Problems and prospects for the development of inclusive education in Ukraine

Problem setting. The modern world is characterized by rapid changes towards democracy, which have a positive impact on the humanitarian component of society. Education reforms are affected by many negative factors, including unstable political and economic situation in the country, and 2020 introduced the concept of “pandemic learning” into the educational process, which certainly did not improve the overall situation. However, despite these problems in the field of education, the issue of involvement of children with mental and physical disabilities into the educational environment of Ukraine remains extremely important. This trend of integration of children with mental and physical disabilities into the educational environment is relevant around the world, but in Ukraine attention has been paid and appropriate steps has been taken to improve the critical educational situation for this category of children only in the last few years. Also, the Association Agreement with the EU, which came into force in 2017, prompted the government to take certain steps for political, economic, social and cultural reforming of all spheres of life that affect the quality of provision and receipt of educational services. Recent research and publications analysis. Elaboration of theoretical and methodical basics of inclusive education can be found in the works by: N. Bastun, S. Bohdanova, L. Zdanevych, T. Zubarieva, E. Ketrysh, T. Kozhekina, K. Kolchenko, O. Kuzmina, T. Kuchai, N. Lalak, O. Lesher, O. Martynova, G. Onykovych, M. Semago, N. Semago, I. Smirnova, N. Sofiy, M. Tomchuk, N. Shmatko, O. Yarska-Smirnova, etc.Highlighting previously unsettled parts of the general problem. Analysis of current legislation and scientific literature allows us to conclude that inclusive education in Ukraine opens up great opportunities for children/people with special educational needs, but is not explored fully. These sources emphasize that creation of optimal conditions for qualitative education for children with mental and physical disabilities has its social, economic and psychological characteristics and problems, which are quite complex and require further research and development. That is why there is a need to work systematically and purposefully on introduction of inclusive process in educational institutions to implement the right to education of every citizen of Ukraine. Paper main body. The article considers specific features of introduction of inclusive education in Ukraine in the context of European integration. Dynamics of implementation of inclusive education in the context of education system reform is analyzed. Components of preparation to implementation of the inclusion process both for teachers and for children with special educational needs and main problems of the educational environment were considered. Conclusions of the research and prospects for further studies. Analysis of development of inclusive education in Ukraine indicates a positive trend in the number of children with special educational needs enrolled in comprehensive schools, as indicated by the dynamics from 2720 pupils in the 2015 – 2016 school year to 18643 pupils in the 2019 – 2020 school year. Opening of 638 inclusive resource centers is an important step towards introduction of inclusive education not only in big cities but also in the regions. However, existing economic (ensuring architectural accessibility of interiors, accessibility of appropriate transport and transport infrastructure for children/persons with mental and physical disabilities, campuses, sports and cultural facilities, dormitories, etc.) and social (complex process of socialization both for children with special educational needs (as well as their family members) and for relatively healthy children; change of psychological and value attitudes of teachers and increase of their professional competencies in an inclusive form of education, etc.) problems are complicated by partial or complete distance learning during a pandemic, and solving these problems will facilitate the reception of educational services by the specified category of citizens of Ukraine.