Health Protection in the Education of Students with Disabilities: Principles and Organization

Abstract

The paper presents results of the analysis of empirical research of health-protecting environment in 40 Russian educational organizations for children with disabilities: special (correctional) schools (N=22), schools with an inclusive model of separate classes for students with disabilities (N=8) and schools with joint education of students with and without disabilities (N=10). Complex multifactor monitoring and analysis of websites of these educational organizations were used as research methods, which allowed us to build a mathematical model of health-protecting environment for each type of educational organization, differing in its structure and content, as well as to establish a hierarchy of such psychological and pedagogical components as “spatial organization”, “learning activity”, “correctional assistance”, “professional activity” to identify the formula of “ideal educational organization” for children with disabilities. The paper provides evidence that the components of health-protecting environment do not exist in isolation from each other, but rather have a common cumulative effect, thanks to which the school management can act effectively and realize the school’s pedagogical potential.