April 16, 2026, as part of the IX International Symposium “Education and the City: People and Institutions”, a section entitled “The City Environment for a Child with Special Educational Needs” will be held in a hybrid format. Moderators — Elena Ushakova and Zhanna Zhuravleva, researchers at the Institute of Psychology and Comprehensive Rehabilitation, Moscow City University.
Participants in the section will discuss how the urban environment affects a child with special educational needs:
-
The state of the inclusive educational environment for learners with intellectual disabilities in Moscow, including the accessibility of supplementary education;
-
The challenges of developing life competencies in learners with intellectual disabilities in the context of practice-oriented exploration of the urban environment;
-
Pathways for shaping urban subculture in the interests of children with disabilities;
-
The specifics of communication with families of migrant children;
-
The challenges and opportunities of implementing an ecosystem approach to training personnel to work with children with special educational needs.
The following speakers will present their reports:
-
Elena Ushakova, Director of the Institute of Psychology and Comprehensive Rehabilitation, Moscow City University (“An Ecosystem Approach to Training Personnel to Work with Children with Disabilities“). How can we prepare teachers to work with learners with different educational needs? We will consider variable technologies for constructing personalised professional pathways.
-
Zhanna Zhuravleva, Associate Professor at the Institute of Psychology and Comprehensive Rehabilitation, Moscow City University (“Inclusive Practices in Supplementary Education“). Why does supplementary education often become a growth point for children with disabilities? The report focuses on strong inclusive practices, new formats of work, and how this experience can be scaled and incorporated into teacher training.
-
Irina Yakovleva, Head of the Department of Socio-Psychological Technologies and Correctional and Developmental Methods, Institute of Psychology and Comprehensive Rehabilitation, Moscow City University (“Inclusive Educational Environment for Learners with Intellectual Disabilities in Moscow“). What conditions are necessary for the inclusion of children with intellectual disabilities in the regular educational environment? The report is based on research findings and practical guidelines for schools.
-
Elena Ekzhanova, Professor at the Institute of Psychology and Comprehensive Rehabilitation, Moscow City University (“Shaping Urban Subculture in the Interests of Children with Disabilities“). How can the city become a space for inclusion rather than isolation? The discussion will focus on a new urban subculture that helps children with disabilities and their families move beyond the school and become part of the full life of the city.
-
Adelya Vilshanskaya, Director of State Special Education School No. 2124 “Centre for Correction and Development” (“Pedagogical Modelling of Social Situations in the Methodology of Developing Life Competencies in Learners with Intellectual Disabilities in the Context of Practice-Oriented Exploration of the Urban Environment“). How can we teach a child with intellectual disabilities to navigate real life? The report presents practical experience from the project “The City for Your Life”: from simulating situations in the classroom to independent action in the city.
-
Elena Kleptsova, Associate Professor at the Institute of Psychology and Comprehensive Rehabilitation, Moscow City University (“Psychological Aspects of Communication with Families of Migrant Children“). Why is a trusting dialogue with the family essential for successful learning? The report explores the psychological aspects of interacting with families of migrant children and provides guidance for building this work.
-
Alla Rasskazova, Associate Professor at the Institute of Psychology and Comprehensive Rehabilitation, Moscow City University (“Developing Psychological Resilience in Children in Difficult Life Circumstances“). How can we help a child cope with stress, trauma, and life changes? The focus will be on the factors that contribute to psychological resilience and practical approaches.
The event will be held in a hybrid format. In person — at 8 Sadovaya-Samotechnaya Street, Room 28. Applications for participation as a speaker or attendee are open; registration is available via this link.
Please note that several events will take place simultaneously at the indicated time. The link required for streaming access is provided in the programme. The full programme of events will soon be available on the symposium’s website.
Photo: Freepik