Press Information

For Immediate Release

April 30, 2007
Contact: Kristen Layton
617-618-2958
inclusiveschools@edc.org

Lessons from the World: Including All Children

7th annual celebration of Inclusive Schools Week focuses on inclusive schooling around the world.

Newton, MA (USA)—The 7th Annual Inclusive Schools Week will be held December 3-7, 2007, to highlight the accomplishments of families, schools, and communitiesvthat have dedicated time, labor, and resources to promoting inclusive education for all of the world's children. This year's theme, "Lessons from the World: Including All Children," provides an opportunity to focus on both international accomplishments and ongoing challenges associated with changing global attitudes, practices, and policies toward better educational outcomes for students around the globe. Participants will read stories, learn facts, discover resources, and make connections with families and professionals around the world who are on a similar journey toward building more inclusive schools and communities for all children and youth.

Since its inception in 2001, Inclusive Schools Week has celebrated the progress that schools have made in providing a supportive and quality education to an increasingly diverse student population, including students with disabilities and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The Week also provides an important opportunity for educators, students, and parents to discuss what else needs to be done in order to ensure that their schools continue to improve their ability to successfully educate all children.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) estimates that there are 140 million children in the world who do not attend school due to gender, disability, and/or socio-economic discrimination. Those who are attending school are often not receiving a quality education. This global realization underscores the international movement toward educating children who are marginalized in their communities due to disability, gender, socio-economic status, cultural heritage, or language preference. Several prominent government and philanthropic organizations, including UNESCO, the World Bank, and the Open Society Institute & Soros Foundations Network, are supporting projects that address inclusive education. By promoting an international dialogue among people and organizations who are promoting inclusive education, Inclusive Schools Week hopes to build bridges both in the United States and internationally toward a better world for our children.

Resources and information about international initiatives are currently available on our Web site: www.inclusiveschools.org. In the coming months, we will continue to update the site with stories, anecdotes, and inclusive practices from around the globe, and we welcome your suggestions for resources and content related to the international theme. An updated Celebration Kit, including celebration ideas, lesson plans, a sample proclamation, andvother publications and resources, will be released in the fall. For more information about the Week, please visit www.inclusiveschools.org or email inclusiveschools@edc.org. Be sure to sign up for Inclusive Schools Week News for regular updates about the Week, as well as other news and information related to building schools and communities that are welcoming of all children and youth.

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Share this announcements with educators, families, and the media in your school community. Personalize it with information about your celebration plans.

Coverage of the 2006 Week

Op-ed by the founder of National Inclusive Schools Week (Newton TAB, TownOnline, December 5, 2006)

"Wireside Chat" on transition planning (Education World, November 29, 2006)

Partnerships help disabled students move into adulthood (Baltimore Examiner, December 6, 2006)

Inclusion instruction works (News 14 North Carolina, December 6, 2006)

Tips for Spreading the Message About Inclusive Schools