A Kindergarten Assistant Course for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities as an Implementation of the Concept of 'Presumed Competence'

The Region of Flanders works with a Framework Law on Special Education, which provides for over 40 years the possibility for children to attend schools offering types of Special Primary Education and many types of Special Secondary Education. Recently, a new opportunity has been created for a small group of young adults with intellectual disability to participate in an experimental training course for “kindergarten teaching assistants” developed by Handicum. This is a long life learning service, offering courses for ‘special target groups’. Handicum organizes these courses based on the concept of ”presumed competence”. This means that people with an intellectual disability can develop, learn and participate in the world. Using case studies we aimed to present empirical evidence about the results obtained with the Kindergarten Assistant Course, developed for persons with intellectual disability. In Education the question is, how can we achieve inclusive education, and not who can be included.