the right to inclusive education for children with disabilities

PrefaceSpecial Education in Albania has its own history of development. The institutionalized treatment of childrenwith disabilities began as early as 1963 with the establishment of the Institute for Blind and Deaf Students.Later on, after 1970s in the cities where there were psychiatric hospitals, the first schools for students withmild mental retardation were opened. It should be emphasized that the state policy of treating childrenwith disabilities during communism period in Albania, was not a social policy in its nature, but imbued withthe ideology and philosophy of that time, which encouraged exclusion and segregation of this group ofindividuals. Establishment of special education and care institutions for children with disabilities, was anexpression of the old model of centralized government, in contrast to the political and administrativedecentralization, which the Albanian state underwent after 1990s.Individuals with disabilities were regarded as mentally handicapped, unable to care for themselves andothers, as a burden to their family and society, as nugatory. Using the medical approach, rehabilitationprofessionals identified individuals with disabilities, based on the impairment they had. Their impairmentcame to be seen as the most notable feature of their identity (often the only one) for people with disabilities,who instead of being called on their name, were instead called on their diagnosis. Prior to 1990s, children/individuals with disabilities were labeled with pejorative and disparaging terms, such as feebleminded, idiot,fool, sick, handicapped, mentally ill, insane, deficient and so on. The use of these terms stemmed mostly fromthe medical model of disability treatment, because even the commission of designation of the disability,operated by these definitions. Most frequent diagnosis by medical boards were: deficiency of a high degree,imbecile, idiot and the like. Consequently, persons with disabilities, defined as “unable” for doing anything,were set apart to be educated in special schools and were enrolled in residential institutions, away fromthe regular school system and community. The process of disability assessment, was based entirely onthe medical model. Needs of persons with disabilities, have traditionally been treated separately and inspecialized services, which has led to their exclusion from society.Multifaceted democratic transformations that occurred in our country after 1990s influenced also thearea of education and undoubtedly special education as well. Thanks to the opening of the country, mainlytowards western countries of strong democracy, new notions and concepts were introduced in treatmentand importance that should be placed to special education. Thus in the new legal documentation that wasdrafted, the law “On Pre-University Education System,” No. 7592, dt. 06.21.1995 of the National Parliament,as well as Normative Provisions for public schools, for the first time, special education was given a chapterof its own. Major changes that occurred in Albania in recent years, were reflected also in the policy and legalframework that supported children with disabilities and their families. Persons with disabilities currentlycomprise the largest group of individuals in need under the Albanian legislation on the social protectionsystem. Traditionally, these individuals are supported in different forms by society and the state.Albanian Government is engaged in the processing of the general guidelines, which ensure in a national levelthe rights of persons with disabilities. Part of this process is also the reform of deinstitutionalization anddecentralization of services. The national strategy based on Law No. 9355 dt. 03.10.2005 “On Assistanceand Social Services” is provided:The right to Inclusive Education for children with Disabilities7