Inclusive education in the arts: challenges, practices and experiences in Lithuania

• Main Author: Edita Musneckiene
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: European Teacher Education Network 2020-10-01
• Series: JETEN
• Subjects: art education; inclusive education; inclusive arts; arts integration. importance of inclusion in lithuania; policy context
• Online Access: https://etenjournal.com/2020/10/06/inclusive-education-in-the-arts-challenges-practices-and-experiences-in-lithuania-by-edita-musneckiene/

This study aims to investigate how inclusive practices are implemented in art education in different types of schools and settings. The research was done during the Erasmus+ project IPA-E (Inclusive pedagogy in arts – Europe) which aim was to strengthen the inclusion in pedagogy of arts in schools, art schools and promote it in teacher training universities. Together with project partners we overviewed how inclusive arts education is developing in different partners’ countries (Finland, Germany, Austria and Lithuania), and explored learning contexts and contents, and art curricula of different types of schools and universities. This article presents a theoretical literature review of inclusive arts education and emphasizes some key factors that are important within the arts education field. The focus of the research is to present the context and policy of inclusion in Lithuania in general and to overview of what is going on in inclusive arts education in Lithuania. A pilot study was also carried out to find out the attitudes and the challenges of arts teachers in in implementing inclusive education in their practice.