The education of persons with special educational needs is regulated by a number of legal acts, including: the Law of the Republic of Armenia “On Amendments and Amendments to the Law of the Republic of Armenia” on General Education “, the Law of the Republic of Armenia” on Social Protection of Disabled People in the Republic of Armenia “(Articles 12, 13, 14), also, with many governmental decisions and programs. The legislation on the education of persons with special educational needs also includes the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, the Family Code, the Law on Education, the Law on Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities, the RA Law on the Rights of the Child, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by Armenia in 1992. Also, other laws and legal acts.
Home education is organized for students who are unable to attend educational institutions because of their health condition, in accordance with the procedure established by the authorized state body for education. The list of diseases reserving the right for home education is defined by the Government of the Republic of Armenia.
Annex N 1 The Government of the Republic of Armenia November 19, 2015 Decision N 1330-N
LIST
DISEASES RESERVING THE RIGHT FOR HOME EDUCATION FOR PERSONS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEED
(codes according to diseases and health problems
statistical classifier)
1) mental disorders, behavioral disorders
a. post-encephalitis syndrome (F 07.1),
b. post-contusion syndrome (F 07.2),
c. schizophrenia, schizotypal status and delusional disorders (F20-F29),
d. Affective mood disorders (F30-F39),
e. Nervous, stress-induced somatoform disorders (F40-F48),
f. Behavioral syndromes because of physiological disorders and physical factors (F50-F59),
g. Mental retardation with significant behavioral disorders requiring care (F70.1-F71.1) (F70.8-F71.8);
h. mental retardation (F72-F79),
i. Psychological development disorders (F80-F89),
j. Emotional Behavioral Disorders Common to Childhood (Adolescence) (F90-F98)
k. Mental disorders without additional adjustments (F99).
2) diseases of the nervous system
a. Systemic atrophies with predominantly central nervous system disease (G10-G13)
b. Extracurricular and other movement disorders (G20-G26)
c. Other transformative diseases of the nervous system (G31.0, G31.8, G31.9, G32, except G 31.1),
d. Central nervous system demyelinating diseases (G35-G37)
e. Epilepsy (G40): Frequent seizures that do not occur with antiepileptic drugs.
f. Neuromuscular diseases, progressive (progressive) muscular dystrophies) և Other myopathies (G70, G71, G72),
g. Cerebral palsy and other paralytic syndromes include spastic quadriceps (G80.0, G82) և dyskinetic egg (G80.3);
h. Spinal cord disorders (inflammatory) (G04-G06).
3) Congenital abnormalities (developmental defects, deformations, chromosomal disorders):
a. spinal hernia (Q05), except closed spinal hernia (Q76),
b. Other congenital anomalies of the spine Q spinal cord (Q06),
c. Other congenital anomalies of the nervous system (Q07),
d. Congenital anomalies of the musculoskeletal system, developmental defects and changes (Q65-Q79).
4) disorders of other organ-systems:
a. Rheumatism in the active phase with continuous relapse (I 00-I 01),
b. pancarditis (I 51.8, I 05.8),
c. Congenital heart defects in the subcompensation and decompensation phase (Q20-Q24),
d. Chronic pneumonia in the presence of a widespread process and expressed intoxication (J84.1);
e. Bronchial asthma (J46) with frequent severe attacks or prolonged asthma,
f. Chronic nephritis accompanied by chronic renal failure with nephrotic syndrome (N 03, N 05, N 08, N 13, N 18-N 19),
g. Severe mucoviscidosis (E84.9),
h. Chronic cirrhosis of the liver with chronic hepatitis (K74.6),
i. Malignant neoplasms of various organs (C00-C99),
j. Blood coagulation disorders in the presence of mobility difficulties (severe hemophilia) (D66-D68)
k. Respiratory tuberculosis, in the bacillus (infectious) period, expressed in pulmonary heart failure (A 15),
l. Severe post-traumatic events, especially in the rehabilitation period, in the presence of disfiguring sprains or in conditions accompanied by severe motor dysfunction or severe joint limitations (T20-T32);
m. Injuries and Diseases that result in restricted mobility, or the need for home care or isolation, 22 days after the onset of the illness.
The principle of international classification of functions of the World Health Organization is based on the right to home education. In particular, in addition to the diseases defined in point 1 of this appendix, the right to home education is also reserved for the presence of diseases (including conditions or disorders) confirmed by the opinion of relevant doctors, which are manifested by severity, degree of prevalence, activity, participation, with severe and profound disorders
1) Restriction expressed by the mobility of the person (independent movement, long-term maintenance or self-service).
2) the expressed disorder of social adaptation (adaptation);
3) Existence of dangerous behavior (aggressive, destructive, psychopathological, self-harm, suicidal) towards his/her person or environment.
4) Long-term disorders of vital functions, including respiratory, cardiovascular, pelvic organ function, skin (for example, bed sores, other nutritional disorders).
5) Deep suppression of immunity, which requires long-term isolation (to avoid infections).In case of the diseases mentioned in points 1 and 2 of this list, the duration of home education is defined individually, based on:
1) from the progress condition of the child’s treatment, based on the medical conclusion given by the relevant doctor-specialist.
2) Physical access to inclusive education.
Many parents insist that the child should stay in the same grade, repeat the course, learn the letters better, and so on. It should be noted that this cannot be the best solution, because the child must learn, grow with his age group, with his friends.
An assessment of the need for a child’s special learning conditions is carried out from preschool age to 18 years.
A child with special educational needs is defined as a child with learning disabilities, including developmental disabilities, physical or mental disabilities, who require special learning environments to master basic education programs.
The process of assessing the special conditions of a child’s education is carried out in the first year of each education level (in the first, fifth, and tenth grades), as well as when the child has constant difficulties in connection with emergency situations during the learning process.
The assessment of the need for special conditions of education is carried out in 2 stages.
- 1st- school or pre-school level assessment, which is carried out by the establishment teachers, pedagogical staff, and pedagogical-psychological support group to identify the limitations of the child’s effective participation in the educational process, the environmental barriers, and the motivating factors for overcoming them.
- 2nd- the regional level assessment, which is carried out by the RPPSC to determine the degree of disruption of this or that function and SEN.
The assessment of the need for a special condition of the child’s education is carried out in the natural environment (family, educational establishment, and child’s other communicative environment).
In order to create SEN, a child may be presented for an assessment of SEN at the parent’s or pedagogical council’s request (legal representative) of the educational establishment, if an agreement signed by the parent is attached to the application.
In order to create SEN, a child may be presented for an assessment of SEN at the parent’s or pedagogical council’s request (legal representative) of the educational establishment, if an agreement signed by the parent is attached to the application.
The process of assessing special conditions of education at the school level takes 10-15 working days.
The process of assessing the need for special educational conditions at the regional level takes a week.
By the order of the RPPSC director, a group of pedagogical staff is formed in the educational establishment to carry out the assessment of the given child at the regional level. The group includes at least 3 specialists of the RPPSC: a special pedagogue, a psychologist, and a social pedagogue. The child support team of the educational establishment, teachers, the child, and his / her parent (or legal representative) also take part in the regional level assessment.
Within a maximum of 5 days after receiving the Assessment Protocol and the Assessment Conclusion from the parent, the director of the educational establishment applies to the State Regional Administration to certify the special needs of the child for education. For the certification process, it is necessary to submit an application by a parent or legal representative to the Regional or Yerevan municipality.
Copies of the child’s birth certificate, social card, the parent or legal representative’s passport, the original conclusion by the TPPSC or the RPPC should be attached to the application. Appropriate pedagogical and psychological support services are provided to organize the education of a child with a certificate of SEN.
Copies of the child’s birth certificate, social card, the parent or legal representative’s passport, the original conclusion by the TPPSC or the RPPC should be attached to the application. Appropriate pedagogical and psychological support services are provided to organize the education of a child with a certificate of SEN.
If a parent does not agree with the results of the second level assessment of child’s SEN by the RPPSC, than he/she can appeal the results of the assessment to the Republican Pedagogical- Psychological Center.
The Republican Pedagogical-Psychological Center processes the written complaint of the child’s parent regarding his / her disagreement with the results of the second level assessment of his / her child by the RPPSC, within 10 working days from the day of receiving the document.
The Republican Pedagogical-Psychological Center processes the written complaint of the child’s parent regarding his / her disagreement with the results of the second level assessment of his / her child by the RPPSC, within 10 working days from the day of receiving the document.
The assessment of the child’s SEN is carried out free.
The Republican Pedagogical-Psychological Center provides pedagogical, including special pedagogical and psychological counseling to RPPSCs, educational establishments, organizations and specialists dealing with child’s education and development (psychologists, teacher assistants, special and social pedagogues, etc.).
Educational establishments or RPPSC may submit a request for consultation, indicating the topic of the consultation.
After receiving the application, the specialists of the Center will contact to agree on the date and time for the consultation. Individuals or child education and development organizations can contact the Republican Pedagogical-Psychological Center via phone, e-mail, or Facebook page to submit any question or the topic of consultation in which they are interested.
After receiving the application, the specialists of the Center will contact to agree on the date and time for the consultation. Individuals or child education and development organizations can contact the Republican Pedagogical-Psychological Center via phone, e-mail, or Facebook page to submit any question or the topic of consultation in which they are interested.
To participate in the training courses conducted by the RPPC, you must follow the announcements posted on the RPPC official website and on the Facebook page, which indicate the topic of the course, the date and registration terms for participation.
The individual education plan is developed only when the child has been assessed and recognized as a child with SEN on regional level.
Pedagogical-psychological support services are provided to children after the lessons, according to the determined duration, but not more than 1.5 hours a day (RA MօESCS Order 370-N).
If there are no specialists providing pedagogical-psychological services in the educational establishment, then they are invited by the RPPSC (RA MօESCS Order 370-N).
If the service provided to children requires an appropriate place, equipment, and property, the regional center may provide the support services in accordance with the IEP at the center. The provision of services to the child in the RPPSC is carried out free, after classes, according to the planned capacity.
The development of IEP is a collaborative process involving the learner, his/her parent, teachers, and the pedagogical-psychological support specialists. So, IEP is developed for one academic year.
The PIP is developed as a result of the School Level Assessment for children with SEN for one semester.
RPPC provides support to preschool-age children- 3-6, and over 18 – people with complex and multiple problems.
To receive support at the Republican Pedagogical-Psychological Center, you need to submit:
- Child’s birth certificate
- Parent’s passport
- Conclusion on SEN
The contract for the provision of pedagogical – psychological support services is signed for 6 months.
The specialists at the RPPC are selected based on the type of child’s special educational needs child. So specialists provide special pedagogical, psychological, and social-pedagogical services.
RPPSCs develop manuals, articles, teaching aids and/or adapted materials, didactic and playing equipment.