European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education

The European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education is an independent organisation that acts as a platform for collaboration for its 31 member countries, working towards ensuring more inclusive education systems. The Agency's mission is to help member countries improve the quality and effectiveness of their inclusive provision for all learners.[1] This short animation video explains how the Agency works with its member countries.

All European countries are committed to working towards ensuring more inclusive education systems. They do so in different ways, depending on their past and current contexts and histories. Inclusive education systems are seen as a vital component within the wider aspiration of more socially inclusive societies that all countries align themselves with, both ethically and politically.

The ultimate vision for inclusive education systems is to ensure that all learners of any age are provided with meaningful, high-quality educational opportunities in their local community, alongside their friends and peers. This vision is depicted in the following animation video.

The Agency has a mandate from its member countries to facilitate collaboration regarding country priorities that are in line with the European Council priorities as identified in the ET 2020 strategy [2]. Agency activities take into consideration key international statements on inclusive education, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4, the Education 2030: Incheon declaration and Framework for Action for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 4, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Salamanca Statement [3] and the Cali commitment to equity and inclusion in education [4].

The Agency was established in 1996 as an initiative of the Danish Government. The Agency Secretariat is based in Odense, Denmark and the Agency has an office in Brussels, Belgium.[5]

Through its activities the Agency facilitates the collection, processing and transfer of European level and country specific information in the area of inclusive education, and it provides opportunities for sharing different types of knowledge and experiences.

Members

At present the Agency has 31 member countries: Austria, Belgium (Flemish and French speaking communities), Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales). [6]

Activities

Agency activities work towards the ET 2020 strategic objective ‘promoting equity, social cohesion and active citizenship’. In line with this objective, the main focus of the Agency's work is upon inclusive education and the characteristics of provision for all learners, in particular those who are vulnerable to marginalisation and exclusion, such as students with disabilities and/or special educational needs.

By analysing and identifying key factors that hinder or support positive developments, the Agency provides member countries with recommendations and guidelines for policy and practice and then shares information about the reality of inclusive education across Europe.

In its activities, the Agency focuses on priorities established by member countries within the framework of its annual and multi-annual work programmes. Annual reports presenting an overview of annual activities are available online.[7]

Ongoing Activities

The goal of this ongoing activity is to aid country reflection regarding the development of policy for inclusive education. It has been developed to provide a new form of individualised country information.

This is an ongoing data collection activity presenting quantitative and qualitative country information.

The Agency acts as a technical body for countries who want to improve their inclusive education systems. In the framework of the European Commission's Structural Reform and Support Programme [8], as of 2018, the Agency has been assisting two member countries with the preparation and implementation of reforms to improve their inclusive education systems. [9] [10]

Project work

All thematic projects focus upon issues of common concern for policy makers for special needs and inclusive education. The topics to be examined within thematic projects are identified via a systemic collection of information on the priorities countries have.

Priority topics include early childhood intervention, assessment in inclusive settings, teacher education for inclusion, vocational education and training, ICT for inclusion, information accessibility and data collection in the field on SNE.[11]

This is a list of Agency projects categorised under thematic sub-groups:

Pre-school education

Compulsory education sector

Post-compulsory education

Cross-cutting messages

Information and Communication Technology

Data Collection
  • Special Needs Education Country Data Collection – 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012

Key Principles

Information provision

Information from Agency project activities is summarised on the website in various formats such as final project reports, summary flyers, country reports and study visit reports, videos, PPTs, etc. Main project outcomes are translated in all the Agency official languages, a total of 25 languages. All materials on the Agency website are free to download.[12]

Detailed information on each Agency member country's legal system, financing, systems of support and specialist provision, teacher education for inclusion, etc. is summarised in the Country information section [13] of the Agency website.

Events

In addition to thematic projects, the Agency organises special events, dissemination conferences,[14] round table discussions,[15] thematic sessions[16] and other events. These events are an opportunity to raise awareness, share information on priority areas and facilitate networking for participants.

Two of the four Parliament Hearings for young people took place in the European Parliament in 2003[17] and in 2011,[18][19] and one in the Portuguese Parliament in 2007.[20] The last Hearing from October 2015 entitled ‘Inclusive Education: Take Action! Luxembourg Recommendations’ was an official event of the Luxembourg Presidency of the European Union. [21][22]

These events were organised for young people with and without disabilities in order to provide them an opportunity to express their views about inclusive education and to reach policy-makers. Results from the Hearings have been presented to key decision makers at both national and European levels for their consideration and further action.

History

1996–2001

The Agency was established in 1996 as an initiative of the Danish Government, endorsed by the member states’ Education Ministers. The establishment of the Agency took place at the end of the European Commission's Helios II programme [23] and reflected the need for a permanent and systematic structure for European collaboration in the field of special needs and inclusive education.

In 1999, following a three-year trial period funded by the Danish education authorities, the Agency was transferred to the member states. This formally established the Agency as a European organisation with the mandate to act as its member states’ platform for collaboration in the field of special needs and inclusive education. [24][25] In 1999 another Agency office was established in Brussels.

Between 1997 and 2001 the Agency's work focused on creating a platform for co-operation at European level through the national networks built up in all countries. During this period, the European Commission supported concrete activities aimed at analysing and disseminating key information in the field of special needs education across Europe.

2002–2006

By this time the work was focused on firmly consolidating and strengthening the Agency's position as the platform for co-operation at European level. Co-operation activities took place with European and international organisations. The Agency website was expanded and national networks were extended in all countries through the involvement of nominated national experts participating in the Agency projects.

The Agency benefited from an operating grant from 2002 until 2004. In 2004, the Agency was included in the Decision No 791/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council[26], this decision provided a legal basis for the Agency and ensured the provision of an operating grant until 2006.

Since 2007

The Agency now has 31 member countries. The newest members are Bulgaria and Serbia, who joined in 2017 and 2018.

Since 2007 the Agency has been one of six European institutions supported with an operating grant under the Jean Monnet initiative within the EU Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013 and similarly under the Jean Monnet initiative[27] within the new EU Erasmus+[28] education programme (2014-2020).

In terms of thinking, implementation and language usage, the concept ‘special needs education’ has shifted towards ‘inclusive education’. Similarly, the way of thinking about learners’ needs has moved from the concept of ‘special educational needs’ towards ‘additional needs’ and the Agency's work is focused on improving education systems to accommodate the needs of all learners.

The Agency's original name was European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education. The current name – European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education – formally came into effect as of 1 January 2014 to better reflect the Agency's current and future activities.

2018

In the Council Recommendations of 22 May 2018 on promoting common values, inclusive education, and the European dimension of teaching [29] (2018/C 195/01), the Council of the European Union encourages member states to promote inclusive education for all learners and ″make effective use of the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education, on a voluntary basis, to implement and monitor successful inclusive approaches in their education systems.″ (page 4)

The Council Recommendations also refer member States to a number of Union instruments and organisations, including the Agency: ″Ensuring effective equal access to quality inclusive education for all learners, including those of migrant origins, those from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, those with special needs and those with disabilities — in line with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities — is indispensable for achieving more cohesive societies. In this endeavour, Member States could benefit from existing Union instruments, notably Erasmus+, the European Structural and Investment Funds, Creative Europe, Europe for Citizens, the Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme, the European Solidarity Corps and Horizon 2020, as well as the guidance and expertise of the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education.″ (page 3)

2019

The 2019 Council Recommendation on High Quality Early Childhood Education and Care Systems [30] includes clear advice to use the Agency as a resource. It says: ‘Promote transparent and coherent monitoring and evaluation of early childhood education and care services at the appropriate levels with a view to policy development and implementation. Effective approaches could include ... implementing existing tools to improve the inclusiveness of early childhood education and care provision such as the Inclusive Early Childhood Education Learning Environment Self-Reflection Tool [31] developed by the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education.'

Co-operative relationships

The Agency maintains active working relationships with other specialist European organisations [32] working in the field of inclusive and special needs education as well as with key international bodies and organisations in the education sector, such as UNESCO [33] and its institutes (International Bureau of Education /IBE, and International Institute for Information Technologies in Education/ITTE[34][35]), the UNICEF CEE/CIS regional office,[36] the OECD, the International Labour Organization and the World Bank.

References
  1. "About us | European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education". www.european-agency.org.
  2. Education and Training 2020 strategic framework: http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/education_training_youth/general_framework/ef0016_en.htm
  3. The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000098427
  4. Cali commitment to equity and inclusion in education: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000370910
  5. Agency offices: http://www.european-agency.org/about-us/contact-us
  6. Agency member countries: https://www.european-agency.org/country-information
  7. Agency Annual Report 2015: https://www.european-agency.org/about-us/what-we-do/annual-reports
  8. "Structural Reform Support Programme (SRSP)". European Commission - European Commission.
  9. "Agency Support via the Structural Reform Support Programme | European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education". www.european-agency.org.
  10. "Agency Support to Cypriot Legislative Reform via the Structural Reform Support Programme | European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education". www.european-agency.org.
  11. Agency projects: http://www.european-agency.org/agency-projects
  12. Publications are free to download: https://www.european-agency.org/resources
  13. Country information: https://www.european-agency.org/country-information/
  14. Examples of Agency project conferences: http://www.european-agency.org/news/conference-on-vocational-education-and-training-policy-and-practice-in-the-field-of-special or http://www.european-agency.org/news/developing-guidelines-for-ict-for-information-accessibility-in-learning-ict4ial
  15. example of round table discussion http://www.european-agency.org/news/successful-solutions-in-vocational-education-and-training
  16. Example of thematic session http://www.european-agency.org/news/thematic-session-on-learners-with-profound-and-multiple-learning-disabilities
  17. European Parliament Hearing 2003: http://www.european-agency.org/publications/ereports/young-views-on-special-needs-education/young-views-on-special-needs-education
  18. European Parliament Hearing 2011 web area: http://www.european-agency.org/agency-projects/european-hearing-2011
  19. Young Voices on Inclusive Education video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IntXc-4qpQw
  20. Parliament Hearing in Portugal 2007: http://www.european-agency.org/publications/ereports/young-voices-meeting-diversity-in-education/young-voices-meeting-diversity-in-education
  21. Inclusive Education: Take Action! video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQllwPMqxk0
  22. Inclusive Education: Take Action! web area: https://www.european-agency.org/events/takeaction
  23. Helios II EC programme: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:1999:098:0035:0037:EN:PDF
  24. Agency history: https://www.european-agency.org/about-us/who-we-are/history
  25. Agency history: http://ec.europa.eu/education/jean-monnet/institutions_en.htm
  26. Decision No 791/2004/EC: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/lex/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2004:138:0031:0039:EN:PDF
  27. Agency supported by the Jean Monnet Programme: http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/doc88_en.htm
  28. Erasmus + EU programme for education, Training, Youth and Sport for 2014-2020 http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/index_en.htm
  29. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32018H0607(01)&from=EN
  30. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1560184974501&uri=CELEX:32019H0605(01)
  31. https://www.european-agency.org/resources/publications/inclusive-early-childhood-education-environment-self-reflection-tool
  32. Video on European co-operation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBcGvt9bElk
  33. Agency IEA project cooperation with UNESCO http://www.european-agency.org/agency-projects/iea
  34. Agency co-operation with UNESCO-ITTE: http://iite.unesco.org/publications/3214682/
  35. Agency co-operation with UNESCO-ITTE: http://www.european-agency.org/news/new-collaborative-publication-on-the-use-of-icts-in-education-for-people-with-disabilities
  36. UNICEF CEE/CIS Regional Office: http://www.unicef.org/ceecis/16422.html
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