Support for International Projects and Local Governments/ Schools Towards Promotion of an Inclusive Education System
Support for Development of an Inclusive Education System
Activities
- Grasping the Newest Overseas Trends and Research with Overseas Organizations
- Collaborative project to solve local issues
- Practical Research Responding to Local Needs and Issues
- Dissemination and Use of Results from Research on Practices in Local Communities
- Seminar for Disseminating Inclusive Education System
- Database for Supporting Development of Inclusive Education System (Inclu-DB)
Grasping the Newest Overseas Trends and Research with Overseas Organizations
◆ Collection and Dissemination of Information Regarding the Newest Overseas Trends
As a national center of special needs education, NISE provides information to the world on efforts and research results regarding special needs education in Japan. It has organized the Nation Survey Unit, and collects information on policy pertaining to educational systems for children with disabilities in foreign countries with the cooperation of specially-appointed researchers. Survey results are publicized through NISE’s website, the "NISE Journal," and other channels.
◆ Interaction with Overseas Research Institutes
NISE has exchange agreements with foreign research institutes, under which we dispatch research staff, invite researchers from overseas, and also exchange information and researchers relating to special needs education and inclusive education systems. We have deepened exchanges with the Korea National Institute of Special Education by holding the "Japan-Korea Special Needs Education Conference" alternately in Japan and Korea, and by sending our research staff to international seminars hosted by the Korea National Institute of Special Education.
International Collaboration between Foreign Organizations
Korea National Institute of Special Education (since November 1995, again since July 2019)
Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Cologne, Germany (since November, 1998)
National Higher Education Institute for Teacher Training and Research on Special Needs Education [INS-HEA], France (since March, 2015)
◆ Dispatching Research Staff Overseas and Receiving Researchers from Overseas
NISE promotes research exchange, by dispatching research staff to participate in and present research results at international academic conferences, or to investigate conditions relating to inclusive education systems. On the other hand, upon request by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), NISE accepts foreign observation teams of personnel in charge of educational administration and school teachers, and provides them with training.
◆ Holding the NISE International Symposium on Special Needs Education
The international symposium is held as an opportunity to spread information about measures and educational practices relating to the inclusive education system in each country, and also to consider the direction for developing an inclusive educational system in Japan in the near future after looking back on Japanese educational practices.
Collaborative project to solve local issues
In order to further promote the establishment of inclusive education systems in local communities, NISE is implementing a "collaborative project to solve local issues." This is a project aiming to resolve issues which prefectures and municipalities face when they develop inclusive education systems, and is promoted through
cooperation between NISE and prefectural and municipal boards of education which participate in the project. In promoting this project, we are also utilizing the efforts and results including the "collaborative research on practices in local communities" conducted during the fourth medium-term objectives period.
In FY2023, 16 local governments in 11 prefectures across Japan are participating in the project, undertaking various activities according to the issues and objectives of each municipality, such as raising awareness and understanding of inclusive education systems, building local support systems, and promoting in-school training. The results of the project will be disseminated through efforts such as holding debriefing sessions in each municipality and producing leaflets, as well as by posting the "Report on the Collaborative Project to Solve Local Issues" that summarizes the initiatives of all participating municipalities on NISE's website.
◆Collaborative Research Project on Practices in Local Communities Report
NISE compiled a “Collaborative Research Project on Practices in Local Communities Report” from the results of the collaborative research project on practices in local communities conducted during the fourth medium-term objectives period with the theme of researching issues which local communities and schools face in their effort to develop an inclusive education system. The report is available on NISE’s website.
In addition, the research results of each municipality are compiled in leaflets and other materials and posted on NISE's website.
FY2020 Report
Research results of each municipality
http://www.nise.go.jp/nc/about_nise/inclusive_center/inclusive_center/region/seika
Practical Research Responding to Local Needs and Issues
Research themes are selected based on issues directly faced by local communities and schools. NISE researchers and community practice researchers dispatched by boards of education work together to solve these issues. In addition to the one-year system for long-term dispatched researchers, a system for short-term dispatched researchers has also been in place since FY 2017, and a system for dispatching from municipal boards of education since FY2018. These systems create closer cooperative relationships with local communities for working together on problem-solving. They also help promulgate research results and the latest information about inclusive education systems, and thereby promote understanding in local communities.
◆ Research Themes for Practical Research Responding to Local Needs and Issues
| Research Themes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Main Theme 1 | Main Theme 2 | |
| Research on System Establishment Aimed at the Development of an Inclusive Education System | Practical Research on Schools for Special Needs Education Aimed at the Development of an Inclusive Education System | |
| FY 2016-2017 | Research on the Development of Inclusive Education Systems in Local Communities | Research on Joint Activities and Learning |
| Research on Training Leading to the Development of an Inclusive Education System | Research on Utilization and Evaluation of Educational Materials | |
| FY 2018-2019 | Research on Educational Consultation and Determining School for Enrollment | Research on Developing Schools to Meet Various Educational Needs |
| Research on Understanding and Raising Awareness of Inclusive Education System | Research on Reasonable Accommodation and Fundamental Environment Establishment at Schools | |
| FY 2020 | Research on Understanding and Raising Awareness of Inclusive Education System | Research on Improving Joint Activities and Learning |
Dissemination and Use of Results from Research on Practices in Local Communities
◆ Forum for Collaborative Research on Practices in Local Communities
Forums for Collaborative Research on Practices in Local Communities are held to quickly disseminate results of research on practices in local communities and help promote development of an inclusive education system in prefectures and cities participating in research on practices in local communities.
In FY2019, these forums were held at the following five venues in four prefectures.
○ Research on Understanding and Raising Awareness of Inclusive Education System
Aomori Prefecture, Saitama Prefecture
○ Research on Developing Schools to Meet Various Educational Needs
Shizuoka Prefecture (Special Education Division), Yokosuka City
○ Research on Reasonable Accommodation and Fundamental Environment Establishment at Schools
Shizuoka Prefecture (Compulsory Education Division)
These forums for collaborative research on practices in local communities were attended by a total of about 800 people (25-500 people at each forum), including teachers at kindergartens, nursery schools, certified child centers, elementary schools, lower secondary schools, upper secondary schools, and schools for special needs education, staff from prefectural and municipal boards of education, and guardians. Participants expressed their expectations and needs with respect to NISE and collaborative research on practices in local communities.
Seminar for Disseminating Inclusive Education System
We hold dissemination seminars to support promotion of inclusive education systems in local communities. In the following regions, we jointly held seminars with the local boards of education, and shared initiatives and knowledge through various efforts in each community/school, lectures, and activity reports by the Center for Promoting Inclusive Education System.
○ FY2016 Hokkaido Prefecture (Hokkaido/Tohoku region)
○ FY2017 Okinawa Prefecture (Kyushu/Okinawa region)
Okayama Prefecture (Chugoku/Shikoku region)
○ FY2018 Nara Prefecture (Kinki region)
○ FY2019 Shizuoka Prefecture (Chubu region)
In 2020, a seminar considered the future issues and outlook in Japan from such as measures and initiatives relating to the development of an inclusive education system overseas and the various initiatives from schools and local communities, including the collaborative research project on practices in local communities within Japan with future prospects from initiatives in Japan and overseas.
Database for Supporting Development of Inclusive Education System (Inclu-DB)
NISE has operated its “Database for Supporting Development of Inclusive Education System (Inclu-DB) since November 2013. This database provides information on development of an inclusive education system. Inclu-DB provides case examples indicative to what type of fundamental environment should be established and what reasonable accommodation is effective based on the actual circumstances of the child.
◆ Contents of information provided through Inclu-DB
Database for Practical Examples of "Reasonable Accommodations"
This database contains case studies undertaken during projects entrusted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), which are the “Model Projects for Inclusive Education System Development” and “Reasonable Accommodation Research Project to Meet Diverse Characteristics of Children/Students with Possible Developmental Disabilities.”
The database for practical examples allows users to search for cases by the school where their children are enrolled, disability category, etc. More details on cases can be obtained by downloading them from search results.
As of April 2022, the site features 590 case studies (practical examples).
Examples of Training Utilizing Inclu-DB
Introducing proposed training programs, actually conducted training and teaching, etc., that utilized Inclu-DB.
Case Studies of Joint Activities and Learning Practice
The database contains case examples and relevant information for joint activities and learning practice based on recommendations from the Barrier-free Learning Promotion Conference.
Related Information
• Explanation of laws, regulations and measures as well as relevant terms
• Q&A for guardians on the development of an inclusive education system
• Links to study reports and related websites
• Information on educational counseling
• Information on remote classes and video distribution at schools
Inclu-DB