1. INCLUSIVE VOCATIONAL
EDUCATION –
CHALLENGES AND POSSIBILITIES
Hanna Ilola

2.  School of Vocational Teacher Education
 Finnish Educational Structure and Teacher
Education
 Special know-how and counseling, ESF-project
 How do we define inclusive education
 Inclusive education and Competences of Teachers
 Terms of Inclusiveness in a Vocational School
 Regional Strategy Supporting Inclusive Education

3. Teacher Education in Finland
 At academic universities
 general education
 At universities of applied sciences
 vocational and professional education and training
Funded by the state.

4. Vocational teacher education
institutions in Finland
Helsinki
Hämeenlinna
Jyväskylä
Oulu
Tampere

5. School of Vocational Teacher
Education in Tampere
 260 student places:
 an extensive network of partners in
Finland and abroad
 one of five vocational teacher education
institutions in Finland
 we train professional educators , special
needs educators and future specialists for
universities of applied
sciences, vocational schools and
vocational adult education centres.

6. Admission requirements
Vocational Teacher Education
The applicant must have
 a relevant university degree (a master’s degree or a bachelor’s
degree from a university of applied sciences) or the highest
possible degree or diploma in a relevant field of training
 a minimum of three years of occupational experience in a field
corresponding to the subject of teaching (teachers of vocational
subjects)
Special needs educator
The applicant must have
 vocational teacher education
 a minimum of one year of teaching experience in a vocational
school

7. Students admitted in 2010 in
Vocational Teacher Education Humanities and Education
3% 1% 7% Culture
10%
10%
Social Sciences, Business and
7% Administration
15% Natural Sciences
Technology, Communication and
Transport
Natural Resources and the Environment
8%
Social Services, Health and Sports
39%
Tourism, Catering and Domestic
Services
Other Fields of Education
Admitted: 300

8. About our programmes
 a 60-credit course
 students take the course
while working
 multiform course
 progressive inquiry learning in
vocational teacher education
 developing your own work and
your school practices in special
needs educator -programme

9. The multiform studies entail
 independent studies
 “reading-circles”
 web learning environment
(Moodle)
 virtual learning
 class days in Tampere
 teaching practice
 supervision of work

10. Special needs educator 60 cr
 Premises of vocational special
education 10 cr
 Organizing of support 20 cr
 Working as a special needs
educator in a school 10 cr
 Working in networks 5 cr
 Special needs educator as an
expert 10 cr
 Optional studies 5 cr

11. TAOKK
Personnel
 director
 teachers (15 full-time)
 educational designers (5)
 co-ordinators (3)
 administrative and office
personnel (4)

13. SNE in Basic Education
Each pupil of compulsory school age has the right to receive remedial instruction
and special needs education when necessary. Special needs education (SNE) is
also provided in pre-primary and upper secondary education and vocationla
training. The objective is to support students and pupils in such a way that
they have equal opportunities to complete their schooling according to their
abilities alongside with their peers.
Pupils with minor learning or adjustment difficulties receive part-time special
needs education by a SNE teacher in conjunction with mainstream education.
If a child cannot cope in mainstream education due to disability, illness, delayed
development, emotional disorder or for other similar reasons, he or she is
transferred to special needs education.
In 2008, 47 300 children were admitted or transferred to special needs education,
which is 8.4 % of all the pupils in basic education. The number of pupils in
part-time special needs education was 126 300, which is 22.5 % of all the pupils
in basic education.

14. SNE in Vocational Schools
Vocational special needs education and training is designed for students
who require special support with their studies due to disability,
illness, delayed development or for some other reason.
Special needs students are attended to using various pedagogical means
and through student welfare services during their studies. The objective is
to support their studies and help them qualify for an occupation.
Instruction is planned and provided for both young people and
adults, respecting each student’s individual needs as much as possible.
An individual educational plan is always drawn up for each
special needs student. The objectives of qualification-oriented upper
secondary VET programmes may also be adjusted as required.

15. Special know-how and
counseling -project
 ESF-project
 Three aims:
 To start Special Needs Educator –programme in TAOKK
 To consult vocational schools in their developmental
work with inclusive education
 To create models for regional work

16. Inclusive education
 Official target in Finland
 Policy or practices?
 Educational arrangements which garantee equal
possibilities for studing to each person in same schools
 Stress on organizational conventions and practices in
schools, not in limitations of an individual
 Supporting schools on their way to inclusive education

17. Terms of Inclusiveness
 Ideological change in school-climate
 Competences of teachers
 Competences of leaders
 New way of organizing work
 New way of leading
 Multiprofessionalism
 Teamwork, co-operation in different levels
 Working in networks

18. Competences of Teachers
 Pedagogical competence
 Recognizing the need of support
 Ability to analyze vocational working procesess
 Ability to individualize teaching and councelling
 Ability to diversify work-based learning environments
 Co-operational and networking competences
 Ability to work in teams, groups and networks
 Ability to work in multi-professional groups
 Ability to work together with working life to support
students learning

19. Regional Strategy
 Made together with all vocational schools in the region (8), a process of
two years
 Inclusive targets in all schools:
 In the region there is a modern and high-level educational supply
for young people and adults who need special support
 The region is innovative developer of new methods
 All schools develop their organization and practices to be more
inclusive
 Schools combine a network which is responsible for students with
special needs
 In the region there is a multiprofessional network for specialists
who support student on learning and employment
 SNE is part of employment procedures and economic life in the
region and the aim is in employment of students