Inclusive Education- Meaning and Concept
Inclusive education is one dimension of a right based quality education which emphasizes equity in access and participation, and respond positively to the individual learning needs and competencies of all children. It works to ensure that every child, irrespective of gender, language, ability, religion, nationality or other characteristics, is supported to meaningfully participate and learn alongside his/her peers and develop his/her potential. It also focuses on equity and fairness and on the inclusion of all students regardless of advantages and disadvantages. It does means education of all students, where everyone can equally participate in learning process.
It simply means that all children attend and welcomed by their neighbourhood schools in age appropriate regular classes. They are also supported to learn, contribute and participate in all aspects of the life of the school. Inclusive education brings all students together in one classroom and community regardless of their strength and weaknesses in any area and seeks to maximise the potentials of all students. Simply, it is a statement of everyone’s fundamental right to access education and not to be excluded.
Scope of Inclusive Education
The scope of inclusive education is very vast. It covers a wide area of content-
1. Education for all
Inclusive education studies the fundamental way towards the advancements of education for all to achieve a proper synthesis between equity and equality.
2. Diversity and differences
It is a comprehensive vision and approaches which is appropriate for addressing the diversity and differences.
3. Target group
The one of the key area covered up by inclusion education is target group. It is the group consists of special educational needs. It studies about the need of such children to better service with the normal students.
4. Excluded group
Inclusion, as we all know that is developed against exclusion. Thus it adapts frameworks to various excluded groups. Such groups include rural population, girls and students with special needs.
5. Extensive collaboration
Successful inclusion requires extensive collaboration and support from all sectors of society to achieve the goal.
6. The financing of inclusion
Inclusive education studies about the financing of inclusion. It studies the issues related to privatisation and decentralisation and the impact of market based education.
7. Support services
Inclusive education, to be successful must provide appropriate support services. One of the important resource is teacher support.
8. Partnership between the parents and the school
For the successful implementation of inclusive education, partnership between the parents and the school is important.
9. Education as a right based approach
It studies education as a right based approach. Education is the right of every child. Inclusive education believes that all children should be included in education without discrimination.
10. Public policies
Inclusive education alone can not build an inclusive society. Policies should provide a basis for the development of citizenship skills in students and for assuring quality.
Inclusive education is a very large concept. Its scope cannot be limited to a number of content areas. It covers up a wide spectrum of areas of inclusion.
Importance of Inclusive Education
a. Inclusive education provides base platform to learn together.
b. It helps in eliminating discrimination.
c. It makes the quality of teaching strong.
d. Inclusive education always gives importance to the voice of children.
e. It helps development of positive self.
f. More inclusion means more social integration.
g. It is important for the improvement of behaviour.
h. Inclusive education leads to better academic outcomes.
i. It stimulates environment for special students.
j. It provides extremes positive contribution towards physical development.
k. Inclusive education is important for enhancing communications and language development.
l. Above all, inclusive education ensures right of children to education.
