Getting Ready for Inclusive Education Concepts & Barriers

1. Getting Ready for Inclusive Education Concepts & Barriers Prof. Dr. Shaheen Pasha Division of Education, University of Education. Tuesday, August 27, 2013

2. Agenda • Types of Disabilities • Efforts of Global Community • Philosophy of Inclusive Education • Evolution of Societies’ perception • Historical Development of Inclusion • Segregation to Inclusive Education • Definitions of Inclusive Education • Factors Influencing the Education of Children with SEN • Stereotypical Assumptions • Categoriesof Barriers • Addressing the Barriers • Implementing Inclusive Education • What is required? • Key Questions • Benefits of Inclusive Education

3. Types of Disabilities • Mental Retardation • Learning Disabilities • Emotional Disturbance • Deaf/Hearing Impairments • Orthopedic Impairments • Visual Impairments • Other Health Impairments • Autism • Traumatic Brain Injury • Speech & Language Impairments • Multiple Disabilities

4. Efforts of Global Community • 1948: Universal Declaration of Human Rights • 1965:International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination • 1966: International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights • 1979: UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women • 1989: UN Convention on the Rights of the Child • 1990: The World Declaration on Education for All, Jomtien • 1993: The Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities • 1994: The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education • 1999: Salamanca 5 Years On Review

5. 2000: World Education Forum Framework for Action, Dakar 2000: Millennium Development Goals focusing on Poverty Reduction and Development 2001: EFA Flagship on Education and Disability 2001: 4th E-9 Ministerial Review Meeting, Beijing, China 2002: High Level Group on EFA, Abuja. Final Communiqué 2003: High Level Group on EFA, New Delhi. Final Communiqué 2003: Cairo Declaration of the E-9 Countries 2004: High Level Group on EFA, Brasilia. Final Communiqué 2005: High Level Group on EFA, Beijing. Final Communiqué 2006: Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2006: Monterrey Declaration of the E-9 Countries 2007: High Level Group on EFA, Dakar. Final Communiqué

6. 2008:. Inclusive Education: The Way of the Future. International Conference on Education • 2008: World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development, Bonn Declaration • 2008: Seventh E-9 Ministerial Review Meeting, Bali, Indonesia. Bali Declaration • 2008: High Level Group on EFA: Oslo Declaration • 2008: Conclusions & Recommendations of the 48th Session of the Inter Conference on Education. Geneva.  • 2009: Policy Guidelines on Inclusion in Education. Paris: UNESCO • 2010: The Children Left Behind: A league table of inequality in child well-being in the world’s rich countries. Innocenti Report Card 9, Florence: Innocenti Research Centre • 2012: Addressing Exclusion in Education. A Guide to Assessing Education Systems Towards More Inclusive Societies. Paris: UNESCO

7. Philosophy of Inclusive Education Salamanca Statement unfolds the philosophy behind inclusive education: “Ordinary schools with an inclusive orientation are the most effective means of combating Discriminatory attitudes, creating welcoming communities, building an inclusive society and achieving education for all.” UNESCO (2008, p. 3)

8. Evolution/Development of Societies’ Perception about People with Disabilities

9. Historical Development of Inclusion Workshop Dilivered at Directrate of Special Education Lahore

10. Segregation to Inclusion Segregation: SEN children are educated in segregated educational setting. Integration: SEN children are taught in mainstream schools with some adaptations which may require some special resources This integration may be physical, social, functional, transitional, or full integration Inclusion: SEN children are educated in main stream schools alongside their normal peers with a commitment to ensure the full participation of everyone

11. Segregation to Inclusion

12. Definitions “inclusive education is an on-going process aimed at offering quality education for all while respecting diversity and the different needs and abilities, characteristics and learning expectations of the students and communities, eliminating all forms of discrimination” (4th Session of the International Conference on Education, 2008)

13. Definitions (Cont.) In Education White Paper 6 (2001) on Special Education Needs, Inclusive Education is defined as: • Acknowledging that all children and youth can learn and that all children and youth need support. • Enabling education structures, systems and learning methodologies to meet the needs of all learners. • Acknowledging and respecting differences in learners, whether due to age, gender, ethnicity, language, class, disability, HIV or other infectious diseases.

14. Definitions (Cont.) • Broader than formal schooling and acknowledging that learning also occurs in the home and community, and within formal and informal settings and structures. • Changing attitudes, behaviour, teaching methods, curricula and environment to meet the needs of all learners. • Maximizing the participation of all learners in the culture and the curriculum of educational institutions and uncovering and minimizing barriers to learning.

15. Definitions (Cont.) Inclusive education is NOT: • Dumping children with disabilities into general classrooms without the support and services they need to be successful. • Cutting back special education services as a “trade off” for being in the general education classroom. • Sacrificing the education of children without disabilities so children with disabilities can be included.

16. Factors Influencing the Education of Children with SEN • Cultural beliefs about special needs • Availability and accessibility of scientific knowledge on special needs and education to the general public • The educational, social and economic goals of the society • Level of the material resources for supporting special needs education • Ideological commitment to enhancing the quality of life of all citizens • Respect for individual human rights. • Attitudes of educational leaders & policy makers • Commitment of national leaders (PartsonMusosaPhiri, 2004)

17. Stereotypical Assumptions • Assumption 1: Children with disabilities are “special” children who need separate, specialist care and resources, and are not entitled to the same levels of participation in ordinary early childhood settings as non-labelled children. • Assumption 2: If a disabled person experiences problems, it is the impairment that caused those problems • Assumption 3: People who have disabilities require, as a matter of course, help and social support. • Assumption 4: Disabled people are “victims”. • Assumption 5: Disability is the defining feature of the disabled person’s existence and experience.

18. Categories of Barriers • The physical environment (e.g., narrow doorways, ramps); • Intentional attitudinal barriers (e.g., isolation, bullying, calling names); • Unintentional attitudinal barriers (e.g., lack of knowledge, understanding, or awareness); • Physical limitations (e.g., difficulty with manual dexterity/ neatness).

19. Categories of Barriers (Cont.) • Attitudes - School; Administration/Staff; Teaching Staff; Parents; Children; Community • Curriculum • Teaching Methodologies • Language and communication • Socio-economic factors • Funding • Organization of the education system • Policies as barriers

20. Addressing the Barriers Depends on how societies construct and respond to disabilities, gender, race, and cultural differences

21. Implementing Inclusive Education Inclusion should be the heart and minds of society Inclusive Education is a human right, it’s good education and it makes good social sense.

22. What is required? Equalities Accessibility Inclusion Human Rights and social justice Redistribution of services Redistribution of resources Inequalities Inaccessibility Exclusion Labeling/ Stigmatization Duplication of services Limited access to resources TO From Segregation to Inclusion Moving From

23. Guiding Principles • Inclusive Education is an attitude • The doors to schools, classrooms and school activities are open to every child and they are offered every opportunity to be included with their non-disabled peers. • The focus is on giving every child the help s/he needs to learn. • we need to adapt the environment, the curriculum and teaching methods in such a way that both the internal and external barriers to learning can be minimized.

24. Guiding Principles(Cont.) • Successful implementation of Inclusive Education requires flexibility, energy, creativity and the commitment of everyone involved. • Training is a key factor in how smoothly any transition takes place, but many people lack the necessary skills.

25. Necessary Questions • Do people around us understand what is Inclusive Education? • What is our attitude towards Inclusive Education? • Do we have the knowledge and skills necessary to deal with Inclusive Education? • Are the support structures and networks in place to facilitate individuals who require support? • Do we have access to support services that will assist us in implementing Inclusive Education?

26. What Else? One has to be sensitive to the needs of others, in a non-judgmental or non-threatening manner. In understanding others, we need to avoid stereotyping, generalizing and labeling but should rather treat people with respect and dignity. • Most educational discussions on inclusion focus on curriculum, attitudes, teaching methodologies, assessment practices and pastoral systems, but there is a further dimension to inclusion. The dimension of inclusion goes beyond the walls and boundaries of educational institutions and into the nucleus of all societies and communities.

27. Benefits of Inclusion HUMAN RIGHTS • All children have the right to learn together. • Children should not be devalued or discriminated against by being excluded or push away because of their disability or learning difficulty. • Disabled adults, describing themselves as special school survivors, are demanding an end to segregation. • There are no legitimate reasons to separate children for their education. Children belong together – with advantages and benefits for everyone. They do not need to be protected from each other.

28. Benefits of Inclusion(Cont.) GOOD SOCIAL SENSE • Segregation teaches children to be fearful and ignorant, and breeds prejudice. • All children need an education that help them develop relationships and prepare them to live in a society with safety. • Only inclusion has the potential to reduce fear and to build friendships, respect and understanding.

29. Benefits of Inclusion (Cont.) GOOD EDUCATION • Research shows children do better academically and socially in inclusive settings. • There is no teaching or care in a segregated school that cannot take place in an ordinary school. • Given commitment and support, inclusive education is a more efficient use of educational resources.

30. Benefits of Inclusion(Cont.) • The European Union High Level Group of Experts on Literacy (2012) considers inclusion as a vehicle to create more equitable education systems which help to close the socio-economic gap, the migrant gap, the gender gap and the digital gap.

31. Our Hope An inclusive, non-segregated, anti-discriminatory environment for a diverse population of children and young people in institutions will produce schools which are more sensitive and more people-orientated. It will also produce a younger generation that is more tolerant and accepting of differences.