INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE AND PROSPECTS FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to provide a comprehensive analysis of European and global experience in the implementation of inclusive education and to determine the prospects for its adaptation in Ukraine, taking into account the national regulatory, organizational, and human resource context. The study is based on the analysis of international legal instruments, in particular the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, strategic documents of the European Union, materials of the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education, and peer-reviewed scientific publications. The research employs methods of comparative analysis, generalization of educational models, systematization of inclusive education practices, as well as interpretation of empirical findings from contemporary studies. The scientific novelty of the study lies in a comprehensive comparative analysis of European models of inclusive education and the substantiation of possibilities for their systematic adaptation to the Ukrainian educational system. The article systematizes key models of organizing inclusive education in EU countries (full integration, the three-tier support model, the combined model, and the implementation of Universal Design for Learning) in connection with their regulatory, organizational, and financial mechanisms. The factors ensuring the effectiveness of inclusive policy are generalized as an integrated crosssectoral system, and the expediency of integrating the principles of Universal Design for Learning into Ukrainian educational practice is substantiated. The study further expands the scholarly understanding of the interconnection between inclusive policies in general and higher education as a continuous process of building an inclusive educational environment. European experience demonstrates the systemic and cross-sectoral coherence of inclusive policy, which ensures students’ socialization and academic achievement. To enhance the effectiveness of the Ukrainian model, it is necessary to integrate the principles of Universal Design for Learning, develop interdisciplinary teacher training, ensure stable funding, and consistently implement an inclusive strategy at all levels of education. European practices can be effectively implemented in Ukraine provided that the specific features of the national education system are taken into account.