Developing equal learning support in upper secondary schools

Developing equal learning support in upper secondary schools is a research project founded by The Foundation for Municipal Development sr. The project is conducted by the University of Eastern Finland and Åbo Akademi University in cooperation with the Pro Lukio ry. The objective of this project is to strengthen equal learning opportunities for the students of general upper secondary education in Finland and to provide research-based information for the municipalities on the possibilities and challenges of the special educational support.

Students right for receiving special educational support and other educational support has been considered in the legislation and in the national core curriculum. With high-quality support, it is possible to improve students’ equality and well-being but also help them to be more prepared for further studies. The aim of this project is to provide information regarding the special educational support in Finnish general upper secondary schools: practices, challenges and the developmental needs of the support system. Principals have a key role in the decision making regarding special education and educational support. Therefore, the data is collected by interviewing principals around Finland in Finnish and Swedish to have a better understanding on the existing support system.