Formation of tolerance in the inclusive environment of an educational institution

Abstract

In the article the results of theoretical research of the problem of forming a tolerant attitude towards people with special educational needs (SEN) are substantiated, defining the essence of the basic concepts of the research, psychological approaches to understanding the content and levels of tolerance. The following research methods were used: study of psychological and pedagogical literature, media monitoring, questionnaires and mathematical statistics. The results of an empirical study involving 226 respondents representing general secondary and higher education institutions in different regions of Ukraine are presented. The cases of disability discrimination in inclusive education were identified and the most effective measures for the formation of tolerant social attitude towards them were outlined. Based on the analysis of media resources, examples of intolerance in inclusion in different countries of the world are given, as well as dominant gender, racial or socio-cultural stereotypes that serve as barriers to inclusion. The emphasis is placed on the need to create an inclusive educational environment where all students can feel psychological comfort, understanding and mutual respect based on the generally accepted principle of tolerance – all students should study at regular educational institutions, despite difficulties or differences between them. The necessity for proper conditions for effective educational or correctional and developmental work with people with SEN, taking into account the adaptive nature of people from socially vulnerable groups, as well as mental, gender, ethnocultural characteristics of society has been proved.