aeioTU and the Saldarriaga Concha Foundation launch the free course on inclusion

“Include from early childhood”

Bogotá, December 3, 2021. Within the framework of International Disability Day, aeioTU and the Saldarriaga Concha Foundation present the free course “Include from Early Childhood: children with disabilities”. Aimed at fathers, mothers, educators, graduates in training and all those interested in learning about inclusion and equity from early childhood, which lasts 30 hours, is certified and asynchronous, that is, it can be done at any time .

This course provides conceptual and practical strategies for the comprehensive care of children with disabilities within the framework of inclusion and equity in education. Highlighting the importance of promoting Educational Experiences for all, valuing and respecting the diversity of boys and girls, universal design for learning, moments of pedagogical practice, support and reasonable adjustments for the effective participation of all children.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child applies to all children in the world, including those with disabilities, it establishes the basic human rights that all children in the world have: the right to survive, to develop fully, to be protected from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation, and to participate fully in family, cultural and social life. It also recognizes the importance of family assistance and support. Two articles make specific reference to children with disabilities: article 2 establishes the principle of non-discrimination and includes disability as a ground for protection against discrimination, and article 23 highlights the special efforts that States must do to fulfill those rights.

Colombia has Law 1804 of 2016, which establishes the State policy for the Integral Development of Early Childhood from Zero to Forever, lays the conceptual, technical and management bases to guarantee the integral development of all children and girls, thereby seeking the recognition, protection and guarantee of the rights of pregnant women and children from zero to six years of age. This public policy: "conceives girls and boys as subjects of rights, unique and singular, active in their own development, as well as valid, integral interlocutors, and recognizes the State, the family and society as guarantors of their rights" .

The family and caregivers are the main actors to promote the comprehensive development of children with disabilities. In the same way, educators play a fundamental role in promoting comprehensive care, recognizing the diversity of environments where boys and girls develop to ensure that they have the conditions that allow them to participate in educational experiences.

Initial education puts girls and boys at the center of its work, recognizing the particularities of child development (which may derive from their social and cultural context or their physical conditions), promoting comprehensive care in initial education means recognizing girls and boys in the exercise of their rights, knowing their interests, tastes, needs, and ways of communicating, which implies planning pedagogical experiences taking into account their particular moment of development. Therefore, educational systems have factors that can facilitate or inhibit inclusive and equitable practices, such as: the capacities and attitudes of teachers, infrastructures, pedagogical strategies and the curriculum, are variables to take into account when talking about education. inclusive.

What is inclusive education?

UNESCO indicates that inclusion is a process that helps overcome the obstacles that limit the presence, participation and achievement of all students. Inclusion puts the student at the center, respect and appreciation of "diversity", this is based on the recognition of diversity as a characteristic feature of humanity and moves from a focus centered on the needs, to another, founded in opportunities for learning and participation (UNESCO 2019). Equity invites to ensure that there is a concern for justice, so that the education of all students is of equal importance. (UNESCO 2017).

Inclusive education is a permanent process that recognizes, values ​​and responds appropriately to the diversity of characteristics, interests, possibilities and expectations of boys and girls. Its objective is to promote the development and learning of all children without any type of discrimination and guaranteeing human rights.

The 2030 Education Agenda, coordinated by UNESCO, considers "leaving no one behind" as a central axis, providing an opportunity to create more inclusive and equitable societies, through inclusive education systems.

Consequently, including from early childhood does not refer to designing pedagogical practices for each boy or girl, it means taking into account the richness of the processes developed for all equally. The challenge is to understand and accompany children and their families to understand that disability, like many differences, is an opportunity to value diversity and enrich educational practice.

How to register for the course Include from Early Childhood: children with disabilities?

Since December 1, 2021 the course is active at https://red.aeiotu.org/

1. Go to https://red.aeiotu.org/ and register for free.

2. Click on the courses tab and register.

3. Ready start doing the 5 units of the course, at the end you will receive your certificate.