Inclusive Education

Inclusive education is an education system that provides to the needs of all students, regardless of ability, confirming that no student is left behind. Implementation of inclusive education programs needs teachers, curriculum, school services, classrooms, parks, transportation, and other collaborating learning programs to be appropriate for all children. In other words, there is neither discrimination nor segregation, considering that the adverse effects of separating children with disabilities from their non-disabled peers overshadow any potential benefits.

Providing an educational atmosphere that is safe, accessible, and inclusive are vital building blocks needed for a child’s future. Inclusive education fosters a satisfactory standard of living and integration into an individual’s community, legal system, and labor force − equipping children with disabilities for a future where they can work and contribute to their communities (both economically and socially).

Inclusive education also promotes understanding, reduces prejudice, and strengthens social assimilation.

Principles of inclusive education

According to Monash Education, an organization that is rated number 1 in Australia and 15th in the world for education has published what it believes are the basic principles of inclusive education, including:

• Principle 1: Diversity in the classroom supplements and strengthens education − understanding that diversity in schools is a given and asking teachers how to make more welcoming and challenging environments for all learners.
• Principle 2: A strength-based and personalized curriculum− recognizing each students’ strengths and building a curriculum that advances student engagement and academic outcomes.
• Principle 3: Student engagement, agency, and voice − seeking students’ viewpoints and facilitating ways to be heard. Student agency promotes an environment in which students can make a meaningful involvement to their education.
• Principle 4: Engaging with all your stakeholders − providing students and caregivers precise information about their progress and providing processes for turning areas of development into positive experiences.
• Principle 5: Inclusive teachers need capacity, knowledge, and practical skills − enabling educational experiences in which teachers have the appropriate tools and skills to assess, tutor, and commit to cooperative learning.