Abstract:

The practice of inclusive education gets increasingly obvious in gaining more support and interest in the education system in Russia as well as in the entire world. There is a distinctly declared agreement in the world that all children have the right to education regardless of their race, gender, nationality, disability, etc. However, the majority of children with special needs have not attended schools or they have been enrolled in special schools which have kept them away from society for a long time. Five years ago in Russia a foundation was laid for closing the majority of special schools for children with different disabilities in favour of the move towards an inclusive education system. The inclusion of learners with a wide range of special needs has become a major change in regular classrooms over the past five years in contemporary Russian education. The trend of developing inclusive education is also becoming one of the main directions in Russian educational policy. The major research objectives were to study the barriers that prevent the development of inclusive education in Russia, to identify the advantages, disadvantages and issues of its realization.

Methodology:
The research methodology combined both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The primary data was collected using questionnaires and focus-groups. 1000 children’s parents (healthy children’s and disabled children’s parents) and 1800 teachers of schools in the Sverdlovsk region were questioned on the basis of quota sampling. Focus-groups (5) were organized for the educators engaged in the system of inclusive education on a regular basis. The focus-groups were conducted in order to identify key issues of inclusive education.

Findings and discussion:
The study has revealed that all the disadvantages of the inclusive education are mainly related to the education of children without HIA (Health Impact Assessment). Only 25.0% of parents and 6.7% of teachers noted that it positively affects the education of children without abnormalities in health. As for children with disabilities, inclusive education is likely to have a positive impact on their education. About 30.0% of teachers and parents mention it.
The research has investigated a number of barriers that prevent its realization in the majority of educational organizations of the region. Firstly, resource barriers: inadequate fulfilment of teachers’ functions for its realization and development of children with HIA (Health Impact Assessment) and disabled children due to a lack of experience, knowledge, skills. Secondly, bureaucratic structure of the education system may be a system barrier for inclusive education. Thirdly, organizational barriers: a lack of conditions for its realization in a number of schools in the region. Fourthly, value barriers: a lack of proper interaction between teachers and parents. Fifthly, psychological barriers: a lack of teachers and narrow-profile specialists.

The study has elucidated that the majority of teachers are in need of further training in inclusive education. This is one of the issues of its successful realization.

Keywords:

Inclusive education, barriers, teachers, parents, healthy children, children with disabilities, advantages, disadvantages, Russia.