The Nature And The Extent Of The Need / Problem
The nature and the extent of the need / problemInclusive education refers to a model in which special needs students learn together with the students without special needs. Regardless of the challenges and difficulties, different and diverse group of students learn in the same classroom. It implies that all the learners, with or without disabilities will be able to learn together through access to common provisions, educational setting and support services. It seeks to address the learning needs of children that are vulnerable to marginalization and exclusion (Kumar & Sanjeev, 2007). It can be successful through awareness, understanding, acceptance of diversity and disability by parents, teachers, children and the community as a whole.
Many studies have found that students with disabilities show higher achievement and improved social skills by learning in an inclusive classroom. Around 10% of the world’s population lives with a disability. Out of these, 80% of the people live in developing countries. The education and other services available for people with disabilities differ widely between the developed and developing countries. The problem that I am interested in is the incomplete implementation of inclusive education in India. Inclusive education is a relatively new concept in India.
According to official estimates from the Census of India (Government of India, 2011), there are 26 million (2. 1%) of the total population with disabilities. Under Sarva Shikshan Abhiyan (SSA), zero rejection policy has been adopted. It states that, no school can refuse admission to a child on the the basis of the kind, category and degree of disability (Kumar & Sanjeev, 2007). Factors contributing to the problem or conditionsThere are various factors contributing to this present condition of inclusive education in India. Lack of teacher training and the lack of resources are the primary causes of the incomplete implementation. Lack of trained teachersThe current situation in India is such that the school personnel are willing to work with children with disabilities, but lack the training to do so (Hodkinson, 2009). The standard of the teacher training courses varies widely across the country. The degrees available have special needs, its identification and and diagnosis as an optional and not an integral part of the training. Also, these units only address the disability issue and has overlooked the diversity and actual practice of inclusion that comes with it (Singal 2005). Teachers play the most important role in the implementation of inclusive education in the school. However, their needs are often taken for granted. It was found that nearly 70% of the regular school teachers (primary and secondary sections) in Delhi, India had neither received training in special education nor had any experience of teaching students with disabilities.
They also rated themselves having limited or low competence for working with students with disabilities (Das et al, 2013). Some of the barriers that teachers faced included lack of trained teachers, lack of inclusion policy and lack of differential instruction (Bhatnagar & Das, 2014). Also, teachers who reported for having received training were concerned about implementing inclusion into practise (Sharma & Desai, 2002; Das et al, 2013). Therefore, if the Indian government wants to develop an effective system of inclusive education, they need to pay more attention to the professional development of teachers during their various stages of career. Lack of resourcesThe majority of the schools in India are poorly designed and very few are designed to equip the needs of students with disabilities (Sharma & Deppeler, 2005). 87% of the teachers in Delhi, India reported of not having access to support services like special education teachers, paraprofessionals or resources room services (Das et al, 2013).
The main concerns expressed by the school teachers were poor infrastructure, financial limitations and large class sizes (Bhatnagar & Das, 2014). Lack of clear and common understanding of disability and inclusive education among the community are also some of the important causes (Sharma & Das, 2015). Other than these, poverty and stigma about disability are some of the challenges in order to have an effective system of inclusion (Sharma & Deppeler, 2005). Along with these, studies mentioned about other causes and concerns such as high stress levels in teachers, inability to manage discipline in classroom, inadequate time, inadequate funds, additional documentation can be some of the reasons for the lack of implementation of inclusion (Sharma & Desai, 2002). Promising Approaches for improved resultTraining of teachersA comprehensive training program is a necessity and can act as a first step in effective implementation of inclusive education in India. The teacher training should be an intense workshop which covers topic like understanding the concept of disability, concept of inclusive education, its identification and practicum. Follow-up and regular updating of knowledge and practices is also required.
The developed program should be open to receiving feedback from the teachers and other experts in the field. The program can be grade or disability specific, so that it can isure in-depth knowledge about the disability. The PIED program which involved having teachers trained to work at integrated settings, has seen success in some parts of India (Sharma & Deppeler, 2005) We also need to take into account that the training would require to be done on a large scale. Some interventions like availability of an Online Learning program can be helpful. However, the program should not compromise on any of the aspects, especially learning from practicum. Also, it is necessary to include the topic of disability as a mandatory topic in the curriculum of educational degrees. Involvement of Non-profit organisationsNon-profit organisations can be involved in conducting education campaigns about disability and teacher training programs. There are more than one million NGOs working in India across various social areas (Sharma & Deppeler, 2005).
Non-profits can help in taking this program to the rural and the remote areas. They can also help in collecting funds and other disability specific resources as a part of donations from corporate sector. Also, India is a diverse nation with many languages spoken across. Bilingual personnel from various NGOs can be trained and can serve as a training program facilitator for different states or areas. Establishing an alternate examination systemMost school educators in India are concerned that integration of students with disabilities would result in lowering school standards because these students won't be able to pass exams (Sharma & Desai, 2002; Sharma & Deppeler, 2005). The passing percentage is one of the key factors in promotion of the school. Hence, there is a need to establish an alternate examination system and common for both students with and without disability. Individualized Education PlanIt should be mandatory to have an IEP for a student with special needs. However, at a later stage, one can think of devising a system where each child with or without special needs or disability will have an IEP. Needs of some students might not be so evident to be identified as special needs, but having an IEP can help them develop at some of their skills. Needs AssessmentMumbai, India’s financial capital covers the area of 233 sq miles. It has the population of 18. 41 million (2011).
According to the Office of Education Officer, Mumbai (2009), there are a total of 1096 private schools in Mumbai. Majority of the Children with disabilities in India are being educated in special schools (UNICEF 2003). Mumbai has the highest number of special schools. A study (Das & Kattumuri, 2011) qualitatively analysed the self concept of children studying in special schools in Mumbai. Most students with disability ranked low on their academic performance, which they perceived as their shortcoming. They were found to be conscious of their physical self and develop poor self image. They mentioned that they were unable to perform well in sports and it bothered them. They also expressed that their disability resulted in isolation. More than 50% of the children interviewed felt hurt and segregated by the interactions at schools, particularly teachers and peers. Most of the teachers interviewed expressed their inability to deal with children with disabilities. They mentioned that they did not have an appropriate exposure in dealing with children with disabilities and hence lacked appropriate attitude and sensitivity. Hence, its is evident that like the other cities in India, Mumbai also lacks in the implementation of inclusive education.
