MPROVEMENT OF THE CONTENT OF PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY OF SPECIALISTS INCLUSIVE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS: THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY APPROACH

Abstract

The article addresses the issue of the effectiveness of intervention strategies to prepare children with special educational needs for inclusive learning. It was determined that the occupational therapy approach takes into account a system of factors that can fundamentally improve the methodological foundations and practical guidelines for the activities of specialists in an inclusive environment. This system of factors covers interconnected components: 1) patterns of stages of sequential development of the child and creating a step-by-step intervention program; 2) modification of the child’s living environment so that it becomes stimulating and developing; 3) partnership of the occupational therapist with other IEP team members of, which provides for a joint determination of his needs, the formulation of SMART goals, its coordinated achievement, peer monitoring and appropriate adjustment of goals. We present in the article a comparative analysis of areas of responsibility and features of the occupational therapist and sensory therapist as a specialist, which partially duplicates the functions of an occupational therapist. The importance of distinguishing between them helps to determine the responsible position of the practices from the irresponsible one and to formulate guidelines for successful support of children with special needs. We have developed a model for creating the prerequisites for inclusive education for children with special needs, relying on the following criteria for an occupational therapy approach, such as systematic, resourceful, collegial, technological and evidence-based effectiveness. The scientific evidence of an occupational therapy approach is disclosed, as well as the technological aspect of the presented model of intervention in the direction of preparing a child with special educational needs for the educational process.