It is quality education for all students, ideally with a wide range of skills or disabilities. That means offering all students warm, nurturing and vigorous spaces to learn.
Basic Principles of Inclusive Education
Education: The Right to education is a fundamental human right.
Engagement: Affirming and thanking the diverse population of all species of learners.
Tailored Support: Offers assistance specifically suited to every student
Collaboration: Working with families, other educators and professionals.
A positive school climate: A safe, inclusive and supportive culture.
Advantages of Inclusive Education
Positive Effects on Academic Outcomes: Implementing inclusive classrooms has shown to yield stronger academic results for both populations of students.
Social interaction in a positive way: many students with disabilities are taught simple lessons in respect and tolerance from their peers.
Lower Stigmas — By also including students with disabilities in educational settings, inclusive education not only reduces stigmas and discrimination.
Boosted Self-Worth: Kids with disabilities discover that value that they’re getting included.
Positive Development of Inclusive Education
Limited Resources: Sometimes, inclusive practices cannot be put in place as there is not enough funding/resources to ensure full inclusion.
Teacher training: Teachers might require further training to effectively cater to diverse learners.
Negative attitudes and misbeliefs about disability are another barrier.
Accessibility: Some students may not have access due to physical and curricular limitations.
Different Tactics to Effective Inclusive Education
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) — Provide Multiple Means of Engagement, Representation, and/or Action and Expression to allow flexible learning environments that accommodate individual learner differences
Assistive Tech: Technology to help disabled students
Co-Teaching: Two or more teachers working together to deliver differentiated instruction
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS): Encouraging appropriate behavioral and addressing problem behavior.
Family Engagement– Having families engage the education process
No one should be left behind because good quality schools are not inclusive and make it more difficult for some children to achieve their full potential — which is exactly why we must embrace inclusive education.
