National Seminar

On
Energizing Inclusive Education through ODL Mode
Organized By
U P Rajarshi Tandon Open University, Shantipuram, Phaphamau, Allahabad
March 28-29, 2015

Title of the Paper

Issues, Challenges of Inclusive Education and Strategies through ODL Mode
Presented By
*Prof. (Dr.) Sr. Marion Mathew CJ
Head & Dean, Allahabad School of Education, SHIATS
*Ms. Neelima G Jha (Ph. D. Research Scholar)
Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology & Sciences
Deemed-to-be-University, Allahabad.

Issues, Challenges of Inclusive Education and Strategies through ODL Mode.

*Prof. (Dr.) Sr. Marion Mathew CJ
Head &Dean ASE SHIATS, Allahabad
*Ms. Neelima Jha, Research Scholar, SHIATS
Deemed-to-be University, Allahabad.

Education of children with special needs has come a long way; from special education to
integrated education and from integrated education to inclusive education (access to the main
stream). It requires education of children with special needs in regular schools, in their own
community and by regular teachers. Inclusion values diversity. It acknowledges every
learner’s fundamental right to learn and accepts that every child has unique abilities and
needs.
This has been supported by a number of policies and programmes from time to time. The
Education Commission (1966) drew attention to the education of children with disabilities.
The National Education Policy (1968) followed the commission’s recommendations and
suggested the expansion of educational facilities and development of an ‘integrated
programme’ to enable the handicapped children to study in regular schools. The scheme,
Integrated Education for Disabled Children (1974) laid emphasis on enrolling children with
disabilities in regular schools. The World Declaration on Education for All (1990), the
District Primary Education Programme (1994), the Persons with Disabilities Act (1995),
recommended changes in curriculum, assessment and removing architectural barriers, the
Serva Shiksha Abhiyan (2000), the Constitutional Provision, Article 21, for making education
a fundamental right which covers all the children, Right to Education Act (2009) were
instrumental for accelerating the pace of all the efforts made in this direction.
The National Policy on Education (1986) and revised policy in (1992) are the guiding
policies at all levels as it promoted the integration of children with mild disabilities into the
main stream and stated ‘the objective should be to integrate the physically and mentally
handicapped with the general community as equal partners, to prepare them for normal
growth, and to enable them to face life with courage and confidence.’

In spite of all the efforts made in this direction many children with special need do not have
access to education. The Rehabilitation council of India estimates that 30 million children
with special needs are in need of education; it aims to educate 10% of children by 2020
(Draft National Policy on Special Education, 2002). On the other side the regular schools
with inclusive orientation face many barriers and challenges. Some of the challenges are –

 Lack of access to the main stream: At present only 4 to 5% children with special
needs out of 30 million have access to education. Many schools do not show
willingness to cater to the needs of these children.
 The whole idea of inclusive education is defeated due to lack of awareness,
positive attitude and sensitivity on the part of teachers, classmates, parents and
community and as a result these children experience discrimination.
 Lack of trained teachers: Teachers lack competence and will to modify
methodology as per the need of children with special need and other children.
 Large class size: There are normally 60 to 70 students in a class which makes
individualized attention very difficult and teachers find it all the more difficult
with children with special needs.
 Lack of child-centred and relevant Curriculum: The curriculum lacks flexibility
and does not provide choice to these children. The teaching-learning material is
also not appropriate for children with and without special need.
 Lack of proper infrastructure
 Lack of participatory activities: Children with special need require such learning
environment in which they can learn by participating in small groups.

According to Dr. Melissa Heston, Associate Professor of Education, University of Northern

Iowa ‘When good inclusion is in place, the child who needs the inclusion does not stand out.
The inclusive curriculum includes strong parental involvement, students making choices, and
a lot of hands-on and heads-on involvement.’ To be able to deal with all the challenges
mentioned above it is necessary to sensitize people about it and focus on providing education
of three H - Head, Heart and Hand especially education of the Heart which is related to
feeling aspect. As the formal schooling is rigid in terms of time, curriculum, learning pace,
evaluation, and is unable to accommodate and retain children with special needs it is
necessary to look for an alternative strategy and approach. Providing education to all
including children with special need is the need of the hour and is one of the goals of all the
conventional, correspondence and distance education institutions. National Policy on
Education (1986) also states that ‘future emphasis shall be on Distance and Open Leaning
system to provide opportunity to the target groups’. Though the experience of learners with
special need will not be the same as studying in the main stream but the educational needs of
people can be addressed to a large extent.

Strategies for Inclusive Education through Open and Distance Learning Mode:
 Accessibility: ODL system is in a strategic position to provide education to the target
groups, anytime and anywhere (through multimedia) allowing them to learn at their
own pace to attain educational goals.
 Training programmes to be organised for all teachers to equip them with awareness
(inclusion) and competencies related to affective domain so that they will be more
sensitive, have a positive attitude and a strong will to be committed to their calling.
 Teaching learning Approaches: Teachers to be encouraged as they are the greatest
innovators in the classroom using a number of interactive approaches like-
discussion, participatory, role play, dramatization, group activity, brain storming,
mind map, encouraging collaboration among children, use of multimedia etc. to make
learning a pleasant experience for all the children.
 Building Relationships: Inclusion is about building relationships between teacher &
students, students & students, teachers & parents based on mutual respect and
acceptance.
 Flexible curriculum: a flexible and relevant curriculum with measurable and
achievable learning outcomes without affecting the quality. Preparation of child
centred learning material.
 Awareness programmes for parents can be organized so that they will know the
problem of their children and be supportive to them.
 Some learners with greater difficulties may prefer to study at home initially and later
join the regular school or continue with it, so learning materials, audio-visual
cassettes or working kits can be provided to them.

Conclusion: The realization of the slogan of the millennium EDUCATION FOR ALL is not
possible unless educational opportunities are provided to all including the children with
special needs. Knowing the massive number of children with special needs and limitations of
the formal system it is necessary that non-formal and informal mode of education provide
their support. Many open universities including IGNOU is providing need based education
and training. ODL mode provide flexible time, location and are self paced thus fitting into
such schedule which is suitable for children with special need. The role of ODL mode in
providing alternate schooling, making transition to formal schooling easy, providing learning
material and training cannot be ignored.

At the same time regular schools should be encouraged to welcome diversity and let the
children with special needs feel that they are welcomed.

References: Internet sites-

 Harman. B. Inclusion/Integration. Is there a difference? Retrieved from http://www.cdss. ca/

images/pdf/general_information/integration_vs_inclusion.pdf
 Open file on inclusive education. Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/ images /0012/
001252/125237eo.pdf
 Rao. I. Inclusive Education in the Indian Context. Retrieved from http://www.eenet.org. uk/
resources/docs/inclusive_education_indian.php
 Singh. Y.P. & A. Agarwal. (2013). Role of Open and Distance learning systems in Education
and Rehabilitation of Children with Special Needs. Retrieved from http://www.srjis.com/srjis
_new/ images/articles/25Dr.Yash Pal Singh170113.pdf
 Tang. Q. (2012). UNESCO: Flexible learning for inclusive education. Retrieved from
http://www.icde.org/en/icde_news/news_archive/2012/june/UNESCO
%3A+Flexible+learning+for+inclusive+education.b7C_wJzK4_.ips
 Examples of Inclusive Education, India. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/ rosa/
inclusiveInd.pdf