International Reports, Documents and Media Resources

Granddaughter and Grandmother

In a world that celebrates diversity and champions equality, inclusive education has emerged as a beacon of hope for learners of all backgrounds and abilities. Education, once seen as a privilege for a select few, is now considered a fundamental human right, accessible to every individual, regardless of their unique needs or circumstances. In this interconnected age, where borders blur and cultures blend, it is essential to explore international resources that foster inclusive education practices.

Review the list of international resources below to discover a wealth of knowledge and tools from around the globe!

A Place to Learn: Lessons from Research on Learning Environments
The choice of 300+ sources, 91 background references and 58 studies that were reviewed and used to develop a new publication on learning environments by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics were guided by the simple question:

How can schools and other learning places create optimal conditions for learning?

This new publication presents a comprehensive review of research on learning environments from multiple perspectives focusing most intensely on the physical conditions, psychosocial environment and/or organizational climate of classrooms, schools and other learning spaces. The publication offers new strategies for assessing and improving the quality of learning environments across settings.

International Film:​The First Grader
Director Justin Chadwick and National Geographic films challenge the scope of what it means for schools to be inclusive by documenting the true story of an 84 year old man who is illiterate from Kenya who fights for his right to be included in a local elementary school. The award winning “The First Grader” is now available on DVD.

This inspiring movie has been shown around the world to promote awareness of the challenges of basic education in the developing world. Schools and organizations have reported scheduling viewings at conferences and meetings as a springboard to discuss broader issues of inclusion.  There is also a Teacher Guide available for download from the film website with suggested lesson plans for classrooms (the movie is rated PG-13).

World Report on Disability
The World Report on Disability was launched on 9 June 2011 at UN Headquarters. This jointly published report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank summarizes the best available scientific evidence on disability and makes recommendations for action to support the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006). The report will also provide new disability prevalence estimates, identify the needs of people with disabilities, and highlight what works to ensure their access to health and rehabilitation services, education, and employment among others.

A World for Inclusion
“A World for Inclusion” is a film about the 2006 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in particular article 24 on education. Using footage from schools in Kenya, Finland and Turkey, it addresses the situation of children with disabilities worldwide and the importance of getting them into school. It also contains interviews and commentary from stakeholders and experts and some 50 educational resources such as toolkits and policy guidelines.

Inclusive Education-Where There are Few Resources
This report provides an overview of critical issues related to inclusive education in areas where there are limited financial resources. With an in-depth explanation of inclusion world-wide and strategies for implementation it is a critical resource for professionals and organizations working toward developing inclusive schools in developing countries.

Young Voices: Young People’s Views of Inclusive Education
This book and film highlights the views and photography of several young people with and without disabilities in Tanzania and Uganda. Through dialogue and pictures the youth express what makes them feel excluded and included in education. The aim of the project is to encourage others to think about what makes their schools inclusive and to overcome barriers toward making their schools more inclusive for all young people.

Count Me In: Developing Inclusive International Schools
Developed by the U. S. Department of State, Count Me In! is written for classroom and special educators and administrators in international schools, both small and large. It is written by teachers and administrators in those same schools. It contains contributions from educational practitioners from Yaounde, Johannesburg, Lusaka, Nairobi, and Dar es Salaam, as well as important input from U.S. consultants. While this resource has been written for colleagues in African international schools, classroom teachers and special educators may find the chapters on theory, collaboration, and strategies for practice particularly relevant. Administrators may find the chapters on policy development, recruitment, and professional development more pertinent to their roles as school leaders. The purpose of this book is to ask teachers and administrators to rethink the place of the exceptional child within both the school and the regular classroom and to provide practical strategies that classroom teachers can use with exceptional children.

Making Schools Inclusive: How Change Can Happen
Drawing on Save the Children UK’s extensive experience in this field, Making Schools Inclusive is a report that presents program examples from 13 countries around the world. It describes case study programs that target specific groups of vulnerable children, build inclusive school communities, promote change throughout an education system and address financial barriers to inclusive education.  This report offers inspiration about what can be achieved as well as drawing out practical learning from the challenges faced in different situations.

Embracing Diversity: Toolkit for Creating Inclusive, Learning-Friendly Environments
This toolkit, designed for teachers, administrators or anyone interested in teaching diverse learners, provides useful tools to make schools and classrooms more welcoming to all children, parents and teachers. The toolkit contains 6 booklets, each of which has tools and activities to be used in a group or self-study situation.  Topics include ideas to create and manage inclusive classrooms, how to include families and community building.

Welcoming Schools: Stories of International Inclusive Schools
These inspirational stories about inclusive schools around the world are compiled in a publication Welcoming Schools.

Ethika Educational Tools
The education materials produced as a valuable output of the ETHIKA project provide useful handles for ethics and values education in schools.

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