Facilitating an Inclusive School

Introduction

Inclusive education is a new approach towards educating the children with

disability and learning difficulties with that of normal ones within the same roof. It
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. It is one of the most effective ways to promote an inclusive and tolerant
society.

An inclusive school can be facilitated such that the school provides both physical
and physiological of the children. Physical components include infrastructure and
facilities, teachers and stuffs, schools and classroom physical settings, curriculum
and school policies related to the implementation of inclusion at school.
Physiological components are associated to the establishment of positive social and
emotional atmospheres including creating and maintaining positive attitude
between school communities, generating teachers, staffs and students positive
attitudes towards students with disabilities.

Infrastructure and Accessibility

Educational infrastructure includes suitable spaces to learn. This is one of the most
basic elements necessary to ensure access to education.

To facilitate the inclusive education, the school building should ensure full access
for all learners and in particular for children and adolescents with disabilities. The
infrastructure provided in school should be aligned to the needs students

Several things have to be considered while creating an infrastructure for inclusive

school:

1) Ramps should be provided where there are steps

2) Width and positioning of door and doorways should be in accordance to the
need of the learners with special needs.
3) Classroom should not be cluttered with games, bags, rugs, toys, sporting
equipments.
4) Not only classrooms, the learners with special needs should be able to access
to school canteen, school administration, workshop, etc.

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5) All the room should be spacious and circulation space for usage of
wheelchairs, walking aids, walking sticks, etc should be taken into
consideration.
6) Tables, chairs and shelves should be made in accordance to everyone’s
convenience.
7) Water facility should be provided for toilets 24/7 so that the learners with
special needs do not have to face problems during their needs.
8) The classroom should be properly ventilated and power/lighting should be
made available because some special children/learners are sensitive of the
classrooms darkness.
9) Health care facility should be made available, and a nurse or a doctor should
be available catering the needs of the learners. Round the clock service
should be provided.
10) Canteens should cater the diet of every learner so that ample required
nutrition is available according to needs.

Accessibility means being able to get reached or entered or availing the

resources or facilities without barriers. Being able to physically get into a
room is not sufficient, it must be possible for people to use the room for
what it is intended for in the way that is common is call accessibility
according to the principle of accessibility.
For students with special needs in the inclusive school environment,
accessibility is everything that can facilitate them in accessing, obtaining
services, and using every facility provided in the inclusive school. It aims to
get them the right be independent and able to develop their potentials.
Various aspects of accessibility can be understood under the following
points:
1) Curriculum should ensure “access to all”
2) Provide flexible timeframe for the pupil to study
3) Curriculum should meet the requirement of all the students and quality
education should be provided
4) Books and other learning materials should be well maintained for all
5) Classrooms, supporting facilities, playgrounds, bathrooms and access to
any room must be adequate.

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Barrier Free Environment (BFE)

Barrier Free Environment is one which enables people with disabilities to move
about safely and freely and to use the facilities within the built environment. The
goal of barrier free design is to provide an environment that supports the
independent functioning of individuals so that they can get to, and participate
without assistance, in everyday activities.

In India 1.67 percent of the 0-19 population has a disability and only one percent
of children with disabilities have access to schools. In order to ensure that children
with special needs are able to use effectively all public facilities, the Government
clearly states that it is mandatory for all such public buildings to be completely
barrier free by providing ramps, adaptation of toilets for wheelchair users, Braille
symbols and auditory signals after taking into account unique barriers face by
people with different disabilities. The adoption of barrier free environment is
imperative so that the goal of “Education for All” can be achieved.

Some of the factors which prevent the Barrier free environment are:

1) Architectural Barriers – Person with Disabilities Act (1995) gave

strong recommendation on creating Barrier free environment at schools
so that learners with special needs can also participate in general school
with their non-disabled peers. Many schools even Universities and
college campuses are not accessible to provide facilities to accommodate
learner with special educational needs. Architectural Barriers can include
construction of doors, passage ways, stairs and ramps, toilets, grab rails
and hand rails and recreational areas. These can create a barrier for some
students to simply enter the school building or classroom.
2) Attitudinal Barriers – it refers to the barriers related to the attitude of
the parents, teachers, peer group and other members of the society which
effects the accommodation of learners with special education needs.
Prejudices of the social groups and society can further lead to
discrimination which hinders the educational process.
3) Barriers related to funding and allocation of resources – Allocation of
resources comprises adequate facilities with respect to the physical

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environment, trained teachers, other stuff and general support to the

children with special needs and their parents. it requires proper funding
from the government and non government bodies for the proper inclusion
for students with special needs.
4) Lack of trained teachers and staff – there is still lack of trained and
unenthusiastic teacher in the field of inclusive education. Sometimes
training programmes suffer due to funding related issues.
5) Inappropriate Curriculum and Examination System – rigid and
inappropriate curriculum as well as teaching methods create a major
barrier for inclusive practices of diverse group of learners. On the other
hand the examination process is not flexible for the children with special
education needs (CWSEN).
6) Socio-Economic factors effecting Inclusion of CWSEN – violence,
poor health services and other social factors create barriers and these
challenges restrict the process of inclusion.
7) Policies implementation as a barrier to successful inclusion – many
policy makers don’t understand or believe in inclusive education and
these leaders can stonewall efforts to make school policies more
inclusive. More focus is given or employee compliance rather than
quality education.

Basic Recommendations for Barriers Free Environment

The following recommendations can be given as follows:

1) Modification in existing teacher training programme at Higher

Education institutions are required. In-service training programmes
should be updated.
2) Government should create funds, grants and/or low interest loans to
support removal of architectural barriers for school and university
levels base on universal design.
3) Maintenance and improvement of continuous in-service training
inorder to retrain and educate new staff members and parents about
inclusive practices.
4) School administration should provide training to educators and
parents base on IEPs (Individualized Education Program)

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5) Higher educational institutions should revise the curriculum to prepare

future educators to implement inclusive practices.

Human Resource for Special Needs Children

All human differ from one another in one or the other way and therefore the way
we acquire learning and knowledge also differs. However, when it comes to
children with special needs there lies graver difficulty, especially if they have
physical deficit such as loss of vision, limbs, hearing and learning difficulties, etc.

Human resource in relation with special needs children refers to the rehabilitation
of children or the people with physical impairment. Successful inclusion of
Children with Disabilities (CWDs) in education requires sufficient personnel
(teachers, headmasters, specialist, administrative staff, and caregivers) including
special educators with adequate preparation and training. There has been a
significant increase in the number of children with disabilities in schools in recent
years as a result of several programmes and interventions. This growth has created
a parallel demand for professionally qualified special education teachers,
administrators, experts and caregivers. The RTE Act provides for full inclusion of
CWDs in regular schools. This vision demands that every classroom teacher is able
to adopt inclusive teaching learning approaches and use ICTs to enhance learning
which, in turn, calls for integration of inclusive education in both pre-service and
in-service teacher training.

Some of the mentionable human resources include special teaching aids, special
teaching techniques, equipments and facilities essential for bringing out the innate
abilities and the hidden talents in the differently able children with special needs.

The human resource in terms of proper teaching aid can be a proper arrangement
of classroom setting, such as sufficient amount of light in the classroom,
appropriate sitting arrangement as per requirement, special kind of infrastructure
like ramps in the school, etc.

Professor K.C. Panda (2004) suggests four essential elements;

1. Special teacher
2. Special curricula
3. Special teaching techniques

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4. Special instructional materials

The main objective of special education is to grant equal opportunities of education

to each and every one of the children with special needs, called differently abled
and therefore Panda asserts that without the four elements education remains
incomplete.

Special needs children are also the inseparable parts of human society, and
therefore, their participation in the mainstream of the nation and society must be
ensured. Special education, as a human resource plays a crucial role in the
equalisation of opportunities and aims in the complete development of children
with disabilities.

The mentionable human resource can be in terms of;

1. Quality Education:

Students with special needs should be imparted quality education at par with their
counterparts irrespective of whether it is facilitated in special schools or in
integrated or inclusive settings.

2. Technology:

Advent and advancement of technology in the postmodern era has eased the
facilitation of a vast body of knowledge to the physically and visually challenged
persons. The good quality training both in computer and internet should be
imparted to the differently abled persons with special needs so that the advantages
of technology for the differently abled should not merely be made available, but, it
should be made affordable, accessible, acceptable and adaptable so as to reach to
the needs of the individuals with disabilities.

3. National and International Laws:

Article 41 of the Constitution of India under its Directive Principles of State Policy
envisages the provision of granting education and providing the public assistance
among others to persons with “disablement.” The provisions of providing
education to persons with disabilities are contained in chapter V of PWD Act 1995.
The National Policy on Persons with Disabilities 2006 has also rendered some
perspectives of the Government of India for the enhancement of the education of
differently abled persons with the advent of technological revolution. Through a
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subsequent amendment in Right to Education Act in 2012 children with disabilities

have been explicitly included and placed in the category of “disadvantaged
children” which is highly commendable and exceedingly worth eulogising by all
means and manners.

4. Role of NGO’s:

Students and teachers with disabilities should be provided with the useful teaching
and learning materials as and when demanded to meet their special requirements.
The NGO’s should come forward to set up advocacy cells for augmentation of
better educational and employment opportunities for disabled persons; and, for the
attainment of this objective, intensive training in management, mobility and
orientation must be imparted to them, placing it high on their agenda. The NGO’s
should also critically review the plans, programmes and policies formulated by the
government from time to time for education, training and employment of persons
with disabilities.

Attitude to Disability

Attitude are a complex collection of belief, feeling, value and disposition which
characterise the way we think and feel about certain people or situation, people
attitude are product of life experiences including the relationship we build with the
people around us. For example, a person’s attitude towards a disabled person might
be shaped by their personal experiences of knowing another disabled person.

A negative attitude disability is one of the potential barriers for people with
disabilities (PWD) or differently abled people to achieve social equality. During
the 19th Century, Christians believe that disability is a curse, an act of being
immoral which later results in giving birth to a disabled child. In Ghana, it is
considered as erroneously associated with evil. Some religious leaders indicate that
person with disabilities especially those with intellectual disabilities are possessed
by evil spirits. According to biological term, it is the defect of DNA or hormonal
control of an individual due to environmental factor or heredity from parents.

Our attitude towards disability had been formed through community that believes
people with disability should live in a segregated community. In the past, people
with disability were looked after in an institutional setting or kept ay home behind

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closed door. And some parents were even ashamed of these children with disability
and kept them away from community resources.

However, society’s perspective on disability has largely changed towards

disabilities. Most of the modern societies take the notion of disability as a
challenge and not a burden. People have come to realize that every individual
possess unique and special talent. Their one weakness encourages or motivates self
to realize their uniqueness. Though they may take longer time than the ordinary or
normal child, giving them space to identify themselves will not only motivate them
but show what big contribution or changes they can bring for the society when
every individual is given a chance.

Positive attitude can be shape from an early age. There are many positive effect of
inclusion where both the students with special needs and other students in the
classroom benefits. Positive effects are educational programme and social skills,
increasing positive peer interaction, educational outcome and social adjustment.

Conclusion

Creating and managing inclusive school is not an overnight job. In order to create
successful inclusion, it needs continuous commitment of the whole school and
communities to always maintain and develop the inclusive practices. Proper
infrastructure must be provided to ensure full access for all learners. Access to
resources must be ensured to facilitate inclusive education. In order to create
school that are truly inclusive, a barrier free environment with proper human
resources is necessary, without which the goal of the objective cannot be achieved.
Most importantly, the attitude of the society or community plays an important role
in facilitating inclusive education.

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