The OECD States that almost one-fifth of students may develop a special education need during their school years. Despite this statistic, access to mainstream education is still far for being a reality for many learners with special educational needs, including many who have a disability.

A key driving force behind making inclusive education a reality for all is the willingness of decision makers to support the transition. With this is mind the IE+ project aims to provide decision-makers (such as policy-makers and education providers) with the information, training and tools that allow for evidence-based policy making. Through these activities the project will facilitate not only adequate policy frameworks but also their real implementation, with a special focus on the transition from segregated to inclusive education settings.

On the 23^rd-24^th January the IE+ project partners came together for their second transnational project meeting to discuss the results of their research into inclusive education in the project’s 5 partner countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Spain and Portugal.

These results will form the basis of the project’s training course which will provide key decision-makers in the field of education (including policy makers, local authorities, head teachers and student associations) with the tools and knowledge to develop evidence-based polices for inclusive education. 

Developed and delivered co-productively alongside key stakeholders, including learners with disabilities, teachers, schools and local authorities this training course will address:

• Legal and political frameworks that can support inclusion
• The importance of evidence-based monitoring
• The need for shifting attitudes and mindsets to ensure the effective implementation of inclusion in schools  
• The impact of the school environment on inclusion
• Funding mechanisms for Inclusive Education
• The importance and impact of a good classroom design

Over the next 2 months the project partners, European Association of Service providers for Persons with Disabilities, Inclusion Europe, Ghent University, the University of Salamanca, the National Association of Resource Teachers in Bulgaria, Kentro Koinonikis Frontidas Atomon Me Noitiki Ysterisi and Centro de Educação para o Cidadão com Deficiência, will develop the course's 6 chapters before meeting in Bulgaria, to host a training workshop with course trainers.
 
To keep up-to date with the project’s latest news, and to find out more visit the project webpage here.