Running head: EDUCATION INCLUSION POLICIES IN THE U.S AND SWEDEN 1
Education Inclusion Policies in the U.S and Sweden
Name
Institution
EDUCATION INCLUSION POLICIES IN THE U.S AND SWEDEN 2
Education Inclusion Policies in the U.S and Sweden
The lack of knowledge as well as educational access and technology contributed to
the treatment of disabled children as unwanted and were often segregated from other
children. It necessitated the development of special schools to help them in their education.
However, recent times have witnessed a significant shift in the education system with
children with disabilities attending the same schools as non-disabled children. The changes
have resulted in educationist feeling that each child should get the chance of learning in his or
her way. The concept of inclusive education necessitates governments to adopt policies on
inclusive education that entails enrollment of all children in regular schools unless the
existence of compelling reasons that may limit their enrollment. In their education system,
the United States and Sweden have seen progress by incorporating inclusion in the education
to ensure covers all students with different disabilities and needs. Despite the challenges that
exist regarding inclusive education, inclusion help in driving education system and ensuring
compliance that has necessitated the development of inclusion policies in the United States
and Sweden by passing policies that ensure inclusion, albeit influenced by political and
economic issues.
The United States and Sweden have witnessed changes in their education system,
specifically on the need for inclusion. The changes have resulted in the development of
policies to help drive the education system and ensure compliance. With the emerging issues
in the education system, inclusion marks the essential step towards the improvement of
quality in education. Both countries acknowledge the importance of inclusive education by
mentioning its provision of better quality education that forms the basis of changing attitudes
among children. Schools provide a context through which students learn the relationship of
the outside world, thus enabling the development of the best social relationship and
interactions among individuals of different abilities and disabilities (Haug, 2017). Despite the
EDUCATION INCLUSION POLICIES IN THE U.S AND SWEDEN 3
call to have separate special education for disabled children, success is not guaranteed.
Inclusive systems comprise a way of provision of supportive and context-appropriate
conditions for learning essential for children success in their education.
The United States is witnessing an increase in the story of inclusion regarding
services for students with special education needs. The country is finding the best ways
through their policies then bring the disabled individuals to start participating in the public
sphere (Ingen et al., 2018). However, despite the positive trend in the changes in the inclusion
of students with special education needs in the regular classroom, more progress is required
that can be achieved through continuous commitment between the involved professionals in
overcoming systemic as well as dynamic challenges towards expressing inclusion to benefit a
student with differences.
During the early years in the United States when the country was beginning to wrestle
with the question of inclusion that continues to be debated today, specifically on defining
what is a disability, how to educate people with such differences, and where to school them.
The most notable thing in the United States is the influence of socio-political dynamics,
public perception, ideological, and philosophical divisions among individuals who advocated
for the education of special needs children. With time, education policies changed in the
United States, and recent years has seen inclusion as part of the education system through
access to the general education curriculum (Ingen et al., 2018). The changes have seen the
passage of the No Child Left behind Act of 2001 that resulted in the placement of more
emphasis towards all students accessing the general education curriculum.
Sweden comprises a European country with an interesting case regarding education
inclusion with its demonstration of complexity on how they enact inclusive education. The
past few years have witnessed the Swedish education system undergoing paradigm shifts,
EDUCATION INCLUSION POLICIES IN THE U.S AND SWEDEN 4
particularly from a centralized system to a decentralized system (Magnusson, Goransson, &
Lindqvist, 2019). Another significant change in the Swedish education system is the moving
from a collectivist view to an individualist view with the definition of education as one that
people need to purchase instead of a public good. Organization of education systems in
Sweden take the form of a myriad of policy texts. It has a complex web, inclusive of national
legislation as well as regulations and local documents and international agreements that play
an essential role in structuring the education system. The existence of the policy texts is for
the expression of political intentions as well as ideas regarding education, their aims,
implementation, and priorities (Magnusson, Goransson, & Lindqvist, 2019). Similar to the
policies of the United States, the Swedish policies are influenced by economic issues along
with political and ideological issues.
Swedish policy on educational inclusion states the necessities of students with
disabilities and those in need of special support should receive education in regular classes
through the regular education system. An existing policy in the country, the Swedish
Education Act states that the provision of special educational support outside the regular
classroom can only arise upon the existence of a special reason (Magnusson, Goransson, &
Lindqvist, 2019). It, therefore, means most of the students in the country get their education
from regular classrooms. However, local fluctuations exist among students who receive
support in special and segregated organizational forms (Magnusson, Goransson, & Lindqvist,
2019). Despite the fluctuations, the stability of the proportions is evident in the education
system from year to year.
Swedish education policies require the adapting education to the circumstances and
needs of all pupils. Schools are responsible for students who have difficulties in reaching
their goals. With such responsibility, schools should place measures for striving and ensuring
that all pupils with special support get the help they require. Other than supporting the child,
EDUCATION INCLUSION POLICIES IN THE U.S AND SWEDEN 5
schools should focus on promoting the future learning of the child as well as the acquisition
of knowledge as the child progresses in his or her career (Biamba, 2016). The schools
through their head teachers take the responsibility of ensuring that the activities undertaken
within the school focus on the attainment of national goals.
Despite the acknowledgment of the need for inclusive education and advancement in
the United States and Sweden, inclusive education faces challenges related to their ideals and
action. The focus on disabilities in the education system may result in overlooking of the
other disparities in the country such as minority interests. The assimilation and neutralization
of the concept of inclusion of students with special needs through the formulation of policies
to regular school may start obscuring inclusion from other perspectives. It may result in
overlooking of other issues of disparities or other disadvantaged students. According to the
value principles behind education for all and inclusivity in education, such practices can be
questioned (Haug, 2017). Countries may start focusing on one area while overlooking the
other areas to show their influential nature in most aspects of the country.
The question of inclusion in education continues to exist in various countries with
some countries developing policies on inclusions. The United States and Sweden are two
countries that have experienced changes in their education system through the development
of education policies. Although challenges exist regarding inclusive education, inclusion is
essential since it helps in advancing education and ensure students with disabilities get the
necessary education through the necessary supportive system. Changes in the United States
and Sweden's education system have been towards the improvement of quality of education.
The United States passed the No Child Left behind Act of 2001 that emphasized on students
accessing the general education curriculum. Swedish policy, on the other hand, requires
students with disabilities receive education in regular classes through the regular education
EDUCATION INCLUSION POLICIES IN THE U.S AND SWEDEN 6
system. Inclusive systems provide students with supportive and context-appropriate
conditions for learning.
EDUCATION INCLUSION POLICIES IN THE U.S AND SWEDEN 7
References
Biamba, C. (2016). Inclusion and Classroom Practices in a Swedish School: A Case Study of
a School in Stockholm. Journal of Education and Practice, 7(3), 119-124.
Haug, P. (2017). Understanding inclusive education: ideals and reality. Scandinavian Journal
of Disability Research, 19(3), 206-217.
Ingen, S. V., Allsopp, D., Broughton, A. J., Simsek, O., Albritton, K., & White, A. (2018).
How theCommitment to Inclusion Has Highlighted the Need for Greater
Collaboration in the United States1. Revista Brasileira de Educação Especial, 167-
180.
Magnusson, G., Goransson, K., & Lindqvist, G. (2019). Contextualizing inclusive education
in educational policy: the case of Sweden. Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational
Policy, 1-11.
