INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Inclusive Education

Inclusive Education

Introduction

The word 'inclusion' obviously comes from 'include', and signifies the act of including. Its significance arises from questions of treatment according to the value of equality. In educational terms, it is the opposite of 'exclusion' - instead of trying to get rid of difficult or problematic youngsters, it means including all types of learners, whatever their background, difficulties or disabilities. Many schools are still 'exclusive', especially selective schools, which do not admit those pupils who are unlikely to reach high standards. Specialist schools are able to select at least a proportion of their intake on the basis of aptitude for their particular specialism. 'Faith' schools admit pupils mainly on the basis of their parents' religious allegiance. (Witmer, 2007 1-9)

A truly inclusive school would not set criteria of this sort, but would meet the needs of the whole range of pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities. However, pupils with the severest disabilities need special facilities, and realistically have to attend schools which can provide these resources. Schools are expected to have policies which demonstrate inclusiveness. They should be able to show how they work with vulnerable children and pupils at risk of exclusion to keep them in school. They must monitor the achievement of all children to make sure that they are progressing at least as well as would be expected, including pupils from various ethnic minorities, and pupils with specific difficulties and disabilities. In this way, no one should be excluded from the opportunities offered in school. (Campbell 1996, 78-80)

This is all part of what is called the Every Child Matters agenda (ECM), in which the emphasis is on 'every'. Schools have a responsibility to promote the 'five outcomes' of ECM. These are to ensure that all children are enabled to be healthy; stay safe; enjoy and achieve; make a positive contribution; achieve economic well-being. There is a clash between a school's wish to be inclusive, and its desire to reach higher standards. Admitting certain pupils might depress results. (Ainscow 1999, 12-15)

Discussion

Special educational needs is the official term in the UK applied to children who are identified as having learning difficulties which may require additional support or provision to ensure they reach their potential.

Origins And Definitions

The term 'special educational needs' is often used to describe many different physical and learning needs and combinations of needs which have an impact on the form and content of educational provision most appropriate for the child. Now widely used, the term came into being in 1978, when the Warnock Report from the Commission on Special Education (DES, 1978) concluded that children should not be identified according to 'handicap' and sent to schools which specialised in dealing with that particular 'category' of difficulty, but rather that educational difficulties should be identified and provided for accordingly. The term 'Special Educational Needs' (SEN) thus became key in UK education legislation and has been familiar to teachers, other practitioners, parents and policy-makers since that ...