Special Education as a Resource for the Inclusive Educational Process

The article discusses the issues that arise at various interpretations of the terms ‘inclusion’ and ‘inclusive education’ and in assessing the inclusive process from the point of view of the requirements of quality education, which leads to different consequences not only for the methodology of scientific research, but also for political decisions and educational practice.The analysis of scientific approaches and international regulatory documents shows that opposing inclusive education to special education in linear logic outside the context of the education system development results in the denial of the resourcefulness of special education for inclusion.The article explores the key principles underlying the idea of inclusion and the practice of inclusive education, and it is shown that these principles do not interfere with the application of approaches and methods of special education both in joint and, if necessary, separate education.The potential of inclusive education in reforming the entire educational system, including special education and the training of teachers and other specialists, is also considered.