educational inclusion to be possible and even necessary, though, only 30 % of teachers think the same way. A small percentage of teachers express readiness to teach special needs children along with healthy ones. The questionnaire survey analysis has allowed establishing that teachers’ unwillingness to do with disabled children at regular schools is not connected with negative attitude towards such children but with lack of well-defined system of teaching special needs children at regular schools, lack of educational programs and academic progress assessment for inclusive classes.