Dimension 1: Concepts In a national education system that is in the process of becoming inclusive:

1. Inclusion is seen as an overall principle that guides all educational policies and practices.

• Is inclusive education regarded as a principle by policy makers? • Does the idea of inclusive education inform all national policies? • How far is inclusion informing educational practices?

1. The national curriculum and its associated assessment systems are designed to take account of all learners.

• Is the national curriculum based on the principle of inclusion? • Does the national curriculum have the flexibility to suit all learners? • Do assessment systems celebrate different levels of achievement?

1. All agencies that work with children and their families including the health and social services understand and support the national policy aspirations for promoting inclusive education.

•Is there widespread commitment to the idea of inclusive education among professionals who work with children and families? •Do professionals who work with children and their families understand the implications of the principle of inclusion for their roles?

1. Systems are in place to monitor the presence, participation and achievement of all children within the education system.

•Are there effective systems for collecting statistical data regarding the presence, participation and achievement of all children? • Is data analyzed in order to determine the impact of efforts to foster greater inclusion? • Are actions taken in the light of data analysis to strengthen inclusive practices? Dimension 2: Policy In a national education system that is becoming inclusive: 2.1 The promotion of inclusive education is strongly featured in important national education policy documents. • Do all major educational policy documents make reference to the principle of inclusion? • Are all policy priorities informed by the principle of inclusion? 2.2 Senior staff at the national and district levels provide clear leadership on inclusive education. • Do national policy makers stress the importance of inclusion as a principle? • Do local district administrators provide clear leadership regarding inclusive education? •Do school principals and those who manage other centres of learning encourage the development of inclusive cultures in their schools? 2.3 Leaders at all levels, including civil society and other social sectors, articulate consistent policy aspirations for the development of inclusive practices in schools. • Are national policy makers seen to encourage the development of inclusive practices? • Do local district administrators take action to encourage the development of inclusive practices? •Do school principals and those who manage other centres of learning (e.g. pre-school provision; special schools) take action to encourage the development of inclusive practices? 2.4 Leaders at all levels, including civil society and other social sectors, challenge non-inclusive practices in schools. •Are there systems for inspecting schools and other centres of learning that identify and challenge non-inclusive practices? •Where non-inclusive practices are found to exist, are they challenged by senior staff at the district level, in schools and centres of learning? Dimension 3: Structures and systems In a national education system that is becoming inclusive: 3.1 There is high quality support for vulnerable groups of learners • Are there effective systems for identifying vulnerable groups of learners? • Are there flexible arrangements for ensuring that support is available to individuals as and when necessary? • Are families seen as partners in supporting their children’s education? 3.2 All services and institutions involved with children and families work together in coordinating inclusive policies and practices. • Is there cooperation between schools and other centres of learning? • Do institutions and services within districts work together? 3.3 Resources, both human and financial, are distributed in ways that benefit vulnerable groups of children. • Are all children seen as being of equal importance educationally? • Are available resources used flexibly to support participation and learning? 3.4 There is a clear role for specialist provision, such as special schools and units, in promoting inclusive education within the understanding of education as a right. • Do special schools and units have working links with mainstream schools? • Do students from special schools and units have opportunities to take part in activities within mains-tream schools? Dimension 4: Practice In a national education system that is becoming inclusive: 4.1 Schools have strategies for encouraging the presence, participation and achievement of all learners from their local communities. • Do teachers use a range of teaching techniques to cater for learner differences? • Are there effective procedures for taking account of the views of students regarding school practices? 4.2 Schools provide support for children who are vulnerable to marginalization, exclusion and underachievement. • Are teachers skilled in assessing the progress of individual students? • Do teachers (and other school staff) cooperate in supporting individual students? • Do teachers (and other school staff) take account of the cultures, interests and, aspirations of all their students in order to enhance their learning? • Do staff in schools and other centres of learning work closely with families in ensuring support for students? 4.3 Trainee teachers are prepared for dealing with learner diversity. • Are trainee teachers helped to develop positive attitudes towards student diversity? • Does the teacher education curriculum for all teachers highlight the principle of inclusive education? • Are trainee teachers helped to develop teaching strategies that respond positively to student diversity? 4.4 Teachers have opportunities to take part in continuing professional development regarding inclusive practices. • Do schools and other centres of learning have effective staff development programmes in relation to inclusive practices? • Are there opportunities for teachers to attend in-service courses regarding the development of inclusive practices? Source: UNESCO International Bureau of Education Training tools for curriculum development: reaching out to all learners: a resource pack for supporting inclusive education