ENGINEERING OF THE UNIVERSAL DESIGN OF THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS BY MEANS OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Abstract

The importance of an architectural accessible and safe school environment for children with special educational needs is substantiated in the article. Three components are considered: architecture, transport and information that are closely bound up with each other. It is determined that in order to improve the efficiency of the educational process for children with special educational needs it is important to take into consideration the principle of universal design.
Article's purpose is to determine the engineering features of universal design of the social environment for children with special educational needs by means of landscape architecture.
Methodology. The implementation of the inclusive education concept is based on the principles of universal design. The universal design is a strategy aimed at the design and components of any environment, products, communications, information technology or services would be equally accessible, understandable for everybody and correspond with the requirements of general use.
Scientific novelty. The architectural accessibility, as well as the accessibility in other spheres, increases the chances to get education, to use public services, to participate in various social, cultural, wellness events, the labour process, and thus to be active participants of the socioeconomic and political life of society. An important element of «accessibility» in the implementation of the principles of universal design in the organization of the educational process is the adaptation of educational programs, the favourable attitude of the teaching staff and other pupils of inclusive educational institutions and overcoming the stressful condition of children with special educational needs. Accordingly, it makes sense to create specially organized natural areas for such children, where the favourable conditions are created to minimize all of the stressors. Such areas are often called the sensory gardens. The sensory garden is a specially organized natural area where the favourable conditions for communication with the natural environment are created. It is advisable to plan such areas (sensory gardens) inside the educational and rehabilitation centres, hospitals, kindergartens, schools and other institutions.
Conclusions. Taking into consideration the peculiarities of engineering the universal design of the social environment by means of landscape architecture, we can conclude that the design of the environment is not only a tidy lawn with expensive plants, but also a source of health, educational skills, improvement of psychophysical status both children with special educational needs and healthy children. Accordingly, the means of landscape architecture will create the conditions for cardinal changes in the design of the social environment for special children.