Benefits of Inclusive Education

• In an inclusive classroom, disabled children have

the opportunity to feel just like the regular kid
and experience a dynamic and social life as they
mingle with them.
• Their constant contact with the non-disabled helps
them develop social relationship and master
social skills essential to live happily and
meaningfully.
• As they are exposed to more socialization with
their abled peers, they, too, have more chances to
attend social gatherings. As a result, they have
greater opportunities to become more socially
competent.
• But the most significant advantage of inclusion
among children with disabilities is the likelihood
of achieving more along with their non-disabled
peers. This builds up a positive self-esteem which
is vital in defining higher and long-term
expectations for themselves.
• In contrast, the able students with the disabled
also benefit from understanding people with
disabilities. Through a full inclusion setting, non-
disabled students become more positive and
accepting of persons with disabilities.
• They, too, get to appreciate human diversity and
accept individual differences as natural parts of
life.
• Respect and understanding grow when children of
differing abilities and cultures play and learn
together.
 Studies on Inclusion
• Students develop positive attitudes towards
students with disabilities based on the experience
of having disabled students in their classrooms.
• Student friendships and relationships seem to be
enhanced by inclusion, with greater
understanding and empathy.
• Inclusion facilitated peer friendships.
• Friendship networks and social relationships
were enhanced for students with severe
disabilities placed in general education.
 Other benefits:
• For the family members of the disabled children:
• Inclusive education can be an avenue whereby
they can take significant role in developing their
family strengths, enhancing their family
capabilities, and promoting family decision-
making.
• For teachers:
• Inclusive education helps teacher appreciate the
diversity of the human family. As they get to see
this perspective, they could eventually recognize
that all students have strengths and see the
importance of direct individualized instruction.
• In a broader context, the ultimate benefit derived
form inclusive education is the creation of an
inclusive society. Through the collaborative efforts
of various stakeholders, social awareness is
ensured which results in the integration of people
with disabilities ad those who experience
exclusion in the society.
Barriers to Inclusive Education
 1. Attitudinal Barriers
• Some of the greatest barriers related to inclusion
in education are negative attitudes. Many people
are not prepared to interact with people with
disabilities.
• The belief that educating the disabled is
senseless.
• Physical and emotional bullying which is a
serious barrier to learning which can lead to
isolation and closure of possible inclusion.
• They are object of ridicule or outright ostracism
in school and community.
• A prejudiced environment in the classroom may
be devastating that it could affect their learning,
self-esteem, socialization process, personality
development and academic performance in the
classroom.
 2. Physical Barriers
• The lack of wheelchair ramps in school buildings,
malls, parks playgrounds, washrooms and public
transportation is a main difficulty identified by
several students with disabilities when going to
school and public places.
• Assistive technology is still lacking in some
places
 3. Inappropriate Curriculum
• It is one of the chief impediments to the progress
of inclusive system. It happens because it does
not meet the needs of a broad range of diverse
learners.
• The curriculum content is also usually irrelevant
to the lived experiences of the students and the
setting where they reside.
 4. Untrained Teachers
• The educators are the most significant human
resource for advancing inclusive education. Their
proficiency and outlook have a dramatic impact
on the lives of students who are different and
who have learning challenges.
• The teacher’s competency and attitudes can be the
most important constraints for inclusive
education.
• Teachers lack the required ability in dealing with
students within a specific category of additional
or special need.
• If the teachers do not have the optimistic attitude
toward CSEN, meaningful education for them is
far-fetched.
• Regular education teachers usually do not have
the suitable training, experience, and education
to know the needs of students who have
disabilities.
 5. Inadequate Funding
• Insufficient funding is a chief threat to the
implementation of inclusion. It is reflected in the
scarcity of resources like insufficient classrooms,
inadequate facilities, lack of teachers, and/or
dearth of qualified staff, scarce learning
materials and absence of support.
 6. Poor Organization of the Education
System
• Education systems are often centralized and can
inhibit change and initiative. Responsibility for
decisions tends to be located at the highest level
and the focus of management remains oriented
toward employees, complying with rules rather
than ensuring quality service delivery.
• Lack of communication among administrators,
teachers, specialists, staff, parents and students.
 7. Policies as Barriers
• Policy makers who have unsound grasp or
opposing views on inclusive education are
obstacles to the implementation of inclusive
policies.
• There are laws or policies proclaiming that some
children with disabilities are “uneducable”.