Importance of inclusive education

Inclusive education is such a special system that implies bringing together the educational needs of children with or without disabilities and evolving a common curriculum with a view to provide education to all in regular schools itself.

What is Inclusive Education?

Inclusive education means a system of providing education that welcomes all children in a shared learning environment. According to UNICEF, Inclusive education means all children in the same classrooms, in the same schools and real learning opportunities for groups who have traditionally been excluded. UNICEF further says, inclusive education is not only for children with disabilities, but also for speakers of minority languages.

Why is inclusive education important?

Inclusive system in education improves educational quality for all children and help to change discriminatory attitudes. In the programme of inclusive education, schools provide the setting for children’s first encounter with the world outside of their families, allowing for the formation of social relationships and interactions.

All parents want their children to be accepted by their peers, to have friends, and to live normal lives; their vision can become a reality for many disabled children in inclusive settings. When children attend classes that reflect the similarities and differences of people in the real world, they learn to value diversity. Children and their parents help to set learning objectives and make decisions that affect them so that the children get the right and effective education.

Students learn and play together in an inclusive classroom in Germany. | © Marius Becker/Corbis via Open Society Foundation

Respect and understanding in children grow up when children of different abilities and cultures play and learn together. Through inclusive education, friendships among all children can be developed. Schools are important places for children to make friends and learn social skills; in inclusive classes, children with and without disabilities learn alongside and from one another.

Exclusionary and segregatory education perpetuates discrimination against traditionally marginalized groups. Inclusive learning and teaching considers how schools, classrooms, programs, or lessons are designed to engage all students together actively. By taking into account a variety of needs, inclusive teaching ensures that everyone has equal access to learning.

Activities in Inclusive Education focus on principles and theories, current policies and best practices, and how to solve complex educational problems using creative solutions. This enables teachers to reach out to students who are frequently overlooked in the school system.

One of the great benefits of teaching methods in inclusive education has a broader impact on the community by increasing skill acquisition in the next generation. Here are the main advantages of inclusive education, as well as why it is so important in today’s society.

Inclusion means that all children receive appropriate educational programs. As a result, opportunities and participation in co-curricular and extracurricular activities will be increased for the betterment of every child, it does not matter if they are normal children or with disabilities. Schools can give students the best chance of making friends and more opportunities for interactions with others by ensuring inclusion in early childhood education.

The recognition and nurturing of diversity in communities is one of the primary benefits of inclusive education. It aims to bring together all children with or without disabilities in a classroom and provide everyone with the same opportunity for growing up and learning.

Inclusive education can foster relationships outside of school, increasing cooperation and collaboration among parents, children, and neighbors. In the classroom, the use of inclusive and special education teaching methods allows all students to engage meaningfully with the curriculum. This means that students from all backgrounds and learning abilities can reach their full potential. With the proper structure in place, children can attend lessons in regular classrooms, avoiding segregation or exclusion in the school environment.

Children with disabilities get opportunity and learn academic skills with higher expectations and quality instruction in inclusive education. Because the inclusive education philosophy is aimed at assisting all children in learning, everyone in the class benefits.

Conclusion

Inclusive education process to make sure education of all children and children can learn at their own pace and in their own way in this nurturing learning environment. Diversity and the unique contributions that each student brings to the classroom are valued in inclusive education. Every child feels safe and welcome in a truly inclusive environment.

References

1. Gagare, A. S. (2018). Role of Teacher in Inclusive Education. Aayushi International Interdisciplinary Research Journal (AIIRJ). V(I).
2. Mizan, M. M. R. (2022). Inclusive Education: Inclusive education: Definitions, characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of inclusive education. https://www.mizanurrmizan.info/2022/07/Inclusive-education-Definitions-characteristics-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-inclusive-education.html
3. Open Society Foundation. (2019). The Value of Inclusive Education. https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/explainers/value-inclusive-education
4. University of Bolton. (2020). Why Is Inclusive Education So Important? https://www.bolton.ac.uk/blogs/why-is-inclusive-education-so-important/