Lesson 2
Philosophical Bases
The general philosophy of special education is that all people have the
ability to learn, regardless of their particular disabilities. Every child with
special needs has a right to an educational program that is suitable to his
needs. The goal of educating children with disabilities is the same as that of
educating children without disabilities: to support children in reaching their
full potential and leading productive lives as active members of their
communities. Special education shares with regular education basic
responsibilities of the educational system to fulfill the right of the child to
develop to his full potential.
Inclusivity
Inclusivity is defined as “the practice or policy of including people who
might otherwise be excluded or marginalized.” The ideology of inclusion
should not be viewed as a new phenomenon, indeed, its origins may be traced
back to the early 1900s and the welfare pioneers who believed in a non-
segregated schooling system. In its present form, though, the emergence of
inclusive education may be seen to be grounded in the World Conference in
Special education which took place in Spain in 1994. (Hodkinson & Vickerman,
2009).
The term inclusion became familiar, mostly because of the ‘Salamanca
Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education’ (UNESCO,
1994) The Salamanca statement articulated the tensions between the
established medical ‘integrationist’ model and an emerging social model of
disability. The problems that children with disabilities experienced in school
were the result of inflexible policies and practices rather than located within
the child themselves. The statement also supported the progress of
professional understanding in relation to the most effective ways to attain
Education for All. It advocated for the development of a child-centered
pedagogy which would meet the needs of all students, including those with
disabilities. (Grimes, 2009)
What is Inclusive Education?
Inclusion describes the process by which a school accepts children with
special needs for enrolment in regular classes where they can learn side by
side with their peers. The school organizes its special education program and
includes a special education teacher in its faculty. The school provides the
mainstream where regular teachers and special education teachers organize
and implement appropriate programs for both special and regular students.
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Salient Features of Inclusive Education
1. Inclusion means implementing and maintaining warm and accepting
classroom communities that embrace and respect diversity or
differences.
2. Inclusion implements a multilevel, multimodality curriculum. This
means that special needs students follow an adapted curriculum
and use special devices and materials to learn at a suitable pace.
3. Inclusion prepares regular teachers and special education teachers
to teach interactively.
4. Inclusion provides continuous support for teachers to break down
barriers of professional isolation.
Equality
Equality and diversity, sometimes called multiculturalism, is the
concept of accepting and promoting people’s differences. The fundamental
goal when promoting equality is to raise awareness and make sure that all
individuals are treated equally and fairly. This is regardless of their age,
gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or race.
While many schools will take a unique approach to promote equality
and diversity in the classroom, some principles can act as a basis for this
promotion.
1. All students are equal regardless of their religious beliefs, sexual
orientation, race, gender, and gender identity.
2. Differences are respected, recognized, and valued because
diversity is a strength.
3. Positive relationships and attitudes are fostered throughout the
school.
4. A shared sense of belonging and inclusion is encouraged in the
classroom.
5. Challenge stereotyping and prejudice.
As a teacher, some of your responsibilities when promoting equality
and diversity may include:
1. Making it very clear to students the level of conduct that you expect
to see in their interactions and dealing appropriately and promptly
with bad behavior.
2. Finding opportunities for students to work collaboratively in diverse
groups within your teaching schedule.
3. Paying close attention to the needs of students in diverse groups as
part of your course design.
4. Finding respectful and creative ways to use the diversity of your
students to improve the overall learning experience for everyone.
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Equality versus Equity in Education
It's important to take note of the difference between equity and
equality as different ways of promoting equality and diversity in education.
While the two terms look similar and might be used interchangeably in some
contexts, they're not exactly the same.
In general terms, 'equality' refers to a sense of similarity and/or
consistency, whilst 'equity' signals fair treatment and the absence of
preference or discrimination.
So, in the context of education:
Equality means that all students receive the same standard of
schooling regarding aspects like resources, materials, syllabus and facilities.
Equity means that schooling standards are adjusted for individual
students based on their unique situations. For instance, students from
disadvantaged backgrounds or those with disabilities might require an extra
hand to catch up with their peers, and the purpose of equity in education is
to offer them that help.
UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING (UDL)
UDL refers to a set of principles for curriculum design that aims to give
all individuals equal opportunities to learn. The framework helps instructors
capitalize on the variety of skills, needs, and interests that students bring
into the classroom. Following are three main ideas to apply UDL in your
classroom:
1. Provide Multiple Means of Representation of Information
A variety of course materials beyond text makes information
more accessible and increases engagement. Consider YouTube videos,
blogs, slide presentations, accessible and downloadable PDFs, and
websites that feature real-world applications of content.
2. Provide Multiple Means of Student Action and Expression
Give students options for expressing what they know.
3. Provide Multiple Means of Student Engagement
Use digital media and real-world cases to help students engage
with course material.
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING (CRT)
CRT refers to a set of principles that integrate cultural content that
enhances achievement for all. It acknowledges the legitimacy of the cultural
heritages of different ethnic groups, both as legacies that affect students’
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dispositions, attitudes, and approaches to learning and a worthy content to
be taught in the formal curriculum. Following are four main ideas to apply
CRT in your classroom:
1. Establish inclusion by creating a learning environment in which
learners and teacher feel respected and connected to one another;
2. Develop a positive attitude toward learning by providing some
choices, which helps students find personal relevance in course
concepts, skills, and values;
3. Engender competence by incorporating relatable aspects of
various cultures and students’ lives through multicultural
information, resources, and materials in all the subjects.
Competence also emerges through on-going formative assessments
that help students check for understanding and consequently
increase trust in their own competence;
4. Enhance meaning through norms and practices that create
challenging and engaging learning experiences that include
learners’ perspectives and values.
