What is Inclusive Education?

Yangxia Lee, Lao PDR

Inclusive education should be viewed in terms of including traditionally excluded or marginalized groups or making the invisible visible. The most marginalized groups are often invisible in society: disabled children, girls, children in remote villages, and the very poor. These invisible groups are excluded from governmental policy and access to education. The Jomtien World Conference on Education for All (1990) set the goal of Education for All. UNESCO, along with other UN agencies, a number of international and national non-governmental organisations, been working towards achieving this goal- adding to the efforts made at the country level. Despite encouraging developments, it is recognised that current strategies and programmes have largely been insufficient or inappropriate with regard to needs of children and youth who are vulnerable to marginalisation and exclusion. Where programmes targeting various marginalized and excluded groups do exist, they have functioned outside the mainstream special programmes, specialized institutions, and specialist educators. Notwithstanding the best intentions, too often the result has been exclusion: second -rate educational opportunities that do not guarantee the possibility to continue studies, or differentiation becoming a form of discrimination, leaving children with various needs outside the mainstream of school life and later, as adults, outside community social and cultural life in general (UNESCO, 1999). Inclusive education seeks to address the learning needs of all children, youth and adults with a specific focus on those who are vulnerable to marginalisation and exclusion. It was adopted at the Salamanca World Conference on Special Needs Education (1994) and was restated in Dakar (paragraph 4).

Inclusive education means that: Schools should accommodate all children regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic or other conditions. This should include disabled and gifted children, street and working children, children from remote or nomadic populations, children from linguistic, ethnic or cultural minorities and children from other disadvantaged or marginalised areas or groups. (The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Act ion on Special Needs Education, para 3)

Rather than being a marginal theme on how some learners can be integrated in regular education, inclusive education is an approach that looks into how to transform education systems in order to remove the barriers that prevent pupils from participating fully in education. These barriers may be linked to ethnicity, gender, social status, poverty, disability etc. In some contexts certain ethnic minorities face discrimination in the classroom, in

other contexts the familys poverty might make it difficult for a family to afford sending their children to school. One group, in particular, most at risk of exclusion is learners with disabilities. However, this is not a homogeneous group. For example, two blind children in a same class are more likely to have different than similar needs: one might learn easily any academic subjects where as the other might face considerable difficulties in learning To meet the diverse need of all its students schools and other educational provisions need to be flexible and accommodating, they also need to seek out the children who are not there. Inclusive education examines how the educational provisions can be modified or changed to make sure that the education is relevant to the local context, that it includes and treats all pupils with respect and that it flexible so that all can participate. It is a transverse issue that cuts across all education initiatives- from early childhood education to primary education, vocational education, adult education, teacher education and curriculum development. It has implications for teacher training, curriculum development, local capacity building and community involvement and requires re-directing resources and inter-sectorial cooperation. It aims to enable both teachers and learners to feel comfortable with diversity and to see it as a challenge and enrichment in the learning environment, rather than a problem.

Disabilities in Asia-Pacific

Clovis Leong, Malaysia

The Asian-Pacific region has by far the largest number of people with disabilities in the world. Some 400 million people with disabilities live in the Asian and Pacific region. Most of them are poor, their concerns unknown and their rights overlooked. The majority of them are excluded from many social opportunities.

Traditionally children with disabilities have been overlooked and excluded from the education system. However, the idea that every child has a right to education has been gaining strength within the Asia-Pacific region. This right has been acknowledged by all East Asian and Pacific nations as signatories to United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons began in 1993, and this was an important step towards inclusive education in the region. Targets were set for increasing enrolments of disabled children, including them in national Education for All planning and several other issues such as awareness raising and curricula revision. Unfortunately while much progress in education has been made within the region, disabled children are still largely excluded. It is estimated that for the majority of countries in the region less than 10% of disabled children are enrolled in school. In some countries this figure is as low as 1-2% (UNICEF). These enrolment levels have increased as inclusive education becomes the accepted method of providing education to children with disabilities.

The Second Asia and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons began in 2003, and governments within the region made a significant commitment to ensuring education for children with disabilities. As part of this commitment the Biwako Millenium Framework sets out recommendations for regional policy for action and implementation. Seven areas for priority action were identified, and one of these was education for persons with disabilities. This section calls for governments to take action so that 75% of children and youths with disabilities are enrolled in school by 2010 and complete a full course of primary schooling.

Inclusive education is the most effective means to achieve these targets. This is the consensus among educationalists. Most countries in the region have networks of special schools but these reach a minority of children and youths with disabilities due to the large distances required to get to the special schools and high costs. These special schools also segregate disabled and non-disabled children. Often the result has been exclusion; second-rate' educational opportunities that do not guarantee the possibility to continue studies, or segregation becoming a form of discrimination, leaving children with various needs outside the mainstream of school life and later, as adults, outside community social and cultural life in general. Inclusive education allows disabled children to study closer to home at lower costs, and has the potential to reach many more children within the region. It is also a more effective means of achieving non-discriminatory education.

Inclusive Education, a strategy for achieving Education for All

As a result of the World Education Forum in Dakar, 2000, the challenge of exclusion from education has been put on the political agenda in many countries. This has helped to focus attention on a much broader range of children who may be excluded from or marginalized within education systems because of their apparent difficulties. These may include:

Those who are enrolled in education but are excluded from learning. Those who are not enrolled in schools but who could participate if schools were more flexible in their responses and welcoming in their approach; The relatively small group of children with more severe impairments who may have a need for some form of additional support.

The Dakar World Education Forum recognised the urgency to address the needs of these learners: Education systems must be inclusive, actively seeking out children who are not enrolled, and responding flexibly to the circumstances and needs of all learners

The ultimate goal of inclusive education is a school where all are participating and treated equally. However, it is important to remember that inclusive education is a constant process to ensure that Education for All really is for all.

When looking to reach the students who do not participate fully, it is important to give attention to the forms of education provided for all children, including a consideration of which children are given the opportunity to participate in school and which children are excluded and on what basis. Care has to be taken when looking into which children come to be categorized as being in some way special or excluded within particular contexts. In communities where all children, including children with disabilities, are sent to the local school, the community and the school take responsibility for all children. Bringing special needs thinking, where one group of children is identified as different, into such a context might diminish this sense of responsibility. It is also important to remember that a child categorized in one context as special might not be so in another and that children categorized within one group might have more different than similar needs. Experiences in different countries show that it is not sufficient to look at how to integrate one particular group of children, such as children with disabilities.

In some schools one can see that children categorized as having special needs might be in the same classroom, but have separate tasks to do or even a separate teacher. Communication and interaction with the other pupils then become difficult, and eventually the child is excluded within the class. Integrating one group of students may not address other grounds for discrimination in classrooms. So, when moving towards more inclusive policies and practice, the focus needs to be on strategies to remove barriers to learning and participation for all children. It is necessary to look into how schools can be modified or changed to make sure that the education is relevant to the local context, includes and treats all pupils with respect and is flexible so that all can participate. This requires re-directing resources and inter-sectorial cooperation and has implications on the following areas:

1. Policy Development In some countries policies exist that open up a possibility for authorities not to take responsibility for certain groups of children. Often this applies to children with severe intellectual disability, but it might also refer, for instance, to ethnic minorities or children without a birth certificate. Also in a great number of countries, the education of some specific groups of learners might be the responsibility of another authority than the Ministry of Education. Often this allows for a situation where these learners are not expected or encouraged to participate in mainstream education.

2. Curriculum Development Within the education system the curriculum may be one of the major obstacles for inclusion. In many countries the curriculum is extensive and demanding, and centrally designed and rigid. The curriculum can facilitate the development of more inclusive settings if it leaves for the school or teacher to make adaptations so that it makes sense in the local context and for the individual learner. Linked to this is the issue of language of instruction. In many countries it may be different than the language that students use at home making it difficult for some of them to follow what is happening in the classroom. Bilingual education can help to address this problem.

3. Teacher Training

Often much of the teaching in the classroom is based on rote learning, meticulous following of textbooks and copying. In order to change the practices in the classroom into more child-friendly and flexible practices, teachers and schools need training building on the existing expertise. There also needs to be a school environment that encourages risk-taking so teachers have the time and dare try out new approaches, and for example do not have to worry about inspectors or head teachers not liking what they are doing. A whole school approach to school improvement has proven more effective in establishing change in schools, than training a few of the staff.

4. Local Capacity Building and Community Involvement The first task in building effective support for schools is to mobilize the resources that already exist in schools and the local community. In addition there might be need for some external support such as teams of teacher trainers or support teachers coming in on a regular basis. For instance, in some countries, the roles of the inspectors have changed from grading schools and teachers to giving pedagogical support on a regular basis. Often this type of support can also be derived from the elders in the local community.

UNESCO recognises that separate projects for marginalized and excluded groups do not have a huge impact. Instead, UNESCO promotes inclusive approaches throughout its activities. UNESCO concentrates on how we can work together to raise the quality of education for all students. The focus of the work has been on:

strengthening inclusive approaches in national EFA plans, education policies and strategies developing approaches and resource materials to address diverse needs in education supporting national capacity building for government policy-making and system management gathering and disseminating information and ideas

Barriers to Inclusive Education

There is a long list of barriers that hinder inclusive education. These are summarised below.

Attitudes The greatest barriers to inclusion are caused by society, not by particular medical impairments. Negative attitudes towards differences result in discrimination and can lead to a serious barrier to learning. Negative attitudes can take the form of social discrimination, lack of awareness and traditional prejudices. Regarding disabled children some regions still maintain established beliefs that educating the disabled is pointless. Often the problem is identified as being caused by the child's differences rather than the education systems shortcomings.

Physical Barriers The vast majority of centres of learning are physically inaccessible to many learners, especially to those who have physical disabilities. In poorer, particularly rural areas, the centres of learning are often inaccessible largely because buildings are rundown or poorly maintained. They are unhealthy and unsafe for all learners. Many schools are not equipped to respond to special needs, and the community does not provide local backing. Environmental barriers included: doors, passageways, stairs and ramps and recreational areas. A major problem identified by many students is physically getting into school.

Curriculum In any education system, the curriculum is one of the major obstacles or tools to facilitate the development of more inclusive system. Curriculum is often unable to meet the needs of a wide range of different learners. In many contexts, the curriculum is centrally designed and rigid, leaving little flexibility for local adaptations or for teachers to experiment and try out new approaches. The content might be distant to the reality in which the students live, and therefore inaccessible and unmotivating.

Teachers Teachers' abilities and attitudes can be major limitations for inclusive education. The training of staff at all levels is often not adequate. Where there is training it often tends to be fragmented, uncoordinated and inadequate. If teachers do not have positive attitudes towards learners with special needs, it is unlikely that these children will receive satisfactory education.

Language and communication Teaching and learning often takes place through a language which is not the first language of some learners. This places these learners, at a disadvantage and it often leads to significant linguistic difficulties which contribute to learning breakdown. Second language learners are particularly subject to low expectations and discrimination.

Socio-economic factors Inadequacies and inequalities in the education system and are most evident in areas which have sustained poverty and high levels of unemployment. The impact of violence and HIV/AIDS can also have adverse effects.

Funding A major constraint is serious shortages of resources lack of schools or inadequate facilities, lack of teachers and/or shortage of qualified staff, lack of learning materials and absence of support. The inadequacy of resources available to meet the basic needs in education is a pervasive theme. It is estimated that achieving education for all will require additional financial support by countries and donors of about US$ 8 billion per year (Dakar Framework for Action, 2000).

Organisation of the education system Education systems are often centralised and this can inhibit change and initiative. Responsibility for decisions tends to be located at the highest level and the focus of management remains orientated towards employees complying with rules rather than on ensuring quality service delivery. There is also a lack of information within many systems and often there is not an accurate picture of the number of learners excluded from the school system. Only a small percentage of learners who are categorised as having special needs' receive appropriate education in ordinary schools or special settings and there is no support available for those learners who are outside the system. Existing provision after primary school is inadequate to meet the needs.

Policies as barriers Policy makers who do not understand or accept the concept of inclusive education are a barrier to the implementation of inclusive policies. In some countries there may still exist policies that facilitate the possibility for authorities to declare that some children are uneducatable'. Usually this practice applies to children with severe intellectual disability. In some other countries, the education of some specific groups of learners might the responsibility of another authority than the Ministry of Education. Very often this leads to a situation where these learners are not expected to participate in mainstream education and, consequently, they do not have equal opportunities for further education or employment.

Overcoming the barriers

Despite all the problems, many countries in the region are making efforts to reach out to excluded children. Some examples of methods used to overcome barriers are summarised below. Attitude Creating a more inclusive system requires a new approach in attitude. Simply placing children with special needs within the school system will not lead to meaningful inclusion. The focus needs to shift from seeing the problem as the child's differences to problem identification with the unwelcoming school system. In order to change the school system, there first must be change in the attitudes of the stakeholders. One way of improving stakeholders' attitudes towards inclusive education is to raise awareness of the potential benefits of inclusive education for all students.

If implemented well, inclusive education benefits all children through more child-centred teaching techniques, more focus on individual needs and a diversity friendly environment. However, to gain support from communities, people must be aware of the benefits inclusive education can bring to all children. Stakeholders might not be willing to devote their time to a process that does not seem to contribute to development in general. There might be also difficulties in soliciting the support of all groups concerned if the inclusion process is seen to be benefiting only certain groups, such as learners with a certain disability or from a certain ethnic minority.

The work towards more inclusive education needs to be seen as beneficial to centres, communities or the education system in the larger sense, not just adjustments that are being made to benefit a minority of children. Training and information disbursement help increase awareness of the issues involved.

Physical access and learning environment Where physical factors pose barriers to learning and participation, simple ramps and internal classroom arrangements can easily help the situation. Furthermore, improvements in the physical environment of the centres of learning, such as the design of the building, the availability of water, electricity and toilet/sewerage facilities will enable students to participate in the range of learning activities in and out of the classroom. These changes benefit all students.

Curriculum and Assessment Curriculum needs to be relevant to the children and flexible enough to respond to all children's needs. The curriculum can facilitate the development of more inclusive settings when it leaves room for the centre of learning or the individual teacher to make adaptations so that it makes better sense in the local context and for the individual learner.

As stated in the Expanded Commentary on the Dakar Framework for Action, Para 33, In order to attract and retain children from marginalized and excluded groups, education systems should respond flexibly Education systems must be inclusive, actively seeking out children who are not enrolled, and responding flexibly to the circumstances and needs of all learners To achieve this flexibility, teachers must move from curriculum-focused to child-focused teaching methods. This requires both teacher training and flexible rules concerning curriculum.

An inclusive curriculum also requires a flexible, success-oriented means of assessment, examination and evaluation. The assessment of children needs to be related to the aims of the curriculum, the culture of the child and the way in which the curriculum is designed and delivered.

Teacher training and support In addition to being re-trained in curriculum and evaluation, teachers need to be trained to change their attitude of special needs children. Teachers can be trained to view those who do not fit into existing arrangements as offering surprises'; that is, opportunities that invite further inventiveness. This implies a more positive view of differences.

Teachers must also be supported with appropriate materials. Lack of teaching/learning materials may hamper the quality of education. Teachers need support for their work in terms of information and background materials so that they can prepare their lessons and update their own knowledge. Also locally made learning/teaching materials can enhance considerably the quality of the learning/teaching process.

Community involvement Meaningful inclusion necessitates community participation. The community can adapt the concepts of inclusive education to their specific situation. In addition, if leaders within the community demonstrate strong support for the change process, teachers, other staff and the community are more likely to devote the time and resources necessary for the process.

Family involvement Centres of learning are often not sufficiently connected to the families and communities they are supposed to serve. Partnership with carers is essential to the effective and efficient delivery of a quality education service. A great challenge is to get the families of the most marginalised students involved. Investing in adult education for

carers might facilitate them getting involved in the life around the centre of learning. The centre of learning might also make efforts to ensure that the information provided to carers about their children's education is in a language understandable for them and with a vocabulary that is accessible.

Training within the education system To achieve changes within the education system towards inclusion, those within the education system must first understand and support the concept. Therefore the development of a more inclusive education system requires training and retraining of all education personnel. Administrators and education managers from ministries of education, local governments, district services, voluntary organisations, NGOs, etc. need to be introduced to the principle of inclusion and its implications to the system at different levels.

Policy changes Strong political will and government commitment is critical to achieve inclusive education. Policy makers must be made aware of the importance and benefits of inclusive education. Inclusion in education is not likely to expand unless concerted efforts to promote more mainstream approaches are made at the national level. To assist this process inclusion can be linked to a reform of the education system as a whole. Inclusive education ties closely together with the goal of Education of All and could be adopted as a philosophy to guide the EFA national action plans.

However if governments plan to achieve inclusion, they need to define a set of inclusive principles and more practical aspects to guide the transition process through those principles. The principles of inclusion, set out in international declarations, need to be interpreted in the context of individual countries.