Special Education in Greek Multicultural and Inclusive School ClassroomsA Primary Research in Secondary Education Schools of Ioannina

Laburpena

Social inclusion, worldwide, has become the focus of governments for their policies. Education is seen as a key driver for achieving social inclusion and cohesion. The separation between mainstream and special school hampers the idea of including different students in education (Lareau & Horvat, 1999). Variety is a complex concept and by mentioning it, we could identify the composition of modern societies, where citizens live with a variety of individual characteristics, both in terms of their internal and external existence and presence. But the term diversity encompasses the concept of understanding, accepting and protecting the diversity of human characteristics. Therefore, diversity is the practices they recognize that embrace the different diverse characteristics of a person (Gay, 2010). At this point, it has to be clarified that the main feature of the modern schools, is also the variety of the existed parameters. Two important dimensions of this diversity are the case of special education and multiculturalism. The lack of infrastructure, the lack of information and the negative prejudices of both educators and the wider society regarding the education of children with special needs, make the smooth and normal integration of these children, a difficult and harsh procedure, so that their family members are ending to experience a sense of personal tragedy multiple times and in a multilevel framework. The above-mentioned results, are presented either through the shift of responsibility, which is mirrored through the attitude of the competent government bodies, or because of fragmented interventions, which is mirrored through the attitude of the Mental Health Center, and the formal attachment of those responsible to the bureaucratic mechanisms, which is mirrored through the attitude of the school counselor, the head of the school, or through the lack of acceptance of disability and its treatment as a disease, which is mirrored through the attitude of the head of special schools, of general-special education teachers (Adams & Kirova, 2011). Special education and training are the set of educational services provided to students with disabilities and identified special educational needs. In addition, special education means specially designed instruction that is supported by special support services programs and can be provided in appropriately configured and equipped spaces using specific tools and methods to meet the specific needs of the child, provided within the usual classroom or if it will be proven that the above-mentioned provision does not meet the needs of the student, it is then provided in places such as hospital, home or elsewhere for as long as continuous assessment is provided of the child (Polichronopoulou, 2012). Pursuant to Law 3699/2008, on special education and training, students with disabilities and special educational needs are considered to be persons with significant learning difficulties for the whole or a certain period of their life due to sensory, mental, cognitive, developmental problems, mental and neurodevelopmental disorders. Which affect the process of school adaptation and learning. Students with disabilities and special educational needs include especially those with intellectual disability, sensory impairments, as for example blind, blurred vision, sensory disabilities, chronic noncurable diseases, dyslexia, speech disorders, misdiagnosis, miscarriage, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with or without hyperactivity, diffuse developmental disorders, as for example autism spectrum, mental disorders and multiple disabilities. The category of students with disabilities and special educational needs does not include students with low school performance as well as students who, due to different mother language, have a reduced school performance. Students with special educational needs are also students with one or more intellectual abilities and talents developed to a level well beyond their age range (Law 3699/2008).