INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN RUSSIA: AT THE BEGINNING OF A HARD WAY

Abstract

An important part of reforming education in Russia is to implement innovations and to develop information and communication technologies within the framework of the inclusive education conception. These involve the creation of a new educational environment based on the idea of equal opportunities. Improving the system of general and professional education of disabled individuals should be considered as the prerequisite of empowering their social integration.The paper concerns the main priorities of the public policy in this sphere. The analysis of current regulatory and legal framework is carried out. Also the author identifies the main challenges in implementing the inclusive approach in the educational process.A sufficient legal basis for implementing the concept of inclusive education has already been formed. However in practice the organization of inclusive education faces a number of challenges. The most important among these include inadequate measures to restructure schools under the educational reform, the lack of financial support to create conditions for full inclusion, the illpreparedness of educational institutions to apply existing legislation in practice and to adapt current educational process to the needs of disabled students.