Adapting the educational environment for children with developmental disabilities in wartime
innovative strategies and social assistance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22633/rpge.v29iesp2.20649Keywords:
Inclusive education, Special education, International experience, Martial law, Digital transformationAbstract
The large-scale war in Ukraine has posed unprecedented challenges to the inclusive and special education system, requiring innovative solutions to ensure continuous, quality education for children with special educational needs. This study aims to analyse the potential for integrating international experience into Ukrainian inclusive and special education, strengthening its sustainability and effectiveness under martial law. Methodologically, it is based on a content analysis of international reports, a comparison between EU and Ukrainian practices, and a secondary analysis of statistical data on educational coverage. The results have practical relevance for educational policy and management, proposing networks of inclusive resource centres, international partnerships, safe learning formats, and expanded psychological support. The recommendations can guide authorities and institutions in building a more sustainable, flexible, and inclusive education system in crisis and post-crisis contexts.
Downloads
References
Batsurovska, I. V., & Kurepin, V. M. (2024). The use of digital technologies in special and inclusive education: Theoretical foundations and practical approaches to professional training of specialists. In Development trends in special and inclusive education (pp. 70–82). Baltija Publishing. https://doi.org/10.30525/978-9934-26-457-3-2
Batsurovska, I. V., & Limar, O. O. (2024). Innovative approaches to the development of special and inclusive education in the context of the European dimension: The role of intellectual systems and digital technologies. In N. M. Babych, K. O. Tychyna, L. A. Tichenko, I. V. Batsurovska, V. M. Kurepin, O. O. Lymar, I. M. Dychkivska, M. I. Klyap, V. Y. Kovalenko, N. N. Sinopalnikova, O. M. Kovalenko, A. A. Yemets, N. A. Lopatynska, T. V. Khomyk, А. D. Kosianchuk, O. O. Popadych, M. V. Opachko, Y. V. Ribtsun, …, O. I. Chekan, Development trends in special and inclusive education in the context of the European dimension (pp. 45–69). Baltija Publishing. https://doi.org/10.30525/978-9934-26-457-3-3
Budnyk, O. (2024). Problems of professional activity of teachers working with students with disabilities: Challenges of the Russian-Ukrainian war. In O. Budnyk, & S. Sydoriv, The space of inclusive education. Brill. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004688131_029
Buechner, M. (2024). UNICEF won't stop helping children in Ukraine: Fullscale war hits 2year mark. UNICEF USA. https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/unicef-wont-stop-helping-children-ukraine-full-scale-war-hits-2-year-mark
Carrington, S., Tangen, D., & Beutel, D. (2018). Inclusive education in the Asia Indo-Pacific region. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 23(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2018.1514727
Crea, T. M., Klein, E. K., Okunoren, O., Jimenez, M. P., St. Arnold, G., Kirior, T., Velandria, E., & Bruni, D. (2022). Inclusive education in a refugee camp for children with disabilities: How are school setting and children’s behavioral functioning related? Conflict and Health, 16(53), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-022-00486-6
Dotsenko, N. A. (2021). Technology of application of competence-based educational simulators in the informational and educational environment for learning general technical disciplines. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1946(1), e012014. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1946/1/012014
Education Cannot Wait. (2024). Education Cannot Wait calls for education to be protected and resourced as children across Ukraine enter third school year under war. Education Cannot Wait. https://www.educationcannotwait.org/news-stories/press-releases/education-cannot-wait-calls-education-be-protected-and-resourced
European Commission. (2024). How countries are addressing the integration of children from Ukraine in EU education systems. European Education Area. https://education.ec.europa.eu/news/how-countries-are-addressing-the-integration-of-children-from-ukraine-in-eu-education-systems
Fitas, R. (2025). Inclusive Education with AI: Supporting special needs and tackling language barriers. arXiv, 1, 1–63. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2504.14120
Human Rights Watch. (2023). Key recommendations on the reform of Ukraine’s child protection and care system. Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/06/15/key-recommendations-reform-ukraines-child-protection-and-care-system
Hurenko, O., Tsybuliak, N., Mytsyk, H., Popova, A., Lyndina, Y., Lopatina, H., & Suchikova, Y. (2024). Organizational adaptation for inclusive education in universities amidst war. Journal of Governance & Regulation, 13(2), 339–353. https://doi.org/10.22495/jgrv13i2siart10
Kasianenko, O. M., Prykhodko, T. P., & Saliuk, I. I. (2024). Features of organizing an inclusive educational environment under martial law: Challenges and prospects. Pedagogical Academy: Scientific Notes, 13, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14395833
Koshiw, M. (2024). How Ukraine is trying to help its lost generation. Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/d9acb360-9416-413b-a57b-9c6750e26e71
Lemeshchuk, M., Pismyak, V., Berezan, V., Stokolos-Voronchuk, O., & Yurystovska, N. (2022). European practices of inclusive education: experience for Ukraine. Amazonia Investiga, 11(55), 80–88. https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2022.55.07.8
Letzel-Alt, V., & Pozas, M. (2024). Inclusive education for refugee students from Ukraine: An exploration of differentiated instruction in German schools. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 24(3), 855–865. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-3802.12678
Markelius, A., Bailey, J., Gibson, J. L., & Gunes, H. (2025). Stakeholder perspectives on whether and how social robots can support mediation and advocacy for higher education students with disabilities. arXiv, 1, 1–47. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2503.16499
Morales-Martínez, G. E., Mezquita-Hoyos, Y. N., & Castro-Campos, C. (2022). Cognitive meaning of inclusive education of students with disability in regular education teachers. Journal of Intellectual Disability: Diagnosis and Treatment, 10(6), 271–282. https://doi.org/10.6000/2292-2598.2022.10.06.1
Muthukrishna, N., & Engelbrecht, P. (2022). A reflexive critique of inclusive education policy and practice in South Africa: Towards a decolonising, transformative praxis. Africa Education Review, 19(4–6), 59–72. https://doi.org/10.1080/18146627.2023.2301109
Oliynyk, V. B., Samoylenko, O. M., Batsurovska, I. V., Dotsenko, N. A., & Gorbenko, O. A. (2020). STEM-education in the system of training future engineers in the conditions of information-educational environment. Information Technologies and Learning Tools, 80(6), 127–139. https://doi.org/10.33407/itlt.v80i6.3635
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. (2023). Learning during crisis: Insights for Ukraine from across the globe. OECD. https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/about/projects/edu/education-2040/publications/ukraine-narratives/Learning%20during%20crisis%20Insights%20for%20Ukraine%20from%20across%20the%20globe.pdf
Parmigiani, D., Spulber, D., Ambrosini, A., Molinari, A., Nicchia, E., Pario, M., Pedevilla, A., Sardi, I., & Silvaggio, C. (2023). Educational strategies to support the inclusion of displaced pupils from Ukraine in Italian schools. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 4, e100255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2023.100255
Pherali, T. (2021). Social justice, education and peacebuilding: conflict transformation in Southern Thailand. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 53(4), 710–727. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057925.2021.1951666
Pozas, M., & Letzel-Alt, V. (2023). Determinants of Mexican lower secondary school students’ attitudes toward inclusive education. European Journal of Inclusive Education, 2(1), 30–45. https://doi.org/10.7146/ejie.v1i1.134176
Pozas, M., González Trujillo, C. J., & Letzel-Alt, V. (2023). Mexican school students’ perceptions of inclusion: A brief report on students’ social inclusion, emotional well-being, and academic self-concept at school. Frontiers in Education, 8, e1069193, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1069193
Prokhorenko, L., Stoika, V., & Yovdii, V. (2024). Inclusive resource centers in wartime: Selected issues of education for children with special needs. Education of Persons with Special Needs: Ways of Development, 2(23), 115–130. https://doi.org/10.33189/epsn.v2i23.234
Salha, S., Tlili, A., Shehata, B., Zhang, X., Endris, A., Arar, K., Mishra, S., & Jemni, M. (2024). How to maintain education during wars? An integrative approach to ensure the right to education. Open Praxis, 16(2), 160–179. https://doi.org/10.55982/openpraxis.16.2.668
Stepanova, T. M., & Stepanova, O. B. (2024). Inclusive education in Ukraine under martial law: Realities, experience, and prospects. Image of the Modern Pedagogue, 6(219), 99–104. https://doi.org/10.33272/2522-9729-2024-6(219)-99-104
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2025). Ukraine: 140,000 children, parents and educators benefiting from UNESCObacked psychosocial and educational centers. UNESCO. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/ukraine-140000-children-parents-and-educators-benefiting-unesco-backed-psychosocial-and-educational
United States Government Accountability Office. (2025). Special education: Improved allocation of resources could help DOD Education Activity better meet students’ needs. GAO. https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-107053
Velykodna, M., Deputatov, V., Horbachova, O., Miroshnyk, Z., & Mishaka, N. (2023). Providing inclusive primary school education for children with special educational needs in wartime Ukraine: Challenges and Current Solutions. Journal of Intellectual Disability: Diagnosis and Treatment, 11(2), 109–123. https://doi.org/10.6000/2292-2598.2023.11.02.5
Walton, E., & Engelbrecht, P. (2022). Inclusive education in South Africa: Path dependencies and emergences. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 28(10), 2138–2156. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2022.2061608
Woulfin, S. L., & Jones, B. (2023). Re-setting special education for justice: An essay on the logics and infrastructure enabling deep change in the COVID-19 era. Journal of Educational Change, 25, 655–674. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-023-09483-9
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Revista on line de Política e Gestão Educacional
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Manuscritos aceitos e publicados são de propriedade da Revista on line de Política e Gestão Educacional. É vedada a submissão integral ou parcial do manuscrito a qualquer outro periódico. A responsabilidade do conteúdo dos artigos é exclusiva dos autores. É vedada a tradução para outro idioma sem a autorização escrita do Editor ouvida a Comissão Editorial Científica.
