RURAL SCHOOLS – SPECIFIC FEATURES, RESOURCES AND CHALLENGES IN BUILDING CAPACITIES FOR INCLUSION

Abstract

Specific features of rural schools and specific circumstances of the setting in which they are located represent major issues as regards the limitations and possible solutions for building capacities for inclusion. The limiting factors, the advantages, and the capacities of these schools with reference to the challenges of inclusive education are observed through the categories of setting, of internal organisation, of teaching staff, and of students and their needs by means of a relevant literature analysis. The results show that the setting may limit the development of inclusivity if it is an extremely covert and traditional one, with the advantage being recognised in nurturing family values and empathy. The lack of support is visible in cooperation with specialised institutions and professionals. Classes featuring fewer students and classes of mixed-age students offer greater opportunities for becoming more familiar with students’ individual needs and abilities and they represent a solid basis for the development of inclusivity. There is a frequent rotation of teachers as they migrate to larger communities, which results in the disturbance of students’ adaptation to the ambience of a class. Inclusivity implies additional competences of a teacher as well concerning its development in a school setting, with research showing that teachers do not feel competent and comfortable enough to implement it. Building capacities for developing inclusive schools should be directed at developing and improving mechanisms of support through national strategies, as well as developing local communities and capacities of both school and teaching staff.