Benefits of inclusive education for students with intellectual disabled

Abstract

In the present status of inclusion education most of the inclusive classrooms have been assessed to be benefits for both the teachers and students. There are however, limits set on inclusion. In most of the classrooms are having students with learning disabilities and slow learners are benefiting but still students with severe and profound disabilities are omitted by schools. The success of inclusion for students with Intellectual Disabled in inclusive education classroom program are depends on the number of variables. One such variable, and perhaps the most important one, is the regular classroom teacher and their expertise. The nature of their work has undergone a tremendous change since the implementation of inclusive education programs in India. They are now required to perform a number of additional tasks in order to meet the students with Intellectual Disabled. In terms to address the learner needs, they have to adapt or learn the new thinking ways? A fully inclusive education setting requires to planning, modification of barrier tree environment, modification of curriculum, trained teachers and other supporting staff. Such an inclusive classroom is a challenging task but it has the possibility of being effective. This paper first discusses inclusive education importance, required changes, roles and responsibility of schools in the context of inclusive education. It then provides a background about the topic that is inclusive education. In that researcher has given detail about history, definition, benefits of inclusive education and other things. Objective is the main part of research and our ultimate objective is inclusion ofPWD. Researcher will explain the benefits of inclusive education for intellectual disabled children in inclusive classrooms. In content Researcher has given the some points to achieve the above mentioned objective. In the last suggestions are given for further implementation.

Headnote

In the present status of inclusion education most of the inclusive classrooms have been assessed to be benefits for both the teachers and students. There are however, limits set on inclusion. In most of the classrooms are having students with learning disabilities and slow learners are benefiting but still students with severe and profound disabilities are omitted by schools. The success of inclusion for students with Intellectual Disabled in inclusive education classroom program are depends on the number of variables. One such variable, and perhaps the most important one, is the regular classroom teacher and their expertise. The nature of their work has undergone a tremendous change since the implementation of inclusive education programs in India. They are now required to perform a number of additional tasks in order to meet the students with Intellectual Disabled. In terms to address the learner needs, they have to adapt or learn the new thinking ways? A fully inclusive education setting requires to planning, modification of barrier tree environment, modification of curriculum, trained teachers and other supporting staff. Such an inclusive classroom is a challenging task but it has the possibility of being effective. This paper first discusses inclusive education importance, required changes, roles and responsibility of schools in the context of inclusive education. It then provides a background about the topic that is inclusive education. In that researcher has given detail about history, definition, benefits of inclusive education and other things. Objective is the main part of research and our ultimate objective is inclusion ofPWD. Researcher will explain the benefits of inclusive education for intellectual disabled children in inclusive classrooms. In content Researcher has given the some points to achieve the above mentioned objective. In the last suggestions are given for further implementation.

Keywords: inclusive education, intellectual disabled, barrier free environment

The concept of inclusive education focuses on each individual child's ability to learn rather than treating all the children the same. Teachers are able to instruct each child in a more individualized way. In the present educational system most of the educated persons are still not aware about the concept of Inclusive education and children with special needs (CWSN). Similarly several things like adaptive teaching techniques, adaptive curriculum, barrier free teaching learning materials etc. Inclusive education is a well-designed platform to achieve the concept of equity and unity. As per the PwD Act 1995, the main aim of Equal Opportunity, Full Participation and Protection of Rights and as per the UN Conventions 2002. Each child must get free and compulsory primary education without any obstacles. As per the present schools environments in India, while talking about inclusion of Students with Intellectual Disabled in regular classroom is a very difficult and challenging task. Most of the Schools are not yet enrolled easily accessible for severely Intellectual disabled and similarly school's head masters and teachers also not willing to enroll these children due to lack of infrastructure, lack of disability knowledge and expertise how to teach them etc. The present schools needs adapt enormous changes for the successful inclusion.

"It is important to support the right of each child to play and learn in an inclusive environment that meets the needs of children with and without disabilities. Each child's culture, language, ethnicity and family structure are to be recognized and valued in the program" (Copple, 2006).

Inclusion in education is an approach to educating students with disabilities. Under the inclusion model, students with disabilities spend most or all of their time with non-disabled students. Inclusive education seeks to completely remove the distinction between special education and regular education and to provide appropriate education for all students, despite their level of disabilities in their local school. It involves a complete restructuring of the educational system so that all schools would have the responsibility of providing the facilities, resources, barrier free environment, adaptive teaching learning material, adapted teaching technic and appropriate curriculum for all students irrespective of disability. It is a philosophical move away from the accommodation of students with special needs into a "normal" system, towards a full inclusion model where everyone is considered normal and where the needs of all can be met. This trend is situated within a broad social justice agenda, which argues that equality for all must include access for all students for to their local school. This trend has been supported by United Nations policies which affirm the rights of children (the United Nations Convention on the rights of the Child, 1989; the United Nations Standard Rules for the equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (1993; the UNESCO Salamanca Statement, 1994).

If the students with disabilities are educated in the neighborhood school with a special class or schools some distance away, these students become a part of their peer group and local community. Their schools friends are more likely to live in their neighborhood, weekend activities are more likely to occur with people they see every day at school. It helps to develop social relationship.

Inclusive education

Everyone has the right to education- Article 26 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

No disabled person should be denied the right to participate fully in education alongside others of their age.

Inclusive Education is

* Supporting all people to participate in the cultures, curricula and Communities of their local educational setting.

* Education in regular classrooms, with people of the same age and with the same teacher with flexibility and adaptations to meet the needs of the individual

* Avalué as well as a practice

* Improve education so that all children, youth and adult learners will have equal opportunities to learn and develop in their local, regular educational Schools. Successful inclusive education occurs when families are in an active partnership with educators.

* Principals, teachers and school boards make it happen

* Teacher education provides teachers with the skills to cater to the diverse needs of all students

* Specialists work in partnership with teachers

* Accommodations are made to support individuals to learn

* Schools are resourced to teach all children well

* All children are given opportunities to have a say in their learning Inclusive Education works

* Research and practice in New Zealand and internationally shows that inclusive education benefits all learners.

* Inclusive education produces people who are better educated and better able to participate and contribute as members of their communities and society than segregated education.

Education is not only a fundamental right but also a basic necessity to be able to participate and flourish in one's community. It is the stage where children and adults learn to integrate into and become an active member of society.

Inclusive Education is the best is the best for students with a disability:

Segregated education leads to social segregation, discrimination and isolation of people with disabilities in adult life. It is now widely recognized that inclusive education confers significant psychological advantages for children with a disability, as well as greater fulfilment of intellectual and especially, social and emotional needs-UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education (2007).

Inclusive Education

* Works

* Is about all Students

* Values difference.

* Is flexible and adapted to meet individual needs.

* Offers an alternative to segregated education.

* Meets our national and international human rights obligations.

* Is about educating for socialjustice in anon-disabled society

History of inclusive education: Identification of students with intellectual disabled and affording them care and management for their disabilities is not a new concept in India. The concept had been translated into practice over several centuries as a community participative culture. The status of disability in India, particularly in the provision of education and employment for persons with mental retardation, as a matter of need and above all, as a matter of right, has had its recognition only in recent times, almost after the enactment of the Persons with Disabilities Act (PWD), 1995.

Definitions

Definition of Intellectual Disability: Intellectual disability is a disability characterized by significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior, which covers many everyday conceptual, social and practical skills. This disability originates before the age of 18.

Intellectual Functioning: Intellectual functioning also called intelligence. It also refers to general mental capacity, such as learning, reasoning, problem solving, and so on.

One way to measure intellectual functioning is an IQ test. Generally, an IQ test score of around 70 or as high as 75 indicates a limitation in intellectual functioning.

Adaptive Behavior: Adaptive behavior is the collection of conceptual, social, and practical skills that are learned and performed by people in their everyday lives.

Conceptual skills: language and literacy, money, time and number, concepts and self-direction.

Social skills: Interpersonal skills, social responsibility, self-esteem, gullibility, naïveté (i.e., wariness), social problem solving, and the ability to follow rules/obey laws and to avoid being victimized.

Practical skills: Activities of daily living (personal care), occupational skills, healthcare, travel/transportation, schedules/ routines, safety, use of money, use of the telephone.

Standardized tests can also determine limitations in adaptive behavior.

This condition is one of several developmental disabilities that is, there is evidence of the disability during the developmental period, which in the US is operationalized as before the age of 18.

Inclusive education

Inclusive education means education for all students without any discrimination, where all students are equal participants in the teaching learning process."Inclusive education refers to education of all students, where all the students are equal participants in the learning process". NCERT

Benefits of inclusive education

The inclusive education helps to all students to develop overall development, it includes educational, personal, social etc. All children, with and without disabilities, benefit from a teaching style catered to their individual way of learning. Inclusive education also features different teaching techniques such as drawing, singing, and participatory activities. Studies suggest young children retain more information when they are "involved" in learning rather than just lectured at by teachers. Inclusive education also allows teachers to become more dynamic in the classroom, and thus makes school more enjoyable for children and teachers (CRS Vietnam, 2008).

The researcher has explained the benefits of inclusive education for students with intellectual disabled in the following three categories.

Benefits oflnclusionfor Students with Intellectual Disabilities

The benefits of inclusive education are numerous for both students with and without disabilities.

* To develop friendships with peer group and others.

* Inclusion removes barriers to participation and learning for all children.

* Increased social initiations, relationships and networks.

* Peerrole models foracademic, social and behavior skills.

* Increased achievement of IEP goals.

* Greater access to adaptive as well as general curriculum.

* Enhanced skill acquisition and generalization

* Increased inclusion in future environments.

* Greater opportunities for interactions.

* Higher expectations.

* Increased school staff collaboration.

* Increased parent participation.

* Families are more integrated into community.

* Helps to learn vocational activities and to fulfill the concept of self-employment.

* Inclusive Education helps students with disabilities to prepare for full participation in community life.

* By catering to diversity, inclusive teachers and schools become versatile and creative in their approach to learning, which enriches the quality of all student's education.

Benefits of inclusionfor students without Disabilities:

* All children are enriched andhave apositive attitude

* Meaningful friendships with all special needs.

* Increased appreciation and acceptance of individual differences.

* Increased understanding and acceptance of diversity.

* Respect for all people.

* Prepares all students for adult life in an inclusive society.

* Opportunities to master activities by practicing and teaching others.

* Greater academic outcomes.

* All Students needs are better met, greater resources for everyone.

Benefits of inclusionfor Teacher, Parents and Communities:

Inclusive schools help build inclusive communities where people's differences are valued, where each member gets supported to contribute, and where the human values created as a result support our societies to achieve our most important goals. Inclusive education can be both cost-efficient and cost-effective- UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education (2007).

* Professional skills are developed for teachers.

* Parents are better equipped to deal with their children.

* Students with special needs are better prepared for independent living.

* To control the behavioral problems of special needs in the communities.

* Students who learn with others who are different expect and respect diversity and use this experience to the benefit of their communities and workplaces.

How to implement Inclusive Education: Each individual play an important role to implement the concept of inclusive education, in many research studies have been found several difficulties for the implementation of inclusive education in regular schools, due to lack of multidisciplinary team or skilled professionals for special needs like special educators, therapist, doctors etc. To improve the existing trends and practice of teaching students with special needs and to address the special educational needs of those children, it require the collaborative efforts of parents, community members, teachers, school principals, school management committee, private sectors, PSU, governmental agencies etc. With this background, the following recommendations are forwarded.

The school should involve the scientific ways of identification and assessment procedures and should conduct periodic assessment. Because if the Students needs is not fully assessed, it will be very difficult to address all their needs or it might put them inappropriate placement.

The each school should have eligibility criteria to admit students with special needs because having a disability with special education services.

Teachers and parents training should provide by the schools for successful implementation of inclusive education.

Teachers should have to prepare adaptive suitable curriculum and individualized educational plan for students with special needs to become a real inclusive school. Because the real essence of teaching students with diverse educational needs is addressing the unique needs of each students.

The school should ensure the availability of special materials, adaptive aids and appliances and other equipment by allocating special budget and the library and the resource room should be equipped with the necessary materials to provide the service needed for students with special needs and school should have barrier free.

A particular attention should be offered to students with special needs in the procedures of testing and examination. As the first measure, extra time should be allotted. The item should also be modified and the number of items has to be reduced.

Further practical training should be given for teachers to update their knowledge especially on the area of sign language and Braille.

Suggestions

The researcher suggested, however the concept of Inclusive Education should not be perceived as a threat to Special School. The Special schools can concentrate on more difficult groups such as students with multiple disabilities, cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities etc. When students with disabilities learn in the same school as their non-disabled peers with the support necessary for them to be successful there, then the society is said to be "inclusive". All students in a school regardless of their strengths and weaknesses in any area become part of the school community.

A "team approach" is very crucial for inclusion. Some of the key players could be regular teachers, parents, community, resource teachers, non-disabled students, students with Special Needs (CWSN) and so on. Inclusive Education helps students with intellectual disabilities to prepare for full participation in community life.

The community should encourage the education of students with intellectual disabilities in their neighborhood. This ensures better acceptance of the disability and enables them in education, employment and social activities. For Inclusive education to be successful all school personnel need to display shared responsibility and support for all students and teachers should have the capacity to understand and unique needs of children.

Inclusion settings allow students with and without disabilities to play and interact every day, even when they are receiving therapeutic services. When a child displays fine motor difficulty, his ability to fully participate in common classroom activities, such as cutting, coloring, and zipping a jacket may be hindered.

While special educators, occupational therapists, physiotherapist, speech therapist etc. are often called to assess and implement strategies outside and inside of school, it is frequently left up to classroom teachers to implement strategies in school, Collaborating with these professional will help classroom teachers use intervention strategies and increase teacher's awareness about student's needs within school settings and enhance teacher's independence in implementation of professional's skills strategies.

References

References

Claudette, M. R. (2010). The Inclusive Classroom: How Inclusive is Inclusion?

Konza, D. (2008). Inclusion of students with disabilities in new times: Responding to the challenge. Edith Cowan University.

Moore, A., & Komblet, S. (2011), Advancing the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: A US-Iran Dialogue on Law, Policy and Advocacy.

Booth, T., & Ainscow, M. (2002), Index for inclusion: developing learning and participation in schools. Centre of Studies for Inclusive Education, www.csie.org.uk

Website materials:http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/2013/04/13/inclusive-education-to-empower-children-with-disabilities/