Inclusive Education

Inclusion is an educational approach and philosophy that provides all students with community membership and greater opportunities for academic and social achievement. Inclusion is about making sure that each and every student feels welcome and that their unique needs and learning styles are attended to and valued. It strives to address the learning needs of children with special needs, with a particular focus on those who are subject to being isolated and excluded. 

Inclusive education is based on the simple idea that every child and family is valued equally and deserves the same opportunities and experiences. Inclusive education is about children with disabilities – whether the disability is mild or severe, hidden or obvious – participating in everyday activities, just like they would if their disability were not present. It’s about building friendships, membership and having opportunities just like everyone else. 

Inclusive education means that all students attend and are welcomed by their neighbourhood schools in age-appropriate, regular classes and are supported to learn, contribute and participate in all aspects of the life of the school. 

The philosophy behind inclusive education is to promote opportunities for all children to participate, learn and have equal treatment, irrespective of their mental or physical abilities. 

It happens when children with and without disabilities participate and learn together in the same classes. Research shows that when a child with disabilities attends classes alongside peers who do not have disabilities, good things happen. 

For a long time, children with disabilities were educated in separate classes or in separate schools. People got used to the idea that special education meant separate education. But we now know that when children are educated together, positive academic and social outcomes occur for all the children involved. 

Hence, now a day, inclusive education becomes a key reason for integrating a special child with the mainstream. According to Dr. Mithu Alur, “Children need to be with other children. Sending them to a school for disabled will not help.” Inclusive schools have to be well-equipped in all aspects to cater and deliver quality education for all children. 

Thus, inclusive education is a child’s right, not a privilege. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act clearly states that all children with disabilities should be educated with non-disabled children their own age and have access to the general education curriculum. 

Simply, Inclusive education teaches students with disabilities alongside students who do not have disabilities in regular classroom settings, instead of segregating them in special classrooms. The principle of inclusion is based on the idea that every child has a right to belong and to be included in the school community. 

The Promise of Inclusive Education 

Inclusive education brings all students together in one classroom and community, regardless of their strengths or weaknesses in any area, and seeks to maximize the potential of all students. 

• Inclusion is an effort to make sure that diverse learners – those with disabilities, different languages and cultures, different homes and family lives, different interests and ways of learning – are exposed to teaching strategies that reach them as individual learners 
• Inclusive schools ask teachers to provide appropriate individualized supports and services to all students without the stigmatization that comes with separation 
• Teachers in inclusive classrooms vary their styles to enhance learning for all students 

Benefits of Inclusive Education 

All children benefit from inclusive education. It allows them to: 

· Develop individual strengths and gifts, with high and appropriate expectations for each child. 

· Work on individual goals while participating in the life of the classroom with other students their own age. 

· Involve their parents in their education and in the activities of their local schools. 

· Foster a school culture of respect and belonging. Inclusive education provides opportunities to learn about and accept individual differences, lessening the impact of harassment and bullying. 

· Develop friendships with a wide variety of other children, each with their own individual needs and abilities. 

· Positively affect both their school and community to appreciate diversity and inclusion on a broader level. 

Why is inclusive education important? 

It’s important because we value our diverse communities. These communities start at school, where all students learn to live alongside peers. They learn together; they play together; they grow and are nurtured together. 

Is inclusive education for everybody? 

The simple answer is YES. However, individual needs may mean that some students need to spend time out of regular class for a particular purpose. There are always exceptions, but they are in fact EXCEPTIONS: if needed, they are individualized in the student’s community school. 

How can you make the school more inclusive? 

Ask your school principal what is being done to support teachers to include students with diverse needs in the classroom. 

What should you expect? 

You can expect the school to provide a plan to support teachers and students through good inclusive practices —like collaboration, team work, innovative instructional practices, peer-strategies, and more.

Conclusion:

If the right to education for all is to become a reality, we must ensure that all learners have access to quality education that meets basic learning needs and enriches lives. Still, today, millions of children, youth and adults continue to experience exclusion within and from education around the world.

Education is not simply about making schools available for those who are already able to access them. It is about being proactive in identifying the barriers and obstacles learners encounter in attempting to access opportunities for quality education, as well as in removing those barriers and obstacles that lead to exclusion.