INCLUSIVE CULTURE AS THE MAIN ASPECT OF THE INTEGRATION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION TO THE MODERN EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT

Access to quality education with equal conditions and learning opportunities for all is a commitment that countries have made through the Education for All initiative (UNESCO, 2009). Inclusive education is a key aspect that can help governments meet this commitment, so it is important to have a clear definition and related aspects. The purpose of the article is to provide an introduction to inclusive education, focusing on one of the characteristics that need to be taken into account for a school to be inclusive: culture. The first part focuses on inclusion, the second on culture, presents some recent research on the subject, and concludes with some comments on the importance of inclusion and an inclusive culture. Based on the above, it can be argued that in order to manifest inclusion in education, systems and scripts need to be developed with respond to diversity and value all people; it is also recognised that inclusion may manifest differently in each school and therefore the culture in each school will be different, and inclusive values which are defined by the entire teaching community need to be implemented. It is also clear that an inclusive school culture is affirmed and transmitted every day in the classroom and regularly in the everyday life of all members of the school community, and that through this a change in a set of beliefs and values can be achieved. An inclusive culture should be a backdrop for all the educational opportunities that have been and will be created to meet the needs of children and young people. Educational opportunities are designed and created to meet the individual learning differences of all learners. It is believed that this requires changes in the attitudes and relationships between all those involved: leaders, teachers, learners, parents and the wider community, leading to greater communication and co-operation between them, building support networks that will gradually lead to genuine inclusion. Communication and co-operation between them, building support networks that will gradually lead to genuine inclusion. It is clear that the move towards inclusion in education implies a process whereby each country has to go through a process that is appropriate to its capacities. It is recognised that change cannot be rapid and radical, particularly in countries where the economy, politics and culture do not affirm the right to education for all, or where the economy is so weak that it has other priorities, such as health and education, have other priorities, such as health and nutrition.