The policies of higher education for people with disabilities

Abstract

The article presents the results of research into the issues of accessibility of higher education for people with disabilities in Russia. The main obligations of the state are considered, the conditions and mechanisms of higher education policy in relation to disability are discussed. The authors analyze the data of current research conducted in Saratov, Samara and Tcheliabinsk. Survey and in-depth interviews with teachers, administrators and students have been collected in order to reveal the conditions of study of the disabled students in several settings, which differ by the degree of inclusion. The research shows that inclusive physical and social environment has positive impact on the attitudes towards students with disabilities, as well as attitudes of university management towards issue of integration.