Countries - Italy

1. Inclusion in general education

In Italy, the complete integration in all types of schools is effective. A short historical and legislative note is important to understand the integration process.
Twenty-five years after the start of the school integration process, the results achieved reveal a very high degree of integration, as may be seen from the following data:
Data of integration
In each school there are support teachers, depending on the size of the school: 1 support teacher for 138 students. When there is a pupil with serious disability derogation is possible.
With regard to the practice of sports, Law No 104 states that there must be "no limitation whatsoever" on its practice and that "accessibility and usability of sports structures and related services by handicapped persons" must be guaranteed, where "usability must be understood to include the presence of properly trained technical staff to treat the different types of handicap".

2. Inclusion in physical education

In Italy, schools organises sport activities for the pupils, under the indications of Ministry of Public Education (MPI). The first laws concerning integration of pupils with a disability in the educational structure date from 1975. Special schools were abolished. All students who needed special education were now integrated in normal schools (until the age of 15), with the aid of specialised teachers.

Frequently this leads to spontaneous integration in school sports. In the official school competitions, integration is realised for some initiatives of teachers, but not in the official national school competitions.
Thereby municipalities more frequently organise and finance some local competitions for disabled schools' pupils: normal pupils are present and see their class-rooms friends during their competitions and the feeling increased more and more.

There are schools, in different countries that realise some special projects for disabled school sport. Often local sports federations for disabled sponsor and promote these initiatives and push up the projects. So school integration became the start point for a new attention and for collaboration between the schools and the sports federations.
On the website of Ministry of Education there are a specific links for people with a disability.
Education for trainers/teachers

a) The support teachers receive a vocational training with two-year specific polyvalent course organized by Ministry of Education: since 1999 there is University specific training.
b) Since1998, the institution of the new university in Motricity Sciences (in accordance with Bologna agreement) educates the Physical Education and Sport Trainers/Teachers- training. This training comprise an APA (Adapted Physical Activity) training (4 – 6 ECTS) in the basic formation. Many universities begin also a following specialized training in APA (2 years) and master (normally 1 year).

Inclusion in Sports and Physical Activity

In Italy sport for disabled is organised by local clubs (approximately 600 in the country) and local, regional and national federations (FISD). At present there are about 15,000 disabled persons associated to federations, about 12,000 athletes participate in competitive sport. In Italy there is a fair level of spontaneous co-operation between disabled and non disabled structures al the local level;
Finance is provided by the Government (250,000 EU), CONI (Italian Olympic Committee) and Local authorities: e. g. municipalities finance the equipment and local competitions;
Furthermore, there our sources of private financing (e.g. bank finance for elimination of architectural barriers); INAIL (national accident prevention insurance) is a public company who now finance with 600,000 EU a year (for 3 years) starting from 2001;

FISD (Italian Federation for Disabled Sports, Federazione Italiana Sport Disabili) was founded in 1990, through a voluntary merger of three pre-existing national federations: FISHa (Italian Federation for Handicapped Sports, Federazione Italiana Sport Handicappati), Fics (Italian Federation for Blind Sportsmen and women, Federazione Italiana Ciechi Sportivi) and FISSI (Italian Federation for the Silent of Italy, Federazione Italiana Silenziosi d’Italia). FISHa had been active since the early 1960s.
Through a special Decree Law, FISD is now known as CIP (Italian Paralympic Committee, Comitato Italiano Paralimpico) and it conforms to the principles set forth by the IPC (International Paralympic Committee) to regulate international sport for the disabled. All relevant information may be found in the website under ‘Federazioni sportive Affiliate alla FISD’. The statute is already in operation, although definitive approval by the Ministry for Culture and Cultural Activities has not yet been finalised.
On recommendations from CONI (Italian National Olympic Committee, Comitato Olimpico Nazionale Italiano) CIP is under the supervision of the Ministry for Culture and Cultural Activities. This means it has organisational and managerial independence, unlike the other 42 Sports Federations active in Italy
Ministry for Culture and Cultural Activities:

CONI: 42 Sports Federations (e.g. track-and-field sports, badminton, basketball, volleyball, swimming, rugby)
CIP: Activities at three levels: Promotion, Competition and Paralympics
CIP comprises the affiliated sports associations and individual members, and is subdivided into Sports Departments. Activities concern the different types of disabilities (physical, intellectual, visual, etc.). It may present proposals and observations, relating to legislation surrounding sport for the disabled, to the Ministry for Culture and Cultural Activities and, through the Ministry, to the Government and to Parliament. CONI, together with CIP, carries out activities to promote sport for the disabled and for Olympics and Paralympic preparation. CIP is subdivided into:
• central and equity organs;
• local structures;
• recognised bodies for sports promotion (affiliates, sports clubs, associations, federations for specific sports, promotional organisations).

Among the central organs, the National Board operates to popularise the idea of the Paralympics and to promote disabled sport, ensuring and co-ordinating all activities relating to sport for the disabled throughout Italy (that of affiliates and individual members, of federations for specific sports and of promotional organisations).

Four disabled athletes are on the Board (including at least one woman and at least one athlete who has taken part in the Paralympic Games or in World Championships for disabled athletes). Two disabled athletesare on the National Council, which is the steering, executive and controlling committee.

The sports federations have sports clubs and similar organisations, as well as individual members who practise disabled sport. At present there are approximately 6000 affiliated associations, with approximately 15000 member athletesfrom 20 regions of Italy. Active sports are: Archery/ Basketball/ Bowling/ Canoe and kayak/ Cycling/ Fencing/ Football/ Goalball/ Gymnastics/ Horse-Riding/ Judo/ Sailing/ Swimming/ Table-tennis/ Target-Shooting/ Tennis/ Torball/ Track-and-field sports/ Winter sports. You find links with news and information of the specific sports clubs on the FISD website.

CIP is represented throughout Italy by its local structures who co-operate with the central organs. There are 20 Italian Regions, hence 20 regional CIP committees. Many Regional Committees have their own website providing information, and to popularise their activities; see for example fisd-piemonte ; fisd-sardegna.

Anna Bianco