Philosophical and scientific foundations of inclusive education

The author examines the history, philosophical and scientific prerequisites for the emergence of inclusive education in Western European countries. The article is based on the analysis of the vast body of texts, most of which are not published in Russian. In the framework of the postraditional («social») paradigm of disability, institutional and sociocultural approaches, inclusive education is interpreted as a universal phenomenon of social and educational reality, aimed at ensuring equal rights and access to education for people with limited health opportunities and acquiring skills of independence.