Pedagogical perspective and concerns of Inclusive Education

PEDAGOGICAL PERSPECTIVE AND CONCERNS OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS

Mannat (31) Pearl Khurana (47)

Inclusive Education means including differently-abled children,and children with special conditions including gifted ones into regular classrooms designed for children without disabilities. It refers to an education system that accommodates all children, regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic, economical or other conditions.

CONCEPT

Inclusive Education signifies the dictum “Children who learn together, learn to live together”. According to UNESCO, “Inclusion is increasingly understood more as a reform that supports and welcomes diversity among all the learners”. According to, “National Commission on Special Needs in Education” , “ Inclusive Education is defined as a learning environment that promotes the full personal, academic and professional development of all learners irrespective of race, class, gender, disability, religion, culture, sexual preference, learning styles and language.” In the light of above definitions we can say that Inclusive Education, in the same classroom and have the same learning experience, whether they are general, talented, backward, impaired, deprived without any discrimination.

Diagrammatically we can define inclusion as below:

I- INFRASTRUCTURE N- NATIONAL LEVEL POLICIES C- CAPACITY BUILDING L- LEGISLATIVE REFORMS U- UNDERSTANDING S- SENSITISATION I- INITIATIVE O- ORGANISATION N- NETWORKING

SEGREGATION, INTEGRATION & INCLUSION

SEGREGATION Separate school, Separate teacher Complete specialised input INTEGRATION Same school, separate class General Training Teacher

INCLUSION Same school, same class Special Training Teacher

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

INTEGRATED EDUCATION

1. Admission of differently-abled children in a regular school with necessary provisions. That's why inclusion is a broad term. 2. The education system will make suitable modifications to suit the needs of children. 3. All the required support will be made available to the students in the regular classroom. 4. Students are never made to feel inadequate as curriculum and co curricular activities are designed keeping in mind their needs.

1 . Admission of differently-abled children in a regular school without modifying the existing system. 2. Students are expected to suit the existing education system. 3. For additional support child is placed in a resource room. 4. The inadequacies of children are highlighted.

AIMS OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

1. Teaching students that all people are equally valued members of the school and society
2. Create an atmosphere of trust and respect.
3. Empower students who have previously had unsuccessful school experiences.

NEED FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

1 Better Social Adjustment : Inclusive education is needed for better adjustment of differently-abled people and deficiencies with their normal counterparts, to enable social acceptance, support and respect of people. 2. Providing Equal Opportunities : Being in a democratic country, India should provide equal opportunities and environment for education, irrespective of whether they are differently-abled or not. 3. Developing their Maximum Potential : A differently-abled child also has enormous potential to do well on a career and lead a successful life, if provided the right kind of support and appropriate environment. 4. Economic Reasons : Providing education to a large number of differently-abled children in special schools is very expensive, thus it would be economical if they can be accommodated by making some alterations in the present day infrastructure. 5. As a Fundamental Human Right : It is a basic human right of all humans to be a part of society, live and learn from other members of the society and contribute to the society as well.

PEDAGOGICAL PERSPECTIVES

To maximise the success of students with special needs in inclusive setting, Mastropieri and Scruggs recommend the PASS variable. P - Prioritise Objectives. A- Adopt instruction material or environment. S- Systematic Instruction. S- Systematic evaluation procedure.

Prioritise Objectives: Examining all instructional objectives and to find out which are the most important for differently-abled children who are included in regular classes and eliminate objectives that are unnecessary for those students. Adapting Instruction, Materials or the Environment: Now the instructional material or environment can be adopted to accommodate more completely the needs of differently-abled students. For eg. Suppose a child has severe arthritis and has a great deal of difficulty using a pencil or completing the task that requires much fine motor control. Extra time can be given to students to perform science activities. The environment can also be adopted by rearranging the desks to create more space. Systematic Instruction: It refers to the use of effective teacher presentation using SCREAM variable means structure, clarity, Redundancy, Enthusiasm, Appropriate and Maximised Engagement. This way all the students may be more successfully included and overall classroom achievement will improve.

Maximise Engagement Student behavior logically related to instructional activities. Attending to teacher. Give direct answers to teacher questions. Students with disabilities may be engaged in different ways-show other signs that they are attending.

Structure organisation of components of lesson. Helpful for students who have trouble sustaining attention. Ensure the students understand the organisation. State the purpose, review the maine idea, make clear transitions between lesson elements.

SCREAM Structure Clearity Redundancy Enthusiasm Appropriate Maximised Engagement

Appropriate Rate Brisk rate helps keep lessons interesting and motivating. Frequently question students to monitor if you are presenting too fast. Record yourself and evaluate your rate. Presenting too fast may not result in increased learning.

Clarity Speak clearly and directly to the objective. Provide concrete, explicit examples of content being covered. Use vocabulary that is familiar to all students. Use illustrations, physical modeling or hand gestures to support verbal directions.

Redundancy Increases learning. Emphasize and reinforce most important aspects of the lesson. Additional opportunities to see, hear, and practice lessons. Question students on key concepts to reinforce their learning. Additional practice times (can receive assistance from a peer).

Enthusiasm Use an upbeat tone. Rapid presentation rate. Varied inflection. Variation in choice of words. Use physical gestures and movement. Eye movements and facial gestures. High overall interest and energy level. Accept student contribution.

Systematic Evaluation: It means frequently measuring student’s progress towards the instructional behaviour of class and making additional modifications if adequate progress is not seen. The PASS variable can be used as a guideline for planning instructional and developing evaluation tools for students according to their needs.

CONCERNS FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

1. Characteristics of Individual Pupils.
2. Lack of access to the mainstream
3. Lack of awareness and attitude.
4. Lack of trained teachers.
5. Large class size.
6. Lack of child centred and relevant curriculum.
7. Lack of proper infrastructure.

CONCERNS FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

8. Lack of participatory activities. 9. Involvement of parent & community. 10. Accountability. 11. Partnership. 12. Collaboration or Consultation. 13. Lack of Support. 14. Peer Rejection. 15 Labelling.

MEASURES TO INITIATE INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

1. Planning based on analysis of present situations: The inclusive practices in the school must be analysed and accordingly plans must be made to remove deficiencies of the system.
2. Training of teachers: All teachers must be provided knowledge about various types of disabilities and their inclusions.
3. Child centred teaching: Teacher must assess each child’s capacity, needs and interest and then cater to them.
4. Provision of funds: More funds must be allocated for inclusive education programs.

5. Infrastructural Changes: There should be no architectural barriers in school building preventing inclusion. For eg. building ramps instead of stairs under BALA (Building As Learning Aid) 6. Reward system for teachers: Teachers who show sensitivity and put extra efforts in the area must be rewarded. 7. Change in attitude of all concerned: All teachers, students and parents must change their attitude and view towards the differently-abled (not disabled but differently-abled) as that of a learner, similar to those.

GLOBAL POLICIES

1. UN Standard Rules: Demanding regular schools with inclusive orientation.
2. Salamanca statement: Schools must accommodate all children despite disability.
3. Flagship Initiative, 2000: Provision of quality education through inclusion.
4. UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006): Education for differently-abled to foster their participation in society.

INDIAN POLICIES

PRESENT SCENARIO

Despite various policies, a sorry state of differently abled citizens: poor implementation of policies Despite RTE, differently-abled students seldom opt for higher education in our country: lack of sensitisation, support and the required infrastructure, lack of funds

PRESENT SCENARIO

Need to extend empathy towards differently-abled peopleHelp them realize their basic human rights with dignity. Proper Implentation of Inclusive Education awaits Pledge to do our bit and make the classroom, the country, truly inclusive

“The problem is not to wipe out the difference but how to unite with the differences intact”

- SHRI RABINDRANATH TAGORE

Let us strive to make this world a kinder place!

THANK YOU!