
Special needs and inclusive education, the Italian experience of overcoming segregation
Overview
“Inclusive education is not an optional extra, it is a basic necessity. We must put the most vulnerable at the heart of our actions to achieve a better life for all” said Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education.
Statistics prove that students with learning disabilities in segregated schools catered for special education needs will be more likely to be earlier school drop-out or to have fewer opportunities when entering the job market.
Inclusion of students with special needs in mainstream schools is an important goal. Italy has been a pioneer in this field and with only the 0,01% of students with special needs in segregated schools leads EU countries in inclusive education.
Target Audience
This course is addressed to teachers, trainers, educational counsellors, career counsellors, school psychologists, headmasters, school management and administrative staff working in primary schools, secondary schools, vocational schools, training centres, adult education schools, higher education and NGOs.
Please mind that the course may include teachers from different school levels.
Languages
The course is held in English.
For groups with at least 8 participants, we can organize an ad-hoc session in a different language. Please write an email to
info@erasmuslearningacademy.eu
to get more information about it.
| Location | Starting Date | Ending Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bologna | 27/09/2026 | 03/10/2026 | Open for Enrollment |
| Palermo | 04/10/2026 | 10/10/2026 | Open for Enrollment |
| Bologna | 22/11/2026 | 28/11/2026 | Open for Enrollment |
| Palermo | 29/11/2026 | 05/12/2026 | Open for Enrollment |
| Bologna | 17/01/2027 | 23/01/2027 | Open for Enrollment |
| Palermo | 17/01/2027 | 23/01/2027 | Open for Enrollment |
| Bologna | 28/02/2027 | 06/03/2027 | Open for Enrollment |
| Palermo | 14/03/2027 | 20/03/2027 | Open for Enrollment |
| Bologna | 25/04/2027 | 01/05/2027 | Open for Enrollment |
| Palermo | 16/05/2027 | 22/05/2027 | Open for Enrollment |
| Bologna | 03/10/2027 | 09/10/2027 | Open for Enrollment |
| Palermo | 24/10/2027 | 30/10/2027 | Open for Enrollment |
| Bologna | 21/11/2027 | 27/11/2027 | Open for Enrollment |
.
Skills
What will you learn?
Participating in this course teachers and education staff will get to know and analyse the Italian model of inclusive education discussing strategies, working methods and approaches to fight the segregation of students with special needs and at include them in the mainstream education.
Learning Outcomes
This training course is aimed at getting to know strategies, methodologies and tools to include all students in education and at learning how inclusive education works in Italy and how overcoming segregation of students with special needs is indeed possible.
The general aim of this course is to foster excellence and inclusion in education by providing teachers, headmasters, education staff and policy makers with knowledge and inspiration to make inclusive education a reality in their school.
Principles and Benefits of Inclusive Education
Understand the key values and advantages of inclusive education, with a focus on the Italian model that integrates students with special needs into mainstream education.
Tools and Strategies for Supporting Special Needs Students
Explore ICT tools, teaching strategies, and practical activities that enhance participation and learning for students with special needs.
Collaboration and Peer-Education in Inclusive Settings
Learn the importance of peer-involvement, visit Italian schools, and exchange best practices and challenges with Italian and European educators.
Daily Program
Please find below the standard indicative daily programme that may be personalized based on groups’ needs and professional profiles. Our standard program comprises 7 days of course: Sunday morning activities will start at around 10:00 and will conclude by 11:00 the next Saturday.
Please note that we always do our best to accommodate the specific needs of our participants in a flexible way, including but not limited to budget restrictions and travel arrangement. Participants generally choose to arrive 1 day before the start of the course and/or leave one day after the end of it as it generally makes their travel arrangements smoother and more convenient. Upon specific request we may organize longer or shorter versions of this course.
| Sunday | – Participants arrival – Course introduction – Schools/institutions’ presentation & best practices sharing – Walking tour in the venue’s city | ||
| Monday | – Team building exercises – Needs and expectations evaluation – Schools and participants’ presentations – Inclusive Education in Europe: basic concepts and current statistics – From integration to inclusion: the benefits of inclusive education – Sharing experiences and best practices in working with learners with learning disabilities | ||
| Tuesday | – The Italian inclusive education model: how it works and which are its main actors, tools and approaches – The personalized didactic plan and the inclusive annual plan – Practical group work on inclusive annual plans – Visit to a local school and discussion with local teachers on the challenges and best practices to include students with special needs – Cultural activities in the venue’s city | ||
| Wednesday | – Membership, relationships and skills: how to create an inclusive classroom – The role of empathy in working with learners with special needs – Practical group work: in the shoes of our learners – Optional cultural visit outside the venue’s city | ||
| Thursday | – Inclusive teaching methods: a new perspective on universal design for learning – How to make learning resources more accessible – Diversifying teaching methods to include all – Co-teaching main approaches and the Italian experience – Success case presentation: station rotation teaching to meet individual needs – Visit to a local school working with young people with physical and learning disabilities and discussion on teaching methods, tools and approaches | ||
| Friday | – Using ICT tools and platforms to support the learning process of learners with special needs – Practical work on ICT tools – Working with parents: challenges, benefits and best practices to involve and communicate with families – Making inclusive education a reality – Practical activity: what can I improve in my school? – Farewell dinner | ||
| Saturday | – Space for discussion of future cooperation and planning follow up activities – Course roundup and final evaluation – Validation of learning outcomes and certification ceremony – Additional training session tailored to specific needS – Participants departure |
Other relevant facts
Methodology
All our courses have a standard duration of 7 days, totaling 35 hours of training. This includes both formal teaching sessions and practical activities, as well as moments for discussion, cultural experiences, and networking, ensuring a comprehensive learning experience in line with Erasmus+ quality standards.
We tailor the working methods based upon participants’ needs, attitudes and professional profiles in order to ensure high productivity, effectiveness and transferability into practice.
The standard methodology is highly practical and participative with hands-on approach that comprises real-job examples, case studies examination and simulations. We embrace collaboratively working methods that foster mutual learning and cooperation among participants. Our focus is on learning in an interactive and international environment knowledge applicable to the real contexts and/or in the classroom. The pedagogical methods that we use are based upon experiential training, group and peer activities, learning-by-doing and best practices’ exchange. They include visits with local schools and institutions allowing the participants to better understand the local education system as well as exchange ideas and contacts.
Morning Wrap-up and brief daily evaluations are foreseen to ensure quality of education and to adapt the learning programme to participants’ needs better tailoring the education.
We organize optional social, networking and cultural activities in order to give participants the opportunity to know Italy as well as to exchange best-practice and establish professional cooperation and links.
The training and staff team is multinational thus giving a full European dimension to the course.
Costs and Erasmus+ Funding
Teachers, trainers, headmasters and any other staff of education organizations are eligible to receive an Erasmus+ grant covering all the costs to attend our training courses including travel, board and lodging, cultural activities and all fees. Our training courses are tailored to be fully funded by Erasmus+ and we offer different options to ensure the best comfort and quality at a price that is within the Erasmus+ grant.
We offer our courses in an all-inclusive format: training and accommodation in the same venue, networking meals during the courses as well as cultural visits are provided by us and are fully covered by the Erasmus+ funding. In this way participants just need to organise their international flights and can rely on us for all the other practical arrangements.
If you prefer you can take care of some of the practical arrangements (e.g. meals, accommodation…) by yourself but we strongly recommend entrusting us with the accommodation booking in order to ensure optimal logistic organization, networking with fellow
participants, safety and time-efficiency.
Read more about how we take care of your subsistence and practical arrangements.
The most common option that we offer to schools and organizations costs EUR 1,415 in Bologna, EUR 1,235 in Palermo and Zagreb, EUR 1,265 in Tenerife, 1215 EUR in Athens and EUR 1,335 in Porto. This price includes the course fee, certification and support fee, accommodation in single room, breakfast, 2 coffee breaks per day, 3 networking meals (shared lunch/dinner opportunities with other participants), a walking tour in the venue’s city and a sum-up dissemination video.
Please note: in Bologna the price includes full board (all meals), whereas in the other locations only the 3 networking meals are included alongside breakfast.
Prices shown may vary for specific courses that include extra services or visits to schools and associations. More detailed pricing information for each course is available upon request or at the time of enrolment.
For schools sending 2 or more participants we can offer accommodation in double rooms and we can provide as well accommodation for people or relatives accompanying the participants.
When attending our courses, we recommend you to request 9 days of individual support for your subsistence costs, 7 days for the course plus 2 additional days for the travel. In this way you can have more flexibility in planning your stay and you can enjoy all the cultural activities planned from the first to the last day of course. You can read here more about the Erasmus+ funding. Shall you have need any help with filling the budget during the application stage or have any problem with your grant please let us know and we will see how to support you.
Certification and Validation of learning outcomes
At the end of the course, each participant will be awarded a certificate of attendance, together – if requested – with the Europass Mobility Certificate.
The certificate are in line with the Erasmus Quality Standards and include a short description of the course and its learning outcomes, dates, venues, the name of the course provider and the course instructor(s).
We support the participants in every step of certification and validation of learning outcomes with specific focus on European instruments and Erasmus plus requirements such as staff mobility/learning agreement, quality commitment and Europass mobility certificate.
We experienced that schools and education organizations may require additional documents to certify the competences learned or the presence in the training course. Upon request we can provide additional certification and reporting documents as well as we provide photos of the training course and a sum-up video that can be used for visibility and dissemination purposes.
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