CHALLENGES IN
ACHIEVING INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
ASHMI. K. RAJ.* &
JINCY.J.**
*I B.ED
**I B.ED
HOLY TRINITY COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION,
MELPALAI, EDAICODE
POST.
Introduction
For a long time those concerned with
the field of education have been grappling with the serious question of what
kind of education to provide for children especially in the context of varying
and different abilities of the students. Traditionally education had come to be
separated into two types namely, general education and special education. It
had been believed earlier that children with differing needs and especially
those with special needs must be given education separately. The educationists
now feel that each child should be allowed to learn in his own way along with
his peer group. Inclusive education in essence stands for equality, and accepts
every child with his or her own unique capabilities.
Inclusive Education
Inclusive education is a learning
environment that promotes the full personal, academic and professional
development of all learners irrespective of race, class, color, gender,
disability, sexual preference, learning styles and language.
Inclusive education means children,
regardless of ability are taught in general education classrooms with same age
peers.
History of Inclusive Education
The Kothari commission highlighted
the importance of educating children with disabilities during the post
independent period. In 1980’s the then ministry of welfare, government of India
realized the crucial need of an institution to monitor and regulate the HRD programs
in the field of disability rehabilitation. Till 1990’s, 90% of India’s
estimated 40 million children in the age group, four to sixteen years with
physical and mental disabilities are being excluded from mainstream education.
In the year 1997, the philosophy of inclusive education is added in district primary
education program (DPEP). National curriculum framework (NCF) 2005 has laid a
clear context of inclusive education. In 2005, the ministry of Human Resource
Development implemented a National Action Plan for the inclusion in education
of children and youth with disabilities. Furthermore, Integrated Education of
the Disabled Children (IEDC) was revised and renamed as “Inclusive Education of
the Disabled at secondary stage” (IEDSS) in 2009-2010 to provide assistance to
provide assistance for the inclusive education of the disabled children at 9th
and 10th classes. This scheme is now subsumed under
RashtriyaMadyamicShikshaAbhiyan (RMSA) from 2013. (Gnanam, D. &
Shanmugaboopathi.,2016)
Aims and Objectives of Inclusive
Education
v Education
for all
v Protection
of rights
v Identification
of skills
v Development
of social consciousness
v To
prepare for new challenges
v Development
of brotherhood
v To
improve quality of education (Umadevi, M. R.,2010)
Need and Importance of Inclusive
Education
v To
fulfill the constitutional responsibilities
v To
enable children to stay with their families
v For
the development of healthy relationship
v For
achieving the universalization
v Developing
feeling of self-respect
v For
the use of modern technology
v For
social equality
v Self-reliant
(Singh. J. D.,2016)
Challenges
in Implementing Inclusive Education
Negative Attitude
Negative
attitude of both parents and teachers affects inclusive education scenario in
India. Teachers tend to be broadly positive about the principle of inclusion
while at the same time, viewing its practical implementation as problematic. A
number of studies found that general education teachers are not supportive of
inclusive education. The parents of normal children have a negative attitude
that the education of their children may spoil.(Mathew,2013)
Inappropriate Curriculum
In any education system, the
curriculum is one of the major obstacles or tools to facilitate the development
of more inclusive system. In our country of diversity, curriculum is designed
centrally, hence which leaves little flexibility for local adaptations or for
teachers to experiment and try out new approaches in order to involve the
children with disability in the active learning process. As a result of the
knowledge based curriculum, the examinations are also too much content oriented
rather than success oriented which is the demand of the flexible inclusive
curriculum. (Sanjeev, K, 2007).
Untrained Teachers
For implementing the inclusive
education successfully, it is important that teachers must have positive
attitudes towards learners with special needs. But, because of lack of
knowledge, education, understanding, or effort the teachers give inappropriate
substitute work to the learners,which eventually leads to learners
dissatisfaction and poor quality of learning. Another important feature of the schools is
high teacher- student ratios (average 1:45) and where it is expected that
learners of diverse abilities have be taught together. At the first place,
there is a scarcity of trained teachers to deal with the diversity and
secondly, it is very wrong to assume to deal with 45 learners with diversity.
(Mitiku, W, 2014).
Lack of Adaptive Technology
Students with disabilities generally
have different kind of learning needs, modes of perceptions and preferences so
the classroom environment must provide them with an access to content materials
that are consistent with their learning preferences and needs. Such adoptions
may include use adapted laboratory equipments with tactile markings, providing
hearing or speech aids to the students, provision of a facilitator to support a
student’s access, use of audio-recorded texts, Braille, large print materials,
peer support, additional time fewer items or questions to address, multi model
presentations etc. But a general survey of Indian classrooms shows a marked
shortage of such resources. (Rasheed, S, 1998).
Social Factors
Many
parents as well as community consider that the students with disability are worthless
for the society. So they give least importance for their education. It leads to
the low enrollment of children with disability in school.
Inadequate Funding
Insufficient funding is a chief
threat to the implementation of inclusion. It is reflected in the scarcity of
resources like insufficient classrooms, lack of teacher and dearth of qualified
staff, scarce learning materials and absence of support. .(Sporoso, S. A.,
& Lensink, J. M,1998). Eventhough
fund is allotted for inclusive education it does not reach them for better implementation
Physical Challenges
In some districts, students with
physical disabilities are expected to attend schools that are inaccessible to
them. In economically deprived school systems, especially those in rural areas
dilapidated and poorly cared for buildings can restrict accessibility. Some of
these facilities are not safe or healthy for any students. Many schools don’t
have the facilities to properly accommodate students with special needs, and
local governments lack either the funds or the resolve to provide financial
help. The lack of wheel chair ramps in school buildings, parks, playgrounds,
washrooms and public transportation is a main difficulty identified by several
students with disabilities when going to school. Undoubtedly, most school
structures do not respond to this requirement. (Walker, D. K, 2011).
Policies as a Challenge
Policy challenges are frequently
related to a lack of awareness or reinforcement of existing laws and
regulations that require programs and activities be accessible to people with
disabilities. Some of the examples are;
· Denying
qualified individuals with disabilities the opportunity to participate in or
benefit from federally funded programs, services or other benefits
· Denying
individuals with disabilities access to programs , services, benefits or
opportunities to participate
· Denying
reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities, so they
can perform the essential functions of the job for which they have applied or
have been hired to perform.
Suggestions for Implementing
Inclusive Education
Some of the suggestions for
inclusive education are as follows:
v Only
a positive attitude can bring a great success in inclusive education. So, it is
essential that the teachers, who are the key backbones should develop a positive
attitude for a successful implementation.
v An
appropriate curriculum should be framed which facilitates flexibility to the
teachers to make changes for the active learning process and also it should be
success oriented.
v The
teacher student ratio should be decreased (1: 25). (Mitiku, W, 2014)
v Provide quality training to the teachers based
on inclusive education.
v New
method of technology and provisions should be used to the students so that it
can enhance the better implementation of inclusive education.
v Government
should take steps to check whether the funds provided for the inclusive
education reaches for its implementation and provisioning.
v Changes
can be brought in the existing laws and policies, so that it can enhance the
quality of inclusive education.
CONCLUSION
Inclusive education is implemented
for the welfare of children with disability. There are many challenges in
implementing inclusive education. It is the responsibility of each and every teacher’s
to eradicate the challenges for the better implementation of inclusive
education for the welfare of children with disability.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Common barriers to participation
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