Abstract
The article examines the specific features of organizing psychological and pedagogical support for children with special educational needs in mainstream schools within the contemporary system of inclusive education. The main purpose of the study is to conduct a comparative analysis of the practices of educating children with special educational needs and providing them with psychological and pedagogical support in mainstream schools in Italy and Kazakhstan. The study considers the significance of the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the 1994 UNESCO Salamanca Statement as international foundations for the development of inclusive education. Among European countries, Italy is characterized as one of the states that began developing inclusive education at an early stage. The Italian education system provides opportunities for children with special educational needs to study alongside their peers in mainstream schools, while the proportion of special schools has gradually decreased. At the same time, the implementation of inclusive education is accompanied by a number of organizational and pedagogical challenges. The article comparatively analyzes the regulatory and organizational features of psychological and pedagogical support systems in Italy and Kazakhstan, the roles of teachers and specialized professionals, the adaptation of the educational environment, and mechanisms for supporting children with special educational needs. The findings make it possible to identify common and distinctive features of inclusive education practices in the two countries.