Inclusive Education at universities: the experience of European Union countries and prospects for development in Ukraine

Abstract

Inclusive Education is a key aspect of the modern educational system aimed at ensuring equal access to Education for all people, regardless of their individual needs. Tolerance in society plays an important role in the success of inclusive Education because it promotes respect for diversity and understanding of others. The Ukrainian Higher Education system is not fully prepared for students with special needs. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to study world practices of adaptation of students with disabilities to studying at universities in order to implement and improve inclusive Education at universities. In the course of the study, the conceptual principles of the organization of inclusive Education in Higher Education institutions of the European Union (UE) were outlined. Moreover, with the help of the sociological method of research, the level of tolerance to students with special needs and the impact of the creation of a tolerant learning environment on receiving Higher Education by students with disabilities were investigated. As a result, the directions of implementation of the inclusive paradigm in modern universities of Ukraine were developed. This article will be useful to teachers, practitioners, as well as to everyone who is interested in the study of inclusion and its fulfilment in society.