KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

At the initiative of the Faculty of Special and Inclusive Education of Armenian State Pedagogical University (ASPU) and Republican Pedagogical-Psychological Center, a two-day international conference entitled “Changing Education: Challenges in Universal Inclusion” started on October 30.

The aim of the conference is to discuss the latest developments and innovations in inclusive education and exchange ideas on diversity, equality and difference, best practices and research results. The conference has brought together scholars, students, leaders, special education professionals from Armenia, Russia, the USA who will discuss new ways of learning and education development.

Araksia Svajyan, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia underscored the importance of the conference, laying emphasis on some priorities of the sector.

The deputy minister of the RA MoESCS, who is also an associate professor at the Chair of Special Pedagogy and Psychology of ASPU, said that for about 20 years inclusive education has been implemented at state level in Armenia. By the way, Armenia is considered one of the countries with the best practices in the region. Araksia Svajyan added that we have many achievements and successes according to external indicators, but there are problems in terms of quality, which may be solved through reports and discussions during the current conference.

The ministry official added that there are 8,800 children with special educational needs in Armenia, most of whom attend inclusive schools and about 500 of them study in seven special needs schools.

Araksia Svajyan considered it a serious problem that many children with special educational needs are not included in the educational process, and schools, in turn, do not provide the environment, services and education appropriate to their needs. To somehow solve the issue, the Ministry will implement a pilot program in three schools of the country. They are aware of the possible risks and are doing everything to neutralize them.

The deputy minister also spoke about pedagogy in education and emphasized the fact that ASPU gives basic knowledge about inclusive education to any specialist who has earned a degree to teach. "We will not register success and will not move forward if we do not speak about problems. I have the opportunity to represent this field in different countries; developed countries respond positively to our success", Araksia Svajyan said in conclusion and emphasizing the significance of feedback and opinions from the professionals.

"Inclusion policy is a complicated and multifunctional concept and system. Usually we perceive it in terms of meeting the needs of someone who has special needs, but the problem is more global and is related to inclusion skills of modern society. If we do not take into account the socio-psychological reality in which we live and the socio-psychological components that have undergone drastic changes especially in recent years, we cannot find the clear ways to offer solutions,” ASPU Rector Srbuhi Gevorgyan said. She voiced hope that the conference will differ in content and format from a number of other international conferences held at ASPU.

She said all modern studies, which refer to the reflections of representatives of generational theory, try to understand what changes a person’s mental state has undergone in terms of mental abilities, capabilities and patterns of development.

Speaking about teacher training courses held at ASPU Srbuhi Gevorgyan assured the conference participants that they are well aware of their mission and are ready not only to face the challenges, but to also develop new curricula and present the content of professional educational programs to wider professional circles for discussion.

Gohar Hovyan, Dean of the Faculty of Special and Inclusive Education at ASPU, expressed hope that the problems that exist in the process of training special education teachers and educators in general, will be revealed and solved during the international conference. He anticipates such collaboration that will enable to achieve success, with everyone having access to education.

Lilit Mnatsakanyan, Director of the Republican Pedagogical-Psychological Center, spoke about challenges and obstacles of universal inclusive education, emphasizing that children should know and respect each other's diversity and differences: it is a value and an attitude. "When we talk about changing education, we should not only focus on the latest technologies and new methods, but also on provision of quality and affordable education for all. That is why universal inclusive education with all its components is one of the important pillars of changing education,” she stressed.

Lilit Mnatsakanyan says very often speaking about children with special educational needs, we focus on those whose needs have already been assessed, while we should consider all children for whom we should make reasonable adjustments so that they can access education and other facilities or services.

She also spoke about the achievements of the sector and singled out a number of challenges caused due to the lack of technology and human resources, a universal environment and other factors.

"Inclusive education is a pathway and we have only traveled a small part of it" Associate Professor Marianna Harutyunyan, Vice-Rector for Human resources Management and International Cooperation of ASPU, Acting Head of the Chair of Speech Therapy and Rehabilitation Therapy, said during the plenary discussion entitled "Challenges in Inclusive Education." She expressed hope that the reporters will help the audience understand the achievementsin the field, existing problems, challenges and barriers in inclusive education encountered during the work.

Lilit Saratikyan, Associate Professor of the Chair of Speech Therapy and Rehabilitation Therapy at ASPU, Hasmik Arakelyan, UNICEF Armenia's Education Programs Coordinator, Gor Msrikyan, Director of Yerevan Territorial Pedagogical-Psychological Support Center №3, Armine Babayan, Director of Yerevan Special Educational Complex for Children with Hearing Disorders, and Alina Karapetyan, a mother of a child with special educational needs, presented their views and opinions on the subject matter.

Marianna Harutyunyan summarized the presented challenges, in particular, stressing the importance of strengthening cooperation between teachers, education workers, and territorial pedagogical-psychological support centers, support provided to teachers and families, application of the rights of children with disabilities, and renewal of the tools of inclusive education. She also touched upon the risks of transforming special schools into resource centers, complex approach to inclusive learning issues, reasonable funding and their inadequacy, professional management of educational institutions, formation of a society that perceives importance of inclusive learning, difficulties faced by parents who have children with special needs, joint work of parents, specialists and teachers and other issues.

"Behind every achievement stands a parent. I dream that one day we shall be able to say that behind every successful experience stand teachers and school," Marianna Harutyunyan said, summing up the plenary discussion.

Her speech was followed by reports of Armenian and foreign experts and presentation of research papers.

The first day of the conference ended with interactive master classes: the conference will continue on Thursday, October 31.