Social integration of children with special educational needs in the process of inclusive swimming lessons

The purpose of the study is to methodologically substantiate and experimentally verify the effectiveness of using the aquatic environment as a unique tool for the integration of children with special educational needs in the educational process. Research methods and organization. Methods of analysis and generalization of scientific and methodological literature, pedagogical experiment, and mathematical statistics methods were used. The study was conducted on the basis of Secondary School No. 19 in Irkutsk from September 2024 to May 2026, with the participation of students with special educational needs from different nosological groups. Research results and conclusions. On the basis of Secondary School No. 19 in Irkutsk, a developed integrated model of inclusive swimming lessons was implemented, taking into account the characteristics of various nosological groups of students. The effectiveness of the model was revealed, and the positive influence of the aquatic environment as a unique tool for the integration of children with special educational needs into the educational process was confirmed. The key factors of the model's success are the use of the unique properties of the aquatic environment, which creates equal opportunities for children with different physical abilities, a multilevel system of organizing lessons, the integration of educational and upbringing tasks, and the creation of a system of social interaction.