Inclusion of children with disabilities in preschools

Sukladno Zakonu o predškolskom odgoju i naobrazbi s pripadajućim izmjenama, predškolski odgoj djece u Republici Hrvatskoj nije obavezan, a može započeti u dobi od šest mjeseci te trajati sve do početka osnovnoškolskog obveznog obrazovanja. Obavezna je samo jedna godina prije polaska u osnovnu školu. No unatoč zakonskim odredbama o obvezatnosti predškolskog odgoja, djeca koja su od najranije dobi uključena u programe predškolskog odgoja i obrazovanja imaju višestruke koristi. Odnos društva prema djeci s teškoćama u razvoju mijenjao se kroz povijest paralelno s odgojno-obrazovnom praksom i odnosom prema djeci s teškoćama u odgojno-obrazovnom sustavu na nacionalnoj i međunarodnoj razini. U jednom od pristupa razvoja odnosa društva prema djeci s teškoćama, socijalnom modelu, nastaje pojam inkluzije. U odgojno-obrazovnoj inkluziji ističe se uključivanje djece u sustav odgoja i obrazovanja, u ovom slučaju, predškolskog odgoja. Inkluzija je proces kojim se nastoji stvoriti okruženje u kojem će djeca s teškoćama u razvoju i djeca bez teškoća zajedno boraviti, zajedno učiti i razvijati se te podrazumijeva praksu u kojoj će sva djeca u vrtiću sudjelovati u aktivnostima bez obzira na prisutnost teškoća u razvoju. Prema podacima Ministarstva znanosti i obrazovanja (2016), 76% djece s teškoćama uključeno je redovne odgojno-obrazovne skupine. Kompetencije odgojitelja za uključivanje djece s teškoćama u razvoju u redovne odgojno-obrazovne ustanove je vrlo teško jednoznačno odrediti jer obilježja različitih teškoća i svako dijete traži vlastiti individualni snop određenih kompetencija. U radu su navedeni metodički aspekti rada s djecom s teškoćama u razvoju poput ABA, TEACCH ili PECS metode. U nastavku rada bit će riječi o postojećim oblicima uključivanja djece s teškoćama u sustav predškolskog odgoja i obrazovanja s posebnim osvrtom na djecu s poremećajima iz spektra autizma, djecu s motoričkim teškoćama i djecu s hiperaktivnim poremećajem.According to the Law of pre-school education with associated modifications, pre-school in Croatia is optional and can start at age of six months and last until the beginning of primary education. Only one year of preschool before primary school is required. Despite the legal regulations of pre-school education, children included in preschool education in early age have multiple benefits. The societys' opinion towards children with disabilities has changed throughout history along with the educational practice and attitude towards children with disabilities in the educational system, at the national and international levels. In one of the approaches of the development of societys' opinion towards children with disabilities, social model, the concept of inclusion had been created. In a broader sense, inclusion in education refers to the inclusion of children (or adults) in one of the programs, in this case, pre-school education. Inclusion is a proces which tends to create an environment where children with disabilities and children without disabilities learn and grow together. Inclusion also refers to the practice in which all children in preschool learn by the same curriculum, regardless of the presence of difficulties in development. According to the Croatian Ministry of Science and Education (2016), 76% of children with disabilities are included in the regular educational groups. Educators' competencies for the inclusion of children with disabilities in regular educational institutions, are very difficult to specify because every difficulty and every child requires its own individual beam of certain competencies. This paper describes the methodological aspects of working with children with disabilities such as ABA, TEACCH and PECS methods. In this paper will be discussed the existing forms of inclusion of children with disabilities in pre-school education with special emphasis on children with autism spectrum disorders, children with physical disabilities and children with hyperactivity disorder