Students with Severe, Permanent Disabilities and Their Educational Inclusion in Spain

Abstract

This article analyses the educational inclusion of students with severe and permanent disabilities in the different autonomous communities of the Spanish State. After describing the Spanish socio-economic context, a comparative analysis is carried out based on the following indicators: the conception of severe, permanent disabilities; the regulation framework; responsibility of schooling and provision of services; identification and assessment of flaws; incidence in the population; curricular proposals (model and modalities of support); specific centers and units; human and material resources; the role of families and funding. The analysis of the implemented policies concludes by pointing out the challenges which should influence future improvements in order to accomplish real educational equality.

The perspectives of secondary school students with special needs in Spain during the crisis

“…Notwithstanding, for students with SEN specifically, the trajectory of inclusive education in Spain has followed a pattern of segregation, through to normalisation, integration and inclusion (López-Torrijo and Mengual-Andrés, 2014). With severe austerity measures in place as a drastic response to counter economic downturn, "the profile of Inclusive Education has become blurred on the hazy horizon of … educational policy" (Parrilla, 2008: 19).…”

“…Under both sides of politics Spain has endured hurried and continuous changes in education, with six radical policy shifts having been achieved in three decades (Vallejo and Dooly, 2013). Education policy in the 1970s concentrated on special segregated education provision to disabled, low achieving and culturally diverse students (Cardona, 2009;Chiner and Cardona, 2013;López-Torrijo and Mengual-Andrés, 2014;Parilla, 2008), but gradually moved towards more inclusive ideals for all students more recently (Chiner and Cardona, 2013;Verdugo and Rodríguez, 2012). Parrilla (2008) describes the 1990s as an encouraging decade for inclusive education in Spain, although she laments that it has deteriorated more recently.…”

“…Approximately 0.4% of the students with diagnosed special needs are enrolled in segregated special educational centres, while the remaining population attend regular settings (López-Torrijo and Mengual-Andrés, 2014;Pallisera et al, 2012).…”

“…The analysis is situated within the current economic and policy climate, where large funding cuts are being made to education (López-Torrijo and Mengual-Andrés, 2014) and young people increasingly encounter difficulties in finding work (Pallisera et al, 2012;Vallejo and Dooly, 2013). Since 2008 Spain has endured economic recession.…”

Inclusive education in schools in rural areas

“…They bear consequences for the educational future of the entire population. Inclusive education arises in order to find an educational model that really responds to every single person's educational demands (López Melero, 2004). In other words it leads us towards the creation of an educational framework that respects each individual.…”