Unit:1 Introduction to Inclusive Education
Concept of Inclusive
education
What is “inclusive education”?
According to UNESCO, inclusive education is seen as “a process of addressing
and responding to the diversity of needs of all learners through increasing
participation in learning, cultures and communities, and reducing exclusion
from education and from within education.” The goal is that the whole education
system will facilitate learning environments where teachers and learners
embrace and welcome the challenge and benefits of diversity. Within an
inclusive education approach, learning environments are fostered where
individual needs are met and every student has an opportunity to succeed.
Concept
of Inclusive Education
The principle of inclusive education
was adopted at the “World Conference on Special Needs Education: Access and
Quality” (Salamanca Statement, Spain 1994) and was restated at the World
Education Forum (Dakar, Senegal 2000). The Statement solicits governments to
give the highest priority to making education systems inclusive and adopt the
principle of inclusive education as a matter of policy. The idea of inclusion
is further supported by the United Nation’s Standard Rules on Equalization of
Opportunities for Person with Disability Proclaiming Participation and equality
for all. Inclusive Education (IE) is defined as a process of addressing the
diverse needs of all learners by reducing barriers to, and within the learning
environment. It means attending the age appropriate class of the child’s local
school, with individually tailored support (UNICEF 2007).
Inclusive education is a process of
strengthening the capacity of the education system to reach out to all learners.
At the Jometin World Conference (1990) in Thailand, the goals for 'Education
for All' were set and it was proclaimed that every person (child, youth
and adult) shall be able to benefit from educational opportunities which would
meet their basic learning needs. Inclusion is an educational approach and philosophy that provides all
students greater opportunities for academic and social achievement. This
includes opportunities to participate in the full range of social,
recreational, arts, sports, music, day care and afterschool care,
extra-curricular, faith based, and all other activities. In India, National
Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) joined hands with
UNICEF and launched Project Integrated Education
for Disabled Children (PIED) in the year 1987, to strengthen
the integration of learners with disabilities into regular
schools. In recent years, the concept of inclusive education has been broadened
to encompass not only students with disabilities, but also all students who may
be disadvantaged. This broader understanding of curriculum has paved the way
for developing the National Curriculum Framework (NCF-2005) that reiterates the
importance of including and retaining all children in Main-stream Education.
Defining
Inclusive Education
Inclusive
education means students with diverse and different learning and physical
abilities staying in the same classroom to learn side by side. It is the
act of placing students in age-appropriate general education classes in schools
available in their immediate environment that gives access to high-quality
instructions, interventions and assistance to meet up primary academic
curriculum irrespective of any challenges they may have. Educators need to
recognise the fact that children with disabilities have equal
capacities to learn and perform optimally as their age-mates that are without
limitations. These children are therefore supposed to be part of all
educational activities in their classrooms and within the neighbourhood.
Such activities include excursions, academic debates, student government,
sports and other related activities.
Recognising
the values in the diversity and unique contribution of each student in the
classroom is one of the key drivers of an inclusive education system. Every
child feels safe and develops a sense of belonging. The students along with
their parents are involved in setting academic goals and making decisions that
determine the success of their learning and education. A lot of schools claim
to be inclusive, but this is often not the case. Sharing the same physical
space and performing different activities is not inclusive. Most educational
institutions in Nigeria do not operate an inclusive setting, the reason for
this could be inadequate funding, cultural beliefs, negative
perception and teacher qualification. However, this is an area they
should look into and take seriously. The country can join forces with other
progressive nations to advocate for the right of learners with disabilities.
NEED
AND IMPORTANCE
Self reliant
For social equality
For the use of modern technology
Developing feeling of self respect
For achieving the universalisation
For the development of healthy
citizenship
To enable children to stay with
their families
To
fulfill the constitutional responsibilities
Need of Inclusive
education
There
have been efforts internationally
to include children with disabilities in
the educational mainstream. In order to achieve truly inclusive education, we
need to think about and incorporate children with special needs into regular
schools. Especially, because these kids face some sort of barriers to learning
and participation in the classroom. As general education classrooms include
more and
more diverse students,
teachers realize the
value of accepting
each student as unique.
All
children have equal access to education.
All children learn alongside
their same-age peers.
The focus of education is on the
child's abilities, not disabilities.
Children become accepting and
understanding of one another's abilities, talents, personalities and needs.
Meaningful relationships and
friendships develop as students spend quality time with one another.
Students develop confidence in
their ability to interact with one another and the world around them.
Teachers in inclusive schools are
highly trained and skilled at delivering appropriate, student-centered
curriculum through differentiated activities according to ability level.
In addition to the classroom
teacher, children with special needs are supported by special education
teachers, paraprofessionals, and specialists such as Speech/Language
Therapists.
Various resources and assistive
technologies are available to students in inclusive schools in an effort to
reach and teach all learners.
Inclusive schools value input and
participation from the whole community, not just students.
Why
inclusion?
Research has shown that:
• Children do better academically when in inclusive settings;
• Developing peers gain in understanding about disability, tolerance and
support;
• Inclusion provides models for normal and age appropriate behaviour;
• Inclusion provides opportunities to develop relationships;
• Inclusive education is the key step towards inclusion in life;
Experience shows:
• One of the most important ingredients for successful inclusion is the will to
make it succeed / a positive attitude;
• Most teachers have the skills to understand the individual needs of a child
with Down syndrome;
• Most teachers have the skills to teach children with Down syndrome
effectively and sensitively;
Specific learning profile of a child with Down syndrome:
• Child is not just developmentally delayed in his whole development;
• No need for a diluted curriculum in all learning areas;
• Learning profile goes hand in hand with a learning style;
• Certain factors influencing learning are typical of many children with Down
syndrome;
• Strengths that facilitate learning;
Strong visual awareness and visual learning skill are:
• Learnt by using signing;
• Learnt by using the written word;
• Learnt by modelling behaviour and attitudes;
• Learning by way of practical material and hands-on activities
• Weaknesses that inhibit learning;
Importance of inclusive
education
Many
schools have inclusion classrooms. In part, that’s because the Individuals
with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) says that kids who receive special
education services should learn in what’s called the “least restrictive
environment” (LRE). That means they should spend as much time as possible with
students who don’t receive special education services.
At
its core, inclusive education is about appreciating each individual’s
differences and unique set of strengths and limitations. It’s not just an
education philosophy; it’s an important life skill. Children grow into adults
who live in a world filled with people different from themselves; learning how
to interact and work with these people is a key accomplishment of childhood, as
integral as academic proficiency. An inclusive school is a perfect training
ground for real life, because daily social, physical and academic interaction
between kids who are typically developing and their special needs peers means
students develop:
Greater sensitivity. Children
who develop in a typical manner become more sensitive by learning side-by-side
with special needs children. They understand how words can hurt, they practice
patience, and they learn empathy.
Better understanding of strengths/weaknesses. Kids
in inclusive schools learn that everyone has strengths and weaknesses. They
learn to appreciate these differences and how to collaborate in order to
accomplish something.
More tolerance. Inclusive
schooling teaches kids the value of another human being—no matter what that
person looks or sounds like. Physical and mental differences do not equate to a
lesser value.
Inclusive
classes are set up in a number of ways. Some use a collaborative team
teaching (or co-teaching) model. With co-teaching, there’s a special
education teacher in the room all day.
Other
inclusive classes have special education teachers “push in” at specific times
during the day to teach (instead of pulling kids out of class to a separate
room). In either case, both teachers are available to help all students.
Studies
show that inclusion is beneficial for all students—not just those who receive
special education services.
1:
Differentiated Instruction
All
students learn differently. This is a principal of inclusive education. One key
teaching strategy is to break students into small groups. By using small
groups, teaching can be tailored to the way each student learns best. This is
known as differentiated
instruction.
Some
classrooms may have an interactive whiteboard. On it, kids can use their
fingers to write, erase and move images around on the large screen. This
teaching tool can also be used to turn students’ work into a video, which can
be exciting for kids and help keep them engaged.
2:
Supportive Teaching Strategies
In
an inclusive classroom, teachers weave in specially designed instruction and
support that can help students make progress. Kids may be given opportunities
to move around or use fidgets.
And teachers often put positive behavioral interventions and supports(PBIS)
in place.
These
strategies are helpful for all students—not only for students with learning and
attention issues.
3:
Reduced Stigma
Inclusive
classrooms are filled with diverse learners. That lets kids talk about how
everyone learns in their own way. They may find that they have more in common
with other kids than they thought. This can go a long way in reducing stigma
for kids with learning and attention issues. It can also help kids build
and maintain friendships.
4:
Effective Use of Resources
In
more traditional special education settings, many kids are “pulled out”
for related services, like speech therapy or for other specialized
instruction. An inclusion class often brings speech therapists, reading
specialists and other service providers into the classroom.
These
professionals can provide information and suggestions to help all students. If
your child isn’t eligible for special education, but still needs some extra
support, it can provide him with some informal support.
5:
High Expectations for All
If
your child has an Individualized
Education Program (IEP), his goals should be based
on the academic standards for your state. Those standards lay out what all
students are expected to learn in math, reading, science and other subjects by
the end of the school year.
Differentiated
instruction and co-teaching in a general education classroom make it easier for
students with standards-based IEPs to
be taught the same material as their classmates.
In
some schools, only certain classrooms are inclusion classes. In that case,
schools may assign general education students randomly to inclusive or
non-inclusive classes. Other schools may choose students who benefit from the
emphasis on meeting the needs of all learners at all ability levels.
The Importance of
Inclusive Education In The Classroom
There are several benefits of
including special need students in the classroom with other students.
Research-based evidence on the importance of Inclusive education has
become significant over the years, and it has, therefore, become a vital system
that should be included in the classroom. Below are eight Importance of
Inclusive Education;
·
Development of a positive
perception of themselves and others
Attending classroom settings that
depict the true nature of the similarities and differences that exist in the
world helps children appreciate diversity. It is essential that a child’s
education introduces him/her to the reality of the world out there beyond the
walls of just an academic environment. Playing and learning alongside with
other children of different cultures and abilities assist children to grow in
understanding people that are unique in skills due to physical, social or other
challenges. The culture of respect for one another also grows when children are
allowed to play with one another without segregation.
·
Healthy Friendship
development
Asides from the academic education
and learning made available to children in school, friendships are developed,
and social skills learnt. Allowing special needs children to
mix with other children in the school setting makes them feel included, and
this expands their network of friends.
In 2016, about 7 million children
were reported to be out of school because of their inability to access primary
education due to disability state according to vanguard news. The design and management of primary and
secondary schools in Nigeria are reportedly non-inclusive and inaccessible to
children with disabilities. The article reported that 7 million children make
up more than 50% of over 10 million children out of school in Nigeria. Education
is a basic need and right for every child. It is supposed to be available to
every child regardless of their physical or social limitations. Therefore, the
introduction of inclusive learning in the classroom is a necessity and not just
a minor additional feature in the policies governing the management of schools
in Nigeria.
This article aims to discuss the
importance of inclusive education in the classroom. It will define inclusive
education, features and ways to include inclusive education in the classroom
and the benefits of inclusion education.
- Realisation of parent’s dreams
Every parent wants their child to
be happy and accepted by their peers, have a healthy life and education. Allowing
a child with the special need to interact and learn with other students in the
school positively improves their academic performance, their personality and
the expectations of the parents. Introducing inclusive education in the
classroom will reduce stigmatisation and help such children attain their
highest heights.
- Parental Involvement in Education
Introducing Inclusive education
into the classroom encourages parents to be actively involved in their child’s
education and other school activities. Parents love to witness the performance
of their children during events such as debate, quiz competition, sports and
other programs. It also drives a higher commitment to the school by the parents
as they become more involved in the school program.
Here are 20 Things Every
Parent of Kids with Special Needs Should Hear.
- A basis for an Inclusive society
A society that embraces and
integrates an inclusive education will naturally introduce the same culture
of inclusion in its concepts of civic participation, employability and
community relationships. The seeds of inclusion need to be planted in the young
so that they will learn the values, skills and knowledge to include others who
are different from them. That’s the basis of our future society. Those with
special needs can become pioneers of public projects and programs.
- A broader range of learning methods
An Inclusive education system makes
teachers and staff flexible when it comes to preparing their teaching and
instructional materials. The use of non-traditional resources like videos,
audio, kinesthetic and even multimedia can be employed to make learning more
accessible and exciting. By doing this, even students without disabilities
learn faster too.
- Better Academic performance
Research has shown that students
learning together in the classroom improves academic excellence. Students set
higher expectations for themselves due to the presence of others with diverse
abilities. Students with disabilities challenge themselves to perform optimally
like their classmates, while other students also spontaneously set a high
standard for themselves. As educators, we won’t know what gifts are hidden in
our students until we unwrap them.
Most successful teachers of inclusion
classes have found that when they teach basic skills within the context of
meaningful lessons, all students can achieve higher- level learning. Such
lessons stimulate critical thinking and motivate students to make personal
connections with the material.
- Development of leadership skills
Students in an inclusive education
environment naturally learn to take up the responsibility of caring for one
another. There are situations where students stand up and speak up to protect
their friends who are bullied. This naturally can lead to a leadership skill.
The school environment also encourages self-discovery as students with
diverse abilities find themselves performing roles and functions they usually
would not be exposed to if they had been separated.
To fully implement inclusive
learning in the classroom there should be a development of a culture of
acceptance, understanding and giving equal attention to the diversities and
differences of all the students in the school. Here are some of the
essential elements that characterise inclusive education;
· The
use of a broader range of instructional materials, teaching aids and models:
The
purpose of contemporary tools such as interactive whiteboards, videos, audio
lessons and multimedia tools are often associated with higher student
engagement. A lot of times, teachers also employ the use of groupings to
carry out academic exercise in the classroom. Often the groups are shuffled
just to allow all students to relate to each other and carry out the task
assigned to them. Teachers lead group task in the cases of younger age
students (preschool or elementary ) or driven by a student when dealing with
older children (Secondary school)
· Inclusive
academic curriculum
The
same learning goals drive the learning experience of every student. The content
of the school academic program is such that gives equal opportunity for all the
students to participate in all school educational activities at the same pace
of progress. Educators consider students with disabilities before creating the
school curriculum. They do this to allow all students to have equal access to instructions
and opportunities to participate in learning activities. Such curriculum makes
provision for students with special needs to be given attention without pulling
them out in the middle of lessons and making their differences noticed.
·
Parental Involvement
Parents participation in the
education of the child in an inclusive system can ultimately define its
success. Inclusive education involves coming up with innovative and strategic
methods of getting parents involved and noticed by children in the learning
process. The process of creating educational contents and other learning
activities in an inclusive system ensures a significant contribution of
parents through the planning stage.
· Building
Relationships
It is the responsibility of
the teachers to connect with all the students in the classroom. Speaking to
your students one on one are great ways to start building relationship. By
taking some extra time and effort to view each pupil as an individual and truly
believing that each student can succeed, you’ll become partners in their
success.
Finally, it is important not to
forget that their are extreme cases where special need children act out in the
classroom and as such they might require one on one supervision. In this case,
the service of a special educator is needed to support the children in a well
groomed learning environment.
Reference
Down Syndrome South Africa Retrieved from http://www.downsyndrome.org.za/main.aspx?artid=25
Understood.org USA LLC. 5 Benefits of Inclusion
Classrooms. Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/treatments-approaches/educational-strategies/5-benefits-of-inclusion-classrooms
