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Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education

World Conference on Special Needs Education: Access and Quality, Salamanca, Spain, June 7-10, 1994.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; Ministry of Education and Science Spain.

Preface

More than 300 participants, representing 92 governments and 25 international organizations, met in Salamanca, Spain, from June 7-10, 1994, to promote the goal of Education for All by examining the fundamental policy changes needed to foster the inclusive education approach, specifically by empowering schools to cater to all children, especially those with special educational needs. The Conference, organized by the Spanish Government in cooperation with UNESCO, brought together high-ranking education officials, administrators, policymakers, and specialists, as well as representatives from the United Nations and specialized organizations, other international governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, and donor agencies.

The Conference adopted the Salamanca Declaration of principles, policy, and practice for special educational needs and a Framework for Action. These documents are inspired by the principle of integration and the recognition of the need to

act towards achieving “schools for all,” that is, institutions that include everyone, celebrate differences, support learning, and respond to each individual’s needs. As such, they represent a significant contribution to the agenda for achieving Education for All and making schools more educationally effective.

Special educational provisions—a problem that affects the countries of the North and the South alike—cannot progress in isolation but must form part of a global strategy for education and, indeed, of new social and economic policies. They require a considerable reform of the mainstream school.

These documents reflect a world consensus on the future directions of special educational provisions. UNESCO is proud to have participated in this Conference and in its important conclusions. All stakeholders must now accept the challenge and act, so that Education for All truly means FOR ALL, particularly the most vulnerable and those most in need. The future is not written; it will be shaped by our values, our way of thinking and acting. Our success in the years to come will depend not so much on what we do as on the fruits we harvest from our efforts.

I trust that all readers of this document will contribute to implementing the recommendations of the Salamanca Conference, striving to put its message into practice in their respective spheres of competence.

Federico Mayor

The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs in Education

Reaffirming the right of all persons to education, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948; and renewing the commitment of the world community made at the 1990 World Conference on Education for All to guarantee that right to all, irrespective of individual differences,

Recalling the various United Nations declarations, culminating in the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, which urge states to ensure that the education of persons with disabilities is an integral part of the general education system,

Noting with satisfaction the increased participation of governments, support groups, community and parent groups, and especially of organizations of persons with disabilities in efforts to improve the access to education of the majority of persons with special needs who remain on the margins; and recognizing as proof of this commitment the active participation of high-level representatives from numerous governments, specialized organizations and intergovernmental organizations in this World Conference,

1.

The delegates of the World Conference on Special Needs in Education, representing 92 governments and 25 international organizations, meeting here in Salamanca, Spain, from 7 to 10 June 1994, hereby reaffirm our commitment to Education for All, recognizing the need and urgency of providing education to all children, youth and adults with special educational needs within the common education system, and further endorse the Framework for Action for Special Educational Needs, the spirit of which, reflected in its provisions and recommendations, should guide organizations and governments.

2.

We believe and proclaim that:

  • all children, boys and girls, have a fundamental right to education and shall be given the opportunity to acquire, maintain and improve a level of knowledge,
  • each child has unique characteristics, interests, abilities and learning needs,
  • education systems should be designed and programmes implemented as to take into account the whole spectrum of these different characteristics and needs,
  • those with special educational needs should have access to mainstream schools, which should adopt a child-centred pedagogical approach capable of meeting these needs;
  • mainstream schools with this inclusive orientation are the most effective means of combating discriminatory attitudes, creating welcoming communities, building an inclusive society and achieving education for all; moreover, they provide an effective education to the majority of children and improve the efficiency and, in the final analysis, the cost-effectiveness of the entire education system.

3.

We call upon all governments and urge them to:

  • give the highest political and budgetary priority to improving their education systems so that they can include all children, regardless of their individual differences or difficulties,
  • adopt as law or policy the principle of integrated education, which allows all children to be enrolled in mainstream schools, unless there are compelling reasons to the contrary,
  • develop demonstration projects and foster exchanges with countries with experience in inclusive schools,
  • create decentralized and participatory mechanisms for planning, supervision, and evaluation of the education of children and adults with special educational needs,
  • foster and facilitate the participation of parents, with disability organizations and units, in the planning and decision-making process for the education of students with special educational needs,
  • invest greater efforts in early identification and intervention strategies, as well as in professional aspects,
  • ensure that, in a context of systematic change, teacher training programs, both initial and continuing, are oriented towards meeting special educational needs in inclusive schools.

4.

Likewise, we appeal to the international community; in particular, we urge:

  • governments with international cooperation programmes and international funding organisations, especially the sponsors of the World Conference on Education for All, UNESCO, UNICEF, UNDP and the World Bank:
    • – to advocate for the integrated schooling approach and support teaching programmes that facilitate the education of students with special educational needs;
    • – the United Nations and its specialised organisations, ILO, WHO, UNESCO and UNICEF;
    • – to increase their contribution to technical cooperation and to strengthen their cooperation and exchange networks, in order to more effectively support the expanded and integrated care for persons with special educational needs;
  • to non-governmental organizations participating in national programming and service delivery:
    • – to strengthen their collaboration with national official bodies and to intensify their participation in the planning, implementation and evaluation of an inclusive education for students with special educational needs;
  • to UNESCO, as the United Nations organization for education, to:
    • – ensure that special educational needs are taken into account in all discussions on education for all in the various
    • – obtain the support of teacher organizations on issues related to improving teacher training in relation to special educational needs,
    • – encourage the academic community to strengthen research, exchange networks, and the creation of regional information and documentation centers; and to act to disseminate these activities and the concrete results and progress achieved at the national level, in application of this Declaration,
    • – to raise funds by creating, in its next Medium-Term Plan (1996-2002), an expanded program for inclusive schools and community support programs, which would enable dissemination methods and create indicators regarding the need for and attention to special educational needs.

5.

Finally, we express our sincerest gratitude to the Government of Spain and UNESCO for organizing this Conference and urge them to make every effort to publicize this Declaration and the Framework for Action to the entire global community, especially in forums as important as the Summit for Social Development (Copenhagen, 1995) and the World Conference on Women (Beijing, 1995).

Approved by acclamation in the city of Salamanca, Spain, on June 10, 1994.

Framework for Action on Special Educational Needs

Index

  • Introduction
  • New Ideas on Special Educational Needs
  • Guidelines for Action at the National Level
    • A. Policy and organization
    • B. School factors
    • C. Hiring and training of teaching staff
    • D. External support services
    • E. Priority areas
    • F. Community participation
    • G. Necessary Resources
  • Guidelines for Action at the Regional and International Levels

Introduction

1. The present Framework for Action on Special Needs in Education was adopted by the World Conference on Special Needs Education, organized by the Government of Spain in collaboration with UNESCO, held in Salamanca from 7 to 10 June 1994. Its aim is to inform policy and inspire action by governments, international and national aid organizations, non-governmental organizations and other bodies in the implementation of the
Salamanca Statement on Principles, Policy and Practice in Special Needs Education. The Framework is inspired by the national experience of participating countries and by resolutions, recommendations and publications of the United Nations system and other intergovernmental organizations, particularly the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities 1. It also takes into account the proposals, guidelines and recommendations formulated by the five regional seminars in preparation for this World Conference.

2. The right of every child to education has been proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and has been reaffirmed in the World Declaration on Education for All. Every person with a disability has the right to express their wishes regarding their education, to the extent that certainty can be established. Parents have an intrinsic right to be consulted about the form of education that best suits the needs, circumstances and aspirations of their children.

3. The guiding principle of this Framework for Action is that schools should accommodate all children, regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic or other conditions. This includes children with disabilities and gifted children, children who live on the street and work, children from remote or nomadic populations, children of linguistic, ethnic or cultural minorities, and children from other disadvantaged or marginalized groups or areas. All these conditions pose a series of challenges for school systems. In the context of this Framework for Action, the term “special educational needs” refers to all children and young people whose needs arise from their learning capacity or difficulties. Many children experience learning difficulties and therefore have special educational needs at some point in their schooling. Schools must find ways to successfully educate all children, including those with severe disabilities. There is a growing consensus that children and young people with special educational needs should be included in the educational plans developed for the majority of boys and girls. This idea has led to the concept of the inclusive school. The challenge facing inclusive schools is to develop a child-centered pedagogy capable of successfully educating all boys and girls, including those with severe disabilities. The merit of these schools is not only that they are capable of providing quality education to all children; their creation is a very important step in trying to change discriminatory attitudes, create welcoming communities for all, and inclusive societies.

4. Special educational needs encompass the already proven principles of a reasonable pedagogy from which all children can benefit. It takes for granted that all human differences are normal and that learning, therefore, must be adapted to the needs of each child, rather than each child adapting to predetermined assumptions about the pace and nature of the educational process. A child-centered pedagogy is positive for all students and, as a consequence, for society as a whole. Experience has shown us that the number of school failures and repeaters, something very common in many educational systems, can be reduced, and a higher level of school success can be guaranteed. A child-centered pedagogy can help avoid the waste of resources and the destruction of hopes, frequent consequences of poor teaching quality and the mentality that “what works for one works for all.” Child-centered schools are also the foundation for building a person-centered society that respects the dignity and differences of all human beings. There is an imperative need to change social perspective. For too long, the problems of persons with disabilities have been aggravated by a disabling society that focused more on their disability than on their potential.

5. This Framework for Action comprises the following parts:

  • New Ideas on Special Educational Needs
  • Guidelines for action at the national level
    • A. Policy and organization
    • B. School factors
    • C. Hiring and training of teaching staff
    • D. External support services
    • E. Priority areas
    • F. Community Participation
    • G. Resources Needed
  • Guidelines for Action at Regional and International Levels

New ideas about special educational needs

6. The trend in social policy over the past two decades has been to promote integration and participation and to combat exclusion. Integration and participation are an essential part of human dignity and the enjoyment and exercise of human rights. In the field of education, this situation is reflected in the development of strategies that enable genuine equality of opportunity. The experience of many countries shows that the integration of children and young people with special educational needs is most effectively achieved in inclusive schools for all children in a community. It is in this context that those with special educational needs can make progress in education and social integration. Inclusive schools provide a favorable framework for achieving equal opportunities and full participation, but for them to succeed, a common effort is necessary, not only from teachers and the rest of the school staff, but also from peers, parents, families, and volunteers. The reform of social institutions is not only a technical task, but depends above all on the conviction, commitment, and goodwill of all individuals in society.

7. The fundamental principle guiding inclusive schools is that all children should learn together, whenever possible, regardless of difficulties and differences. Inclusive schools must recognize the different needs of their students and respond to them, adapt to the different learning styles and paces of children, and ensure quality education through an appropriate curriculum, good school organization, wise use of resources, and partnership with their communities. It should, in fact, be a continuous provision of services and support to meet the ongoing special needs that arise in the school.

8. In inclusive schools, children with special educational needs should receive all the additional support necessary to ensure effective education. Inclusive schooling is the most effective means of fostering solidarity between children with special needs and their peers. The schooling of children in special schools – or special classes in the school on a permanent basis – should be an exception, only recommended in those very rare cases where it is demonstrated that education in ordinary classes cannot meet the educational or social needs of the child, or when it is necessary for the well-being of the child or other children.

9. The situation regarding special educational needs varies greatly from country to country. There are countries, for example, where well-established special schools exist for students with specific disabilities. These special schools can be a very valuable resource for the creation of inclusive schools. The staff in these special institutions possess the necessary knowledge for the early identification of children with disabilities. Special schools can also serve as training centers for the staff of mainstream schools. Finally, special schools – or departments within inclusive schools – can continue to offer a better education to the relatively few students who cannot be accommodated in mainstream schools or classes. Investment in existing special schools should be directed towards facilitating their new role of providing professional support to mainstream schools so that they can meet special educational needs. The staff of special schools can make an important contribution to mainstream schools regarding the adaptation of curriculum content and methods to the individual needs of students.

10. Countries with few or no special schools would do well, in general, to concentrate their efforts on the creation of integrated schools and specialized services – especially in the training of teaching staff in special educational needs and in the creation of centers with good staff and equipment resources, to which schools could ask for help – necessary for them to be able to serve the majority of children and young people. Experience, especially in developing countries, indicates that the high cost of special schools means, in practice, that only a small minority of students, usually from urban backgrounds, benefit from these institutions. The vast majority of students with special needs, particularly in rural areas, consequently lack this type of service. In many developing countries, it is estimated that less than one percent of students with special educational needs are served. Experience also indicates that integrated schools, intended for all children in the community, are more successful in obtaining community support and finding innovative and imaginative ways to use limited available resources.

11. Government educational planning should focus on the education of all people, from all regions of the country and of any economic condition, in both public and private schools.

12. Given that in the past a relatively low number of children with disabilities have been able to access education, especially in developing countries, there are millions of adults with disabilities who lack even the rudiments of a basic education. It is therefore necessary to make a common effort so that all persons with disabilities receive adequate literacy through adult education programs.

13. It is particularly important to realize that women have been doubly disadvantaged, as women and as persons with disabilities. Both women and men should participate equally in the design of education programs and have the same opportunities to benefit from them. Particular efforts should be made to encourage the participation of girls and women with disabilities in education programs.

14. This Framework for Action is intended to serve as a guideline for planning actions on special educational needs. Obviously, it cannot cover all situations that may arise in different countries and regions and must therefore be adapted to local conditions and circumstances. To be effective, it must be complemented by national, regional, and local plans inspired by the political and popular will to achieve education for all.

Directions for national action

A. Policy and organization

15. Integrated education and community-based rehabilitation represent two complementary methods of providing education for persons with special educational needs. Both are based on the principle of integration and participation and represent well-tried and cost-effective models for promoting equal access for persons with special educational needs, which is part of a national strategy aiming at education for all. Countries are invited to take into account the actions detailed below when organizing and formulating the policy of their education systems.

16. Legislation must recognize the principle of equal opportunities for children, young people and adults with disabilities in primary, secondary and higher education, education provided, as far as possible, in integrated settings.

17. Parallel and complementary legislative measures should be adopted in health, social welfare, vocational training and employment to support and give effect to education laws.

18. Education policies at all levels, from national to local, must stipulate that a child with a disability attends the nearest school: that is, the school they should attend if they did not have that disability. Exceptions to this rule should only be made when it is necessary to resort to special institutions.

19. The integration of children with disabilities into the education system should be part of the national ‘Education for All’ plans. Even in exceptional cases where it is necessary to educate children in special schools, their education should not be completely isolated. Efforts should be made to enable them to attend ordinary schools on a part-time basis. The necessary measures should be taken to achieve the same inclusive policy for young people and adults with special needs in secondary and higher education, as well as in training programs. Due attention should also be paid to ensuring equal access and opportunities for girls and women with disabilities.

20. Particular attention should be paid to the needs of children and young people with severe or multiple disabilities. They have the same right as other members of the community to become adults who enjoy maximum independence, and their education should be oriented towards this end, to the extent of their capabilities.

21. Educational policies should take into account individual differences and diverse situations. The importance of sign language as a means of communication for the deaf, for example, should be taken into account, and all deaf people should be guaranteed access to education in their country’s sign language. Due to the specific communication needs of deaf and deaf-blind people, it would be more convenient for them to receive education in special schools or in special classes and units within ordinary schools.

22. Community-based rehabilitation should be an integral part of a general strategy to provide cost-effective education and training for people with special educational needs. Community-based rehabilitation should be a specific method of community development which aims to rehabilitate, provide equal opportunities and facilitate the social integration of disabled people. Its implementation should be the result of the combined efforts of disabled people themselves, their families and communities, and educational, health, vocational and social welfare services.

23. Both policies and funding arrangements should encourage and promote the establishment of integrated schools. Obstacles preventing the transfer of special schools to mainstream schools should be dismantled and a common administrative structure organized. Progress towards integration should be evaluated through statistics and surveys which can ascertain the number of students with disabilities benefiting from resources, technical knowledge and equipment intended for people with special educational needs, as well as the number of students with special educational needs enrolled in mainstream schools.

24. Coordination between education, health and social welfare authorities should be improved at all levels to ensure effective convergence and complementarity. The real and potential role of semi-public and non-governmental organizations should also be taken into account in planning and coordination processes. A particular effort will be needed to gain community support for addressing special educational needs.

25. National authorities shall be responsible for overseeing external funding for special educational needs and, in collaboration with international partners, shall ensure that it is consistent with national policies and priorities aimed at education for all. Bilateral and multilateral aid organizations, for their part, should carefully study national policies concerning special educational needs when planning and implementing education programmes and related areas.

School Factors

26. The creation of inclusive schools that serve a large number of students in rural and urban areas requires the formulation of clear and decisive integration policies and adequate funding, a public information effort to combat prejudice and foster positive attitudes, an extensive program of professional guidance and training, and the necessary support services. It will be necessary to introduce the following changes in schooling, and many others, to contribute to the success of inclusive schools: curriculum, buildings, school organization, pedagogy, evaluation, staffing, school ethics, and extracurricular activities.

27. Most of the necessary changes are not limited to the integration of children with disabilities. These changes are part of a reform of teaching necessary to improve its quality and relevance and to promote better school performance by all students. The World Declaration on Education for All emphasizes the need for a model that guarantees satisfactory schooling for the entire child population. The adoption of more flexible and adaptable systems capable of taking into account the different needs of children will contribute to success in teaching and integration. The following guidelines focus on the points that must be taken into account when integrating children with special educational needs into inclusive schools.

Curriculum flexibility

28. Curricula should be adapted to the needs of children, not the other way around. Consequently, schools should offer curricular options that cater to children with different abilities and interests.

29. Children with special educational needs should receive additional support within the regular curriculum, rather than following a separate curriculum. The guiding principle will be to give all children the same education, with the necessary additional help for those who require it.

30. The acquisition of knowledge is not merely a matter of formal and theoretical instruction. The content of teaching must respond to the needs of individuals so that they can participate fully in development. Instruction should relate to the students’ own experiences and concrete interests, so that they feel more motivated.

31. To monitor each child’s progress, assessment procedures will need to be reviewed. Formative assessment should be integrated into the ordinary educational process to keep the student and teacher informed of the learning achieved, to identify difficulties and to help students overcome them.

32. Continuous support should be provided to children with special educational needs, ranging from minimal assistance in mainstream classrooms to the implementation of supplementary pedagogical support programs in school, expanding them, when necessary, to receive help from specialist teachers and external support staff.

33. Where necessary, appropriate and affordable assistive technology should be used to achieve good assimilation of the curriculum and facilitate communication, mobility and learning. Assistive technology will be more economical and effective if it comes from a common center in each locality, where technical knowledge is available to adjust the technology to individual needs and keep it updated.

34. Regional and national capacities should be developed and research undertaken to devise appropriate support technology for special educational needs. States that have ratified the Florence Agreement should be encouraged to use this instrument to facilitate the free movement of materials and equipment related to the needs of persons with disabilities. As for States that have not acceded to the Agreement, they are invited to do so in order to facilitate the free movement of educational and cultural goods and services.

School Management

35. Local administrators and school principals can greatly contribute to schools being more responsive to children with special educational needs if they are given the necessary authority and adequate training. They should be encouraged to establish more flexible management procedures, reallocate pedagogical resources, diversify educational options, facilitate mutual help among children, support students experiencing difficulties, and establish relationships with parents and the community. Good school management depends on the active and creative participation of teachers and other staff, collaboration, and teamwork to meet students’ needs.

36. School principals should in particular be responsible for fostering positive attitudes in the school community and for promoting effective cooperation between teachers and support staff. Appropriate forms of support and the exact role of the different participants in the educational process should be decided through consultation and negotiation.

37. Each school should be a community collectively responsible for the success or failure of each student. The teaching team, not each teacher, should share responsibility for the teaching provided to children with special needs. Parents and volunteers should be invited to actively participate in the school’s work. Teachers, however, play a decisive role as managers of the educational process, by supporting children through the use of resources available both inside and outside the classroom.

Information and research

38. The dissemination of examples of good practice can help to improve teaching and learning. Information on relevant research is also very valuable. Support should be provided at the national level for the utilization of common experiences and the establishment of documentation centres; access to sources of information should also be improved.

39. Special educational provision should be integrated into the research and development programmes of research institutions and curriculum development centres. Particular attention should be paid in this respect to practical research focused on innovative pedagogical strategies. Teachers should actively participate in the implementation and study of such research programmes. Pilot experiments and in-depth studies should also be carried out to guide decision-making and future actions. These experiments and studies could be the result of joint co-operative efforts by several countries.

Recruitment and training of teaching staff

40. The adequate preparation of all education professionals is also one of the key factors in promoting the change towards inclusive schools. The following provisions may be adopted. The importance of hiring teachers who serve as role models for children with disabilities is increasingly recognized.

41. Initial training programs should instill in all teachers, both primary and secondary, a positive orientation towards disability that allows them to understand what can be achieved in schools with local support services. The knowledge and skills required are basically those of good pedagogy, i.e., the ability to assess special needs, adapt curriculum content, utilize technological assistance, individualize pedagogical procedures to respond to a wider range of abilities, etc. In mainstream practical schools, special attention should be paid to preparing all teachers to exercise their autonomy and apply their competencies in adapting curricula and pedagogy to meet the needs of students, and to collaborate with specialists and parents.

42. A recurring problem in education systems, even those that provide excellent teaching for students with disabilities, is the lack of role models for them. Students with special needs require opportunities to interact with adults with disabilities who have achieved success in life, so they can base their lives and expectations on something real. Furthermore, students with disabilities will need to be trained and presented with examples of people who have overcome them, so they can contribute to determining the policies that will affect them later in life. Education systems should therefore try to hire qualified teachers and educational staff with disabilities, and should also seek the participation of people from the region with disabilities, who have managed to make their way, in the education of children with special educational needs.

43. The skills required to respond to special educational needs should be taken into account when evaluating studies and issuing teaching certification.

44. Priority will be given to preparing guides and organizing seminars for administrators, supervisors, principals, and experienced local teachers, in order to equip them with the capacity to assume leadership roles in this field and provide support and training to less experienced teaching staff.

45. The main difficulty lies in providing in-service training for all teachers, taking into account the varied and often difficult conditions in which they carry out their profession. In-service training, whenever possible, should be developed in each school through interaction with trainers and by using distance learning and other self-learning techniques.

46. Specialized pedagogical training in special needs, which allows for the acquisition of additional competencies, should normally be provided in parallel with ordinary training, for the purposes of supplementation and mobility.

47. The training of specialized teachers should be re-examined with a view to enabling them to work in different contexts and to play a key role in programs relating to special educational needs. Their common core should be a general method covering all types of disabilities, before specializing in one or more particular categories of disability.

48. Universities have an important advisory role to play in the development of special educational provision, particularly in relation to research, evaluation, the preparation of teacher trainers and the development of curricula and teaching materials. The establishment of networks between universities and higher education institutions in developed and developing countries should be encouraged. This interrelationship between research and training is of great importance. The active participation of persons with disabilities in research and training is also very important to ensure that their points of view are taken into account.

External support services

49. Support services are of paramount importance for the success of inclusive educational policies. To ensure that external services are provided at all levels for children with needs, education authorities should take the following points into consideration.

50. Support for mainstream schools could be provided by both teacher training institutions and the outreach staff of special schools. Mainstream schools should increasingly use the latter as specialist centres providing direct support to children with special educational needs. Both training institutions and special schools can provide access to specific devices and materials that do not exist in mainstream classrooms.

51. External support provided by specialist staff from various agencies, departments and institutions, such as teachers, consultants, educational psychologists, speech therapists and remedial teachers, etc., should be coordinated at the local level. School clusters have proved to be a fruitful strategy for mobilizing educational resources and fostering community participation. They could be collectively tasked with responding to the special educational needs of students in their catchment area, giving them the ability to allocate resources accordingly. These arrangements should also cover out-of-school services. Indeed, experience seems to indicate that educational services would benefit considerably from greater efforts to achieve optimal use of all available specialists and resources.

Priority areas

52. The integration of children and young people with special educational needs would be more effective and correct if the following provisions were given special consideration in educational plans: preschool education to improve the educability of all children, the transition from school to active working life, and the education of girls.

Preschool education

53. The success of inclusive schools depends to a large extent on the early identification, assessment, and stimulation of very young children with special educational needs. Programs for the care and education of children under 6 years of age should be developed or reoriented to promote physical, intellectual, and social development and school readiness. These programs have significant economic value for the individual, the family, and society, as they prevent disabling conditions from worsening. Programs at this level must recognize the principle of integration and be developed in a comprehensive manner, combining preschool activities and early childhood health care.

54. Many countries have adopted policies in favour of preschool education, either by promoting the creation of kindergartens or nursery schools, or by organising information for families and awareness-raising activities together with community services (health, maternity and child care), schools and local family or women’s associations.

Preparation for adult life

55. Young people with special educational needs should be helped to make a successful transition from school to adult life. Schools should help them to become economically active and instil in them the skills necessary for daily living, teaching them functional skills that meet social and communication demands and the expectations of adult life. This requires appropriate training techniques and direct experience in real situations outside school. The curricula for students with special educational needs in upper classes should include specific transition programmes, support for entry into higher education where possible, and subsequent vocational training to prepare them to function as independent and active members of their communities upon leaving school. These activities should be carried out with the active participation of vocational guidance counsellors, trade unions, local authorities and the various services and organisations concerned.

Education for girls

56. Disabled girls are doubly disadvantaged. Special effort is required to provide training and education for girls with special educational needs. In addition to school access, girls with disabilities must be given access to information, guidance and role models to help them choose realistic options, thus preparing them for their future role as adults.

Continuing adult education

57. Necessary attention shall be paid to persons with disabilities when designing and implementing educational programs. These persons shall be given priority in such programs. Special courses shall also be designed to suit the needs and conditions of different groups of adults with disabilities.

F. Community perspectives

58. Ministries of Education and schools should not be solely responsible for pursuing the goal of providing education to children with special educational needs. This also requires the cooperation of families and the mobilization of the community and volunteer organizations, as well as the support of all citizens. Several very useful lessons can be learned from the experience of countries or regions that have sought to equalize educational provision for children and young people with special educational needs.

Association with parents

59. The education of children with special educational needs is a shared task for parents and professionals. A positive attitude from parents promotes school and social integration. Parents of a child with special educational needs require support to be able to assume their responsibilities. The role of families and parents could be improved by providing the necessary information in a simple and clear manner; responding to their needs for information and training in child care is a task of singular importance in cultural contexts with little tradition of schooling.

60. Parents are the main partners regarding their children’s special educational needs, and they should have the choice, as far as possible, of the type of education they wish their children to receive.

61. Relations of cooperation and support between school administrators, teachers and parents should be strengthened. Efforts should be made to involve parents in decision-making, in educational activities at home and at school (where they could attend demonstrations of effective techniques and receive instruction on how to organize extracurricular activities), and in supervising and supporting their children’s learning.

62. Governments should foster partnership with parents through policy statements and the preparation of legislation on parental rights. The creation of parent associations should be promoted, and their representatives should be involved in the design and implementation of programmes aimed at improving their children’s education. Organizations of persons with disabilities should also be consulted when designing and implementing programmes.

Community Participation

63. Decentralization and local planning foster greater community participation in the education and training of persons with special educational needs. Local administrators should be encouraged to elicit community participation by supporting representative associations and inviting them to participate in the decision-making process. To this end, mechanisms for mobilization and supervision should be established, involving local civil administration, educational, health and social authorities, community leaders and volunteer organizations in geographical areas small enough to achieve meaningful community participation.

64. Community participation should be sought to supplement school activities, assist children with homework and compensate for lack of family support. Mention should be made in this respect of the role of neighborhood associations in providing premises, the function of family associations, youth clubs and movements, and the potential role of the elderly and other volunteers, both in school and out-of-school programs.

65. Whenever a community-based rehabilitation action is initiated from outside, it is for the community to decide whether that program will form part of ongoing community development activities. Responsibility for the program should rest with various community actors, including organizations of persons with disabilities and other non-governmental organizations. Where appropriate, national and regional government organizations should also provide support and other assistance.

Role of volunteer organizations

66. As national volunteer organizations and non-governmental organizations have greater freedom to act and can respond more quickly to expressed needs, they should be supported in developing new ideas and proposing innovative services. They can play a role in innovation and catalysis and extend the reach of community programmes.

67. Organizations of persons with disabilities – that is, organizations in which such persons have a decisive influence – should be invited to participate actively in determining needs, formulating opinions and priorities, evaluating services and promoting change.

Public awareness

68. Decision-makers at all levels, including those concerned with education, should periodically reaffirm their commitment to promoting integration and fostering positive attitudes among children, teachers and the general public towards people with special educational needs.

69. The media can play a predominant role in fostering favourable attitudes towards the social integration of people with disabilities, overcoming prejudices, correcting misinformation and instilling greater optimism and imagination about the potential of people with disabilities. The media should be used to inform the public of new pedagogical methods, particularly special educational provision in ordinary schools, by publicizing examples of good practice and successful experiences.

Necessary resources

70. The creation of inclusive schools as the most effective way to achieve education for all must be recognized as a key government policy to be given prominence in a country’s development program. Only then will the necessary resources be obtained. Changes in policies and priorities will not be effective unless a minimum of resource requirements are met. Political commitment will be needed at both national and community levels to allocate new resources or reallocate existing ones. Communities must play an essential role in the creation of inclusive schools, but government support is also paramount in devising effective and viable solutions.

71. The distribution of resources to schools must realistically take into account the differing costs involved in providing an appropriate education for children with different abilities. The most realistic approach would be to start by supporting schools that wish to provide inclusive education and to initiate pilot projects in specific areas to gain the necessary experience for gradual expansion and generalization. In the generalization of inclusive education, the importance of support and the participation of specialists must correspond to the nature of the demand.

72. Resources should also be allocated to teacher training support services, resource centers and teachers responsible for special education. Adequate technical assistance should also be provided for the implementation of an inclusive education system. Integration models, therefore, should be related to the development of support services at the central and intermediate levels.

73. Pooling the human, institutional, logistical, material, and financial resources of various ministerial services (education, health, social welfare, labor, youth, etc.), territorial and local authorities, and other specialized institutions is an effective means of maximizing benefits. To combine educational and social criteria for special educational provisions, effective management structures will be required that foster cooperation among different services at the national and local levels and allow for collaboration between public authorities and associative organizations.

Guidelines for Action at the Regional and International Levels 

74. International cooperation between governmental and non-governmental, regional and interregional organizations can play a very important role in promoting inclusive schools. Based on past experience in the field, international, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as bilateral donor agencies, could consider joining forces in implementing the following strategic approaches.

75. Technical assistance will focus on strategic areas of intervention with a multiplier effect, especially in developing countries. One of the main tasks of international cooperation will be to support the initiation of pilot projects aimed at testing approaches and building capacity.

76. The organization of regional or inter-country associations that share the same criteria regarding special educational provisions could lead to the planning of joint activities under the auspices of existing regional and subregional cooperation mechanisms. These activities could take advantage of economies of scale, build on the experience of participating countries, and foster national capacity building.

77. A priority mission for international organizations is to facilitate the exchange of data, information, and results on pilot programs related to special educational provisions between countries and regions. The collection of comparable international indicators on progress in education and employment should form part of the global education database. Liaison centers could be established in subregions to facilitate information exchanges. Existing regional and international structures should be strengthened and their activities extended to areas such as policy, programming, staff training, and evaluation.

78. A high percentage of disability cases are a direct consequence of lack of information, poverty, and poor sanitary conditions. As the incidence of disability increases worldwide, particularly in developing countries, joint international efforts, in close coordination with national efforts, should be undertaken to prevent the causes of disability through education, which in turn will reduce the incidence of disabilities and consequently the demands that each country must meet with limited financial and human resources.

79. International and technical assistance for special educational needs comes from many sources. Therefore, it is essential to ensure coherence and complementarity among organizations within the United Nations system and other organizations providing aid in this field.

80. International cooperation should support the holding of advanced training seminars for education administrators and other specialists at the regional level, and foster collaboration between university departments and training institutions in different countries to carry out comparative studies and publish reference documents and teaching materials.

81. International cooperation should be drawn upon for the establishment of regional and international associations of professionals interested in the improvement of special educational provision and should support the creation and dissemination of newsletters or journals and the holding of regional meetings and conferences.

82. Efforts should be made to ensure that international and regional meetings on education-related issues address issues relating to special educational provision as an integral part of the debate and not as a separate topic. For example, the question of special educational provision should be placed on the agenda of regional ministerial conferences organized by UNESCO and other intergovernmental organizations.

83. International technical cooperation and funding agencies supporting and promoting “Education for All” initiatives shall ensure that special educational provisions are integrated into all development projects.

84. International coordination shall be established to promote, in communication technologies, the universal access requirements that form the basis of the new information infrastructure.

85. This Framework for Action was approved by acclamation, following discussion and with the appropriate amendments, at the closing session of the Conference on 10 June 1994. It is intended to guide Member States and non-governmental organizations in the implementation of the Salamanca Statement on principles, policy and practice for special educational needs.

For more information, please contact: UNESCO. Special Education. Basic Education Division, 7, place de Fontenoy, 75352, Paris 07-SP. Fax: 33 01 40 65 94 05

Notes

  1. United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. Resolution 48/96 adopted by the United Nations General Assembly at its 48th plenary meeting on 20 December 1993.

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