Inclusive education: Teacher's competencies 1
Inclusive education means full inclusion of children with diverse abilities (giftedness and disabilities) in all aspects of schooling that other children are able to access and enjoy. It involves ‘regular’ schools and classrooms genuinely adopting and changing to meet the needs of all children as celebrating and valuing difference.The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and its 1997 amendments make it clear that schools have a duty to educate children with disabilities in general education classrooms.National Policy on Education (1986) has focused on the need to equalize education for all children, so Government of India through various schemes like Sarva Siksha Abhayan and programmes has been making special efforts in assuring the enrollment of children and youth with disabilities in the regular school system.As per the PWD Act (Persons with Disabilities, 1995) equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation was enacted and has been enforced from Feb 2, 1996. The law deal with both preventive and promotion aspects of rehabilitation, every child with disability will have access to free and concrete education till age of 18 years.
Integration and inclusion are two terms that are often used interchangeably by teachers and schools the simple distinction that can be made is that integration involves coming from outside. Integration programmes aim to involve children with diverse abilities into the existing classes and structures within a school. They endeavor to ‘normalize’, to help a child fit into a pre-existing model of schooling. Inclusion differs in that it assumes that all children are a part of the regular school system from the very beginning of school.
Inclusive education believes that every child has the right to educate in the regular school including the child with special needs. A child with special needs does not have to be segregated and enroll in special schools. His needs can be served in a natural setting in the regular school. Thus, the goal of every teacher is an inclusive classroom is to make learning meaningful for every learner in his/her class. According to universalization of Elementary Education and Equalization of Educational Opportunity to All, teacher has to notice the mild disabilities in the classroom and see to meet their needs in regular classroom within the school premises with the help of resource teacher.
Inclusive education is the implementation of the ‘policy and process’ that allows all children to participate in all programmes. ‘Policy’ means that disabled children should be accepted without any restrictions in all the educational programmes meant for other children. It denotes equality, and accepts every child with his own unique capabilities. This principle must be accepted by all the international, national and local programmes. The ‘process’ of inclusion denotes the ways in which the system makes itself welcoming to all. In terms of inclusion of disabled children, it means the shift in services from ‘care of the disabled child’ to his ‘education and personal development’. Inclusive education goes one step further by defining these children as ‘children with special needs’ who need special attention, rather than children who are ‘impaired’ or ‘handicapped’. Inclusive education is nothing but ‘making the programme for disabled children as an integral part of the general educational system rather than a system within general education’. The government has to give the highest policy and budgetary priority to improve their education system to enable them to inclusive individual differences or difficulties.
The government has to adopt as a matter of law or policy the principle of inclusive education, enrolling all children in regular reasons for doing otherwise. The training programme for the teacher has to inclusive the education of disabled children. All children have access to general education system, to expand the coverage to reach the unreached population. UNESCO (1994) states that children learn together, whatever possible, regardless of any difficulties or differences they may and respond to the diverse needs of their students, accommodating both different styles and rates of learning and ensuing quality curricula, organizational arrangements, teaching strategies, resource use and partnerships with their communities.
The term “inclusion” has had a number of meanings, often relating to disabled or disaffected children inclusion is seen to involve the identification and minimizing of barriers to learning and participation and the maximizing of resources to support learning and participation.Educational inclusion is about equal opportunities for all pupils, it pays particular attention to the provision for, and achievement of different groups of pupils”
Meaning of inclusive education:
• Is an “unending set of processes” in which children and adults with disabilities have the opportunity to participate fully in all community activities offered to people who do not have disability.
• Educating children with disabilities in the schools they would attend if they did not have disabilities
• Providing services and support that parents and children with disabilities need in order to be in normal settings.
• Supporting regular education teachers and administrators having children with disabilities follow the same schedule as other children.
• Encouraging friendship between children with disabilities and their classmates/peers without disabilities.
So inclusive education goes beyond physical presence of a child in the classroom situation; going through the same curriculum as the non-disabled, appearing at the same examination with them and acquiring the same certificate. According to NCF Review (2005) inclusive education means all learners young people with or without disabilities being able to learn together in ordinary preschool provisions, community educational settings with appropriate network of support services. “Teachers today more fully recognize the value of inclusion because they see its power as an effective instructional practice. We feel that two factors are critical to the effectiveness of the district’s inclusion efforts: effective collaboration among classroom teachers and the special education staff, and a weekly block of instructional planning time” The opinion of some teachers about the philosophy of inclusion “Inclusion involves all kinds of practices that are unlimited practices of good teaching. What good teachers do is to think thoughtfully about children and develop ways to reach all children”. “Ultimately good teaching is a relationship between two people; teachers get good results because they enter into that relationship. Inclusion is providing more options for children as ways to learn. It is structuring schools as community where all children can learn. But there is no scope for becoming an inclusive teacher or an inclusive school. It is not a mechanized format”. Many teachers are having the opinion that inclusion is not benefited for both (normal and special) children
• Is an “unending set of processes” in which children and adults with disabilities have the opportunity to participate fully in all community activities offered to people who do not have disability.
• Educating children with disabilities in the schools they would attend if they did not have disabilities
• Providing services and support that parents and children with disabilities need in order to be in normal settings.
• Supporting regular education teachers and administrators having children with disabilities follow the same schedule as other children.
• Encouraging friendship between children with disabilities and their classmates/peers without disabilities.
So inclusive education goes beyond physical presence of a child in the classroom situation; going through the same curriculum as the non-disabled, appearing at the same examination with them and acquiring the same certificate. According to NCF Review (2005) inclusive education means all learners young people with or without disabilities being able to learn together in ordinary preschool provisions, community educational settings with appropriate network of support services. “Teachers today more fully recognize the value of inclusion because they see its power as an effective instructional practice. We feel that two factors are critical to the effectiveness of the district’s inclusion efforts: effective collaboration among classroom teachers and the special education staff, and a weekly block of instructional planning time” The opinion of some teachers about the philosophy of inclusion “Inclusion involves all kinds of practices that are unlimited practices of good teaching. What good teachers do is to think thoughtfully about children and develop ways to reach all children”. “Ultimately good teaching is a relationship between two people; teachers get good results because they enter into that relationship. Inclusion is providing more options for children as ways to learn. It is structuring schools as community where all children can learn. But there is no scope for becoming an inclusive teacher or an inclusive school. It is not a mechanized format”. Many teachers are having the opinion that inclusion is not benefited for both (normal and special) children
In view of that following points are discussed.
Benefits of inclusion for children with disabilities:
• Children with disabilities demonstrate high levels of social interaction with non-disabled peers in inclusive setting when compared with segregated setting.
• Social competence and communication skills of children with diverse abilities are improved inclusive setting.
• Friendship more commonly develop between children with disabilities and those without disabilities in inclusive settings.
• Inclusion assists in the development of General Knowledge for children with disabilities.
• The main motto of inclusive education i.e. ‘learn to live together’ can be succeeded.
• Children with disabilities demonstrate high levels of social interaction with non-disabled peers in inclusive setting when compared with segregated setting.
• Social competence and communication skills of children with diverse abilities are improved inclusive setting.
• Friendship more commonly develop between children with disabilities and those without disabilities in inclusive settings.
• Inclusion assists in the development of General Knowledge for children with disabilities.
• The main motto of inclusive education i.e. ‘learn to live together’ can be succeeded.
Benefits of inclusion for children without disabilities:
• Children without disabilities or giftedness can benefit from improved instructional technologies in the classroom.
• They can be benefited from increased funds in the classroom. These funds can be used in a variety of ways to provide additional learning experiences that benefit all children such as guest speakers outside of the school.
• These children are benefit from higher classroom staff ratios like additional staff and specialist teachers or paraprofessionals.
• They involve in peer-tutoring situations this can benefit from improved self-esteem and mastery of academic content.
• They can have the opportunity to learn additional skills such as Braille or sign language.
• They can learn to value and respect children with diverse abilities in inclusive classrooms.
Inclusion is about school change to improve the educational system for all students. It means changes in the curriculum, changes in how teachers teach and how students learn as well as changes in how students with and without special needs interact with and relate to one another.
In recent debate about inclusion, a premium is placed upon full participation by all respect for the right of others
• Children without disabilities or giftedness can benefit from improved instructional technologies in the classroom.
• They can be benefited from increased funds in the classroom. These funds can be used in a variety of ways to provide additional learning experiences that benefit all children such as guest speakers outside of the school.
• These children are benefit from higher classroom staff ratios like additional staff and specialist teachers or paraprofessionals.
• They involve in peer-tutoring situations this can benefit from improved self-esteem and mastery of academic content.
• They can have the opportunity to learn additional skills such as Braille or sign language.
• They can learn to value and respect children with diverse abilities in inclusive classrooms.
Inclusion is about school change to improve the educational system for all students. It means changes in the curriculum, changes in how teachers teach and how students learn as well as changes in how students with and without special needs interact with and relate to one another.
In recent debate about inclusion, a premium is placed upon full participation by all respect for the right of others
Inclusive education
• Takes a coherent approach
• Has a strategy for delivering equal opportunities and diversity policies
• Involves the whole institution
• Matches provision to student needs
• Incorporates regular reflection, review and refinement of strategies and methods that actively involve disabled students.
Principles of Inclusive Education:
Every student has the inherent right to education on basis of equality of opportunity.
• No student is excluded from or discriminated within education on grounds of race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, birth, poverty or other status
• All students can learn and benefit from education.
• Schools adapt to the needs of students, rather than students adapting to the needs of the school
• Individual differences between students use sources of richness and diversity.
• The practice of developing inclusive schools involves.
• Understanding inclusion as a continuous process, not a onetime event.
• Strengthening and sustaining the participation of all students, teachers, parents and community members in the work of the school.
• Providing an accessible curriculum, appropriate training program for teachers and for all students, the provision of fully accessible information, environments and support
• Identifying and providing support for staff as well as students. The following factors play a crucial role in determining the success of inclusive classroom.
• Family school partnership
• Collaboration between general and special education.
• Well- constructed individualized education program plan.
• Team planning and communication.
Teachers can adopt a number of techniques to help build classroom communities
• Games designed to build community
• Songs and books that teach community
• Openly dealing with individual differences
• Assigning classroom jobs that build community
• Teaching student to look for way to help each other
When curriculum design strategies are combined with differentiated instruction, individual students learning can be “personalized” to their current abilities as their interests. Planning for differentiation involves thinking about different ways that any lesson or leaning project may be changed to better meet student’s needs. A teacher can differentiate content the student produced as evidence of learning. Teacher can consider aspects like students current abilities their interest and ways they learn best .when principles of differentiation are combined with meaningful curriculum design, classrooms become busy.
• Takes a coherent approach
• Has a strategy for delivering equal opportunities and diversity policies
• Involves the whole institution
• Matches provision to student needs
• Incorporates regular reflection, review and refinement of strategies and methods that actively involve disabled students.
Principles of Inclusive Education:
Every student has the inherent right to education on basis of equality of opportunity.
• No student is excluded from or discriminated within education on grounds of race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, birth, poverty or other status
• All students can learn and benefit from education.
• Schools adapt to the needs of students, rather than students adapting to the needs of the school
• Individual differences between students use sources of richness and diversity.
• The practice of developing inclusive schools involves.
• Understanding inclusion as a continuous process, not a onetime event.
• Strengthening and sustaining the participation of all students, teachers, parents and community members in the work of the school.
• Providing an accessible curriculum, appropriate training program for teachers and for all students, the provision of fully accessible information, environments and support
• Identifying and providing support for staff as well as students. The following factors play a crucial role in determining the success of inclusive classroom.
• Family school partnership
• Collaboration between general and special education.
• Well- constructed individualized education program plan.
• Team planning and communication.
Teachers can adopt a number of techniques to help build classroom communities
• Games designed to build community
• Songs and books that teach community
• Openly dealing with individual differences
• Assigning classroom jobs that build community
• Teaching student to look for way to help each other
When curriculum design strategies are combined with differentiated instruction, individual students learning can be “personalized” to their current abilities as their interests. Planning for differentiation involves thinking about different ways that any lesson or leaning project may be changed to better meet student’s needs. A teacher can differentiate content the student produced as evidence of learning. Teacher can consider aspects like students current abilities their interest and ways they learn best .when principles of differentiation are combined with meaningful curriculum design, classrooms become busy.
The teacher has a central role to play in this process of inclusion. The duty of the teacher is not only transforming the knowledge and help the students as philosopher and guide but he/she has to help as reformer in inclusive education. The teacher is sufficiently responsible for educational planning, instruction, evaluation, reporting and curriculum adaptation and so on. Teachers to thought in an inclusive classroom say the philosophy of inclusion hinges on helping students and teachers become better members of a community by creating new visions for communities and for schools. Inclusion is about membership and belonging to a community. Any teacher dealing with diverse abilities in regular classrooms will feel that including these children can be a difficult and complex matter. Generally, teachers think inclusion demands high levels of teaching competence and organizational changes aimed at promoting effective learning that is so important for schools.
Comments
Post a Comment