Projects Implemented in the Direction of Inclusive Vocational Education

A working meeting was held at the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia with the consultative board represented by non-governmental organizations working on the rights of persons with disabilities. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science and non-governmental organizations.

• Based on the new mechanism for enrolling applicants with special educational needs (SEN) into vocational education, 109 SEN individuals were enrolled in 2014 across 16 different vocational educational institutions in 31 distinct vocational educational programs. Of these, 68 had intellectual disabilities and learning difficulties, 21 had hearing impairments, 14 had visual impairments, and 5 had physical disabilities.
• In cooperation with the Department of Vocational Education Development, a legislative package was prepared, which will be reflected in the Law of Georgia on Vocational Education and will create a legitimate platform for inclusive vocational education;
• To develop academic sign language in vocational education, the following measures were implemented: with the support of Norwegian partners, an electronic page of the Georgian sign language was created, where vocabulary and terminology related to vocational educational programs will be hosted; several meetings were held with Norwegian experts in the field; a tender proposal was prepared and a winning organization was identified, which, in coordination with the Ministry of Education and Science, will carry out activities for the development of Georgian sign language;
• The research "Indicators of Inclusive Education in Georgia" was conducted; a study on employers' attitudes towards the employment of SEN and PWD persons has been prepared and is currently underway, which will make the activities planned within the framework of inclusive vocational education more targeted and evidence-based; additionally, research is underway regarding the accessibility of vocational education for vulnerable groups.
• Several publications were prepared and published in Georgian and English: "Assessment for Learning in Inclusive Schools", the 2013 Report on "Introduction of Inclusive Education in the Vocational Education and Training System of Georgia", and "Indicators of Inclusive Education in Georgia;";
• The process of appointing support specialists and sign language interpreters for SEN and PWD students in vocational educational institutions continued;
• To strengthen the external support mechanism for vocational educational institutions, 5 members were added to the multidisciplinary team of the Ministry of Education and Science, which monitors and supports the educational process of SEN students in vocational schools;
• The foundation was laid for conducting mobility and orientation training for students with visual impairments starting from January, and for providing personal assistants during the transportation of wheelchair users to vocational schools;
• Working meetings were held with the administration of vocational educational institutions, which mainly aims to raise awareness and strengthen the administration of inclusive education in vocational institutions;
• To share best practices, a study tour to Norway was conducted for directors of vocational educational institutions, inclusive education specialists, and assistants;
• Based on Government of Georgia Decree No. 41 (January 6, 2014) and the principles of universal design, work has begun and reconstruction projects for 5 vocational educational institutions will be completed in January 2015;
• A two-day international conference was held within the framework of the initiative to promote the employment of SEN and PWD persons; furthermore, an informational meeting with employers was held in cooperation with representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce to popularize the issue of employing SEN persons;
• An informational brochure for employers was prepared, aimed at raising employers' awareness regarding the employment of SEN and PWD persons.