Lidia Londar
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0873-5664
Sergiy Londar
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1838-288X
Yulia Pohrebniak
https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0458-8490
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN UKRAINE: VECTORS OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION IN WARTIME CONDITIONS
Full text (pdf)
Language: English
Abstract. This article provides a comprehensive examination of the emergence and subsequent evolution of the contemporary paradigm governing inclusive education within Ukraine, specifically through the analytical lens of fulfilling international obligations amidst shifting global challenges. To achieve this, the authors have conducted an extensive and comparative analysis of various approaches and structural models of educational inclusion currently employed in prominent EU member states – namely Finland, Poland, Germany, and the Baltic states – juxtaposed against the Ukrainian experience. Furthermore, the study scrutinises the dynamics of both quantitative and qualitative indicators regarding the integration of Ukrainian schoolchildren with special educational needs (SEN) into the mainstream national education system throughout the period spanning 2017 to 2025. The complex processes involved in implementing the National Strategy for the Development of Inclusive Education are thoroughly analysed, as they serve as the indispensable foundation for achieving broader systemic change. Additionally, the article assesses the critical role played by the digitalisation of management processes, specifically through the deployment of the automated system for inclusive resource centres (AS IRC). This system is identified as a vital instrument for maintaining the resilience and continuity of the education sector during the mass population displacement triggered by the ongoing war. Ultimately, the research substantiates the necessity of deeper integration of effective digital solutions and the refinement of financial models, such as the “funds follow the child” mechanism, as fundamental factors for constructing a robust and transparent inclusive education system in Ukraine.
Keywords: inclusion, special educational needs, digitalisation of management, AS “IRC”, accessibility, European integration, martial law, resilience of the education system.
https://doi.org/10.32987/2617-8532-2026-2-5-23
Keywords: inclusion, special educational needs, digitalisation of management, AS “IRC”, accessibility, European integration, martial law, resilience of the education system.
https://doi.org/10.32987/2617-8532-2026-2-5-23
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5. Kobrynovych, M. (2019). What’s happening next door: Experiences of inclusive education in Poland. New Ukrainian School. Retrieved from https://nus.org.ua/2019/04/29/shho-tam-u-susidiv-dosvid-inklyuzyvnoyi-osvity-v-polshhi/ [in Ukrainian].
6. EASNIE. (2020). Country information for Lithuania – Systems of support and specialist provision. Retrieved from https://www.european-agency.org/country-information/lithuania/systems-of-support-and-specialist-provision.
7. EASNIE. (2020). Country information for Latvia – Assessment within inclusive education systems. Retrieved from https://www.european-agency.org/country-information/latvia/assessment-within-inclusive-education-systems.
8. EASNIE. (2018). Country policy review and analysis: Estonia. Retrieved from https://www.european-agency.org/sites/default/files/agency-projects/CPRA/Phase2/CPRA%20Estonia.pdf.
9. Prokhorenko, L., Orlov, O., & Prokhorenko, D. (2024). Education of persons with special needs in European countries and Ukraine: comparative content analysis. Exceptional Child: Teaching and Upbringing, 113(1), 7-41. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33189/ectu.v113i1.163 [in Ukrainian].
10. Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. (2017). On amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On education” regarding the specific provisions governing access to educational services for individuals with special educational needs (Act No. 2053-VIII, May 23). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2053-19#Text [in Ukrainian].
11. SSI “Institute of Educational Analytics”. (n. d.). Research and analytical activities. Retrieved from https://iea.gov.ua/diyalnist/naukovo-analitichna-diyalnist/ [in Ukrainian].
12. Londar, L. P., Londar, S. L., & Kunina-Habenicht, O. (2025). Challenges and prospects for integrating Ukrainian inclusive education into the European Education Area. Harmonisation of the Ukrainian Education System with the European Education Area: Challenges and Prospects, Abstracts of Papers of the 7th International Scientific and Practical Conference. Kyiv. Retrieved from https://iea.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/thesis_ssi-iea_vii_2025.pdf.
13. Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. (2018). On the approved Model regulations for the psychological and educational support team for children with special educational needs in general secondary and preschool education institutions (Order No. 609, June 8). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/rada/show/v0609729-18#Text [in Ukrainian].
14. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. (2022). On amendments to the Regulations on the inclusive resource center (Resolution No. 493, April 29). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/493-2022-%D0%BF#Text [in Ukrainian].
15. Londar, L., & Pietsch, M. (2025). Key aspects of managing educational resilience during the war: The case of Ukraine. Financial and Credit Activity: Problems of Theory and Practice, 4(63), 626-643. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55643/fcaptp.4.63.2025.4676.
16. Ukraine. Inclusion. (n. d.). Retrieved from https://ircenter.gov.ua/ [in Ukrainian].
17. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. (2021). On the approval of the National Strategy for creating a barrier-free environment in Ukraine for the period up to 2030 (Decree No. 366-р, April 14). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/366-2021-%D1%80#Text [in Ukrainian].
Received April 7, 2026
Accepted May 14, 2026
Published May 28, 2026
Accepted May 14, 2026
Published May 28, 2026
