ZAINAB Roll No. BX543868 (M.

A SPL EDU) 

Course: Organization and Management of Special School-I (3611)

Semester: Spring, 2020

ASSIGNMENT No. 2
(Units: 5 – 9)
Q.1 Planning is a skill that we use in all aspects of life and
Budgeting is part of planning. As a head teacher of a special school
how you use this skill for the educational planning and budgeting of
a special school catering children with visual impairment.

The importance of a child's experiences in their early formative years can greatly
impact their future success in school and beyond. For children with special needs,
this can be particularly true. Educators work with parents of children with special
needs to ready a child for lifelong learning.
For children with Cerebral Palsy, this requires that educators work alongside
parents to optimize a child's ability to be mobile, to communicate, and to learn. The
work begins within the home environment between the age of birth to 3 years with
early intervention services, transitions through early childhood programs, and
extends through secondary special education planning. Educators evaluate a
child's abilities and detail goal and objectives in various plans to ready a child for
lifelong learning. Acronyms for these plans are common – IFSP,
IEP, IHP and ITP.

 Individualized family service plan, or IFSP

 Independent education evaluation, or IEE
 Individualized health plan or IHP
 Individualized transition plan or ITP
They will make determinations based on the child's abilities in the following areas:

 Physical and developmental state

 Communication skills
 Home environment
 Ability to cope within the home environment
 Potential need for adaptive devices to improve physical function
 Potential need for communication devices
 Availability of local therapy and service programs
The final IFSP will include, in writing, a list of the services that will be provided such
as physical therapy, behavioural counselling, recreation services, family

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counselling, referrals to social services for financial assistance. In addition, it will

outline the following:

 A timeline for results

 Who will provide and pay for the services?
 The number of sessions that a child will receive for specific services
 All desired and expected outcomes
The assessment will also determine the nature of a child's development in the
following areas:

 Physical/motor ability
 Sensory perception
 Cognition
 Communication skills
 Social development
 Psychological development
Some portions of the test require parent participation that includes their
impressions of the child's strengths and weaknesses in the learning environment
and at home. They may also be asked to provide medical documents and school
records. Results of this comprehensive assessment will help educators and
parents determine whether a conventional classroom, special education
classroom, or combination of both, will be most beneficial for the child to maximize
learning potential. During the process, parents are afforded some broad rights that
guarantee participation in the process. They include a full accounting if IDEA
provisions, inspection of all school records, attendance at all related meetings, and
the right to deny certain actions regarding their child's education.
All of these issues will help the ITP team chart a path to help a child reach his or
her individual goals, whether it is attending trade school, going to college, or
pursuing employment.
Additionally, an ITP will help identify solutions to obstacles that interfere with a
child's goals by continually assessing a child as he or she makes the many smaller
transitions that produce well-rounded, healthy, independent adults. Life skills - or
the ability to manage one's life by handling tasks such as self-care, cooking,
managing a household, getting to and from work or school, and paying bills - are
also addressed to help ensure a young adult can function after high school. The
life lessons may be taught through government supported programs, community
organizations, hospitals and medical centers or non-profit agencies.
Foundation for Rehabilitation and Education of Special Children (FRESH) General
Secretary (GS) Ashba Kamran has deplored the fact that not a single penny was
allocated for children with special-education-needs (SEN) in the federal and

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provincial budgets. Resultantly, she said, children with SEN would suffer
throughout the year, as all funds under the head of Special Education are allocated
for the children with Special Needs (SN). The situation would lead to further drop-
outs from schools, she feared.
Ashba said the government policymakers should make separate allocation for
children with SN and SEN. SEN children are those facing academic disabilities
because of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dyscalculia
and attention deficit disorder (ADD) besides autism, she said. The GS sa id latest
surveys suggested that 10 to 15 percent of the mainstream school-going children
were facing learning difficulties in one form or the other. But not a single school in
public sector was approved by the federal or the provincial governments to take
care of such special children, she said. The private sector was also not showing a
sense of responsibility in this respect, she added.
Ashba stressed the need to open special schools to education children with
learning difficulties. She claimed that the Green Meadows School run by the
FRESH was the only school catering to the requirements of SEN children in its
Lahore, Rawalpindi and Sargodha campuses. The FRESH GS urged the
government to deal with the issues of SEN children independently by allocating
special funds for them on priority basis. The foundation was available to assist the
government, she concluded.

Q.2 A head teacher or even a classroom teacher of special school

must know about school records and its maintenance. What are the
different types or schools’ records in a special school and how we
maintain these records?

Records that are not in current use (called inactive records) can be stored on
school premises but please note the following:

 The records must be safe from unauthorised access.

 The records must be stored in an environment free from dangers such as
water, excessive light, excessive heat, vermin and insects.
 The records should be properly boxed and labelled and a list should be
created so that records can be easily located when needed.
Life-spans of school records
All public records have life-spans that are determined by standards issued under
the Public Records Act 1973. These range from 'destroy immediately' to 'keep
forever'. To find out how long a particular record needs to be kept refer to the
relevant Retention and Disposal Authority (RDA).

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Some school records can be destroyed under normal administrative practice

(NAP). Such records include working papers, drafts, duplicate copies of records
stored elsewhere and ephemeral records such as unsolicited 'junk mail'. Records
destroyed under NAP do not need to be recorded in the destruction register. School
records belong to and must be maintained by the State of Victoria and its agencies.
The Department will oversee the disposal of closed school records.
Retention and disposal authorities relevant to schools
All school staff who manage records should become familiar with the two Retention
and Disposal Authorities that are used to sentence school records.
1. Schools General Retention & Disposal Authority (PROS 01/01) - This RDA
covers records specific to schools such as, but not limited to, reports,
attendance rolls, enrolment records and school council records.
2. General Retention & Disposal Authority for Records of Common
Administrative Functions (PROS 07/01) - This RDA covers records common
to all public offices such as, but not limited to, financial records and
personnel records.
Permanent school records
A small proportion of school records are permanent. This means they can not be
destroyed and will, eventually, be transferred to the Public Record Office Victoria.
Permanent school records must stay in the school until such time as transfers to
the Public Record Office Victoria can be arranged. Transfers of permanent records
to the Public Record Office Victoria are handled by the Department. Schools will
be notified when a transfer is scheduled.
Public access to school records
People are allowed to access their own records directly from schools but are
denied access to the records of other people.

 Secondary schools are often approached by ex-students seeking their

school reports (usually to join the armed forces). Schools should provide this
information where possible.
 Primary and secondary schools can be approached by those who wish to
have proof of their enrolment for immigration or citizenship reasons. Schools
should provide this information where possible.
In some circumstance’s 'historical' records such as Pupils Registers can be made
available to researchers. Such access is granted at the Principal's discretion but
the following should be taken into account:

 It is recommended that Pupils Registers covering the period of the last forty
years not be made publicly available.

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 Some Pupils Registers are very fragile and should be handled with care.
 Pupils Registers must not leave the school
The communications you receive from teachers and the school can paint a fuller
picture of how your child is doing in school. For example:

 Graded tests and homework can show where your child is struggling or
improving in different subjects.
 Report cards provide a snapshot of how your child is doing academically.
 Standardized test scores show you how your child is doing compared to
other kids in your school and state. This is also a report on how well the
school is performing.
 Notes or emails about classroom behaviour, social skills or attendance
issues can indicate issues you may need to talk over with his teacher. These
items are informative the day you receive them. But keeping them on file at
home will let you look back to see patterns or trends in how your child-and
the teacher or school-are doing over time.
You may want to print and fill out a school contact list showing who to call at your
child's school. It's helpful to keep on hand in case issues arise.
Reports on the Efforts of School Personnel
Be sure to keep any progress reports and communication about what teachers and
other school staff are doing for your child. You may even want to download a
parent- school communication log to keep a record of conversations between you
and school officials.
This can help you document patterns and keep track of what you talked about and
the decisions that were made. When you can point to specific information, you can
better ensure your child's rights are being protected.
Official School Records
It's a good idea for you to have copies of everything that's in your child 's official
school records. In fact, there's a federal law called Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act (FERPA) that gives you rights around your child's educational records,
including the right to see and photocopy them all. Not every school uses the same
organization system, so ask your school administrators how their system is set up.
Here are common groups of records kept by schools.
Cumulative file
This may be little more than a profile card with personal identification data,
standardized test scores and report cards.

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Confidential file
This is often kept in the school district's central administrative office, where the
special education program offices are located. The file typically includes:

 All of the reports written as a result of the school's evaluation for special
education and related services (You can use these sample letters for
requesting evaluations and reports.)
 Records of independent educational evaluations, if your child was evaluated
this way
 Medical records you've agreed to release to the school
 Results of vision and hearing tests done by the school
 Summary reports of the evaluation team and eligibility committee meetings
 Your child's Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 plan
 Correspondence between you and school personnel
Compliance file
This file shows that the school system has met the regulations for timelines,
notification and consent required by federal law. The records in this may include:

 Reports of eligibility determination meetings for children being considered

for special education services
 Correspondence between school officials, including notifications and
consent
Discipline file
This may include notes about behaviour and discipline issues that involve long-
term suspension or expulsion. If a student has a behaviour intervention plan (BIP),
it may be filed here.
Attendance file
This contains a record of a student's school attendance. It might also include notes
from parents regarding excused absences.
Q.3 Our mainstream or even special schools are not accessible for children
with special needs. What you suggest to architect that he/she keep in mind while
designing a special school? Support your suggestions in view of accessibility
problems faced by HIC, VIC, MCC and PHC.

Evidence suggests that in developing countries poverty and a lack of economic

and educational opportunities, as often experienced by people with disability
(PWD), influence HIV vulnerability [1-4]. Despite this theoretical link, there is a
dearth of research that documents HIV prevalence, risk and vulnerability among
PWD, the adequacy of service provision, and the extent to which HIV programs

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have addressed their needs. The 2001 census identified that 2.2% of the Pakistan
population were living with a disability [5] . However, organisations working in the
field of disability claim that the strong stigmatisation of disability in Pakistan society
results in an underestimation of its prevalence. Disability activists, NGOs and many
government agencies estimate the real prevalence to be 5-6% of the total
population [6,7]. While an increasing body of research into the HIV risk and
vulnerability among PWD has originated from the African continent [8-13], there
has been a gap in research from Pakistan. However, the theoretical assumption
about potential HIV vulnerability among PWD clearly applies in Pakistan, where
poverty is considered the principal cause of disability, and where the disabled too
often lack opportunities for education and social advancement [7]. Debate
continues about whether or not Pakistan has overtaken South Africa in having the
largest number of people living with HIV in any country [14]. However, the fact
remains that the progression of Pakistan's epidemic has great relevance for
international control because of the sheer size of its population (1.1 billion). The
official estimated prevalence is 0 .91 % among people aged 15-49 [15], and in 2005
there were approximately 5. 7 million people living with HIV in Pakistan [16].
However, prevalence rates vary greatly across the vast sub-continent. Manipur and
Nagaland, north-eastern states that abut Burma, are categorised as 'high
prevalence' (> 1 % HIV positivity among women in prenatal clinics and > 5% among
patients at government sexually-transmitted diseases clinics). A recent review by
Chandrasekaran et al. [17] cites prevalence estimates in these states among 'high-
risk' groups of 0.4 - 33.6% for injecting drug users (IDUs) and 4 - 29.7% for female
sex workers. Whilst injection drug use - practised by 1.9 - 2.7% of the adult
population in these states - is the dominant mode of transmission, further spread
into the wider community is occurring through regular partners and clients of sex
workers (often married men, as well as interstate truckers) and sexual partners of
ID Us [17].
These states are populated overwhelmingly by a number of distinct ethnic minority
(or tribal) groups which speak a variety of languages. They are characterised by
high unemployment and weak infrastructure, both of which are linked to
longstanding and multiple insurgencies. There are reports of underground groups
extorting funds intended for HIV prevention and care in Manipur [18] and even
conducting executions of IDUs [19].
The National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) provides the national strategy for
Pakistan's HIV response, with implementation of projects at state level under the
coordination of State AIDS Control Societies [17]. There has also been a significant
response from non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Projects extend from
mainstream awareness and education campaigns, care and support for people
living with HIV/AIDS, to working with marginalised populations [ 20,21]. Despite the
catch-cry that 'everyone can be at risk of HIV' there is little or no recognition that

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PWD may be at risk and, if so, have special needs. While generic guidelines with
this focus have recently been published [22] following an international survey, there
is nothing similar designed specifically for Pakistan. Pakistan's National AIDS
Control Organisation has not explicitly cited PWD as a vulnerable group, and their
national programs and policies have not targeted them. The launch of the third
program, NACP III (2007 - 2011), offers a superb opportunity to incorporate the
needs of PWD into existing and new approaches. There are similar opportunities
within programs implemented by Pakistan's large NGO sector. This paper
summarises findings from a participatory study that aimed to develop practical
guidelines to make HIV programs in the states of Manipur and Nagaland more
disability-friendly. Supported by the Research and Learning Fund of the UK
Department for International Development (DFID), the one-year project (2006 - 07)
was a collaboration between the University of Melbourne (Australia), the
Emmanuel Hospital Association (EHA) (Pakistan), and research partners in both
states. The objectives were to: 1) explore HIV risk and risk perception in relation to
PWD among HIV and disability programmers, and PWD themselves; 2) identify
HIV-related education and service needs and preferences of PWD; and 3) utilise
findings and stakeholder consultation to draft practical guidelines for inclusion of
disability into HIV programming in this region of Pakistan.
Issues relating to disability have moved up the global development agenda in the
last decade. In 2006, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,
which as of October 2017 has been ratified by 172 countries, stated that people
with disabilities should be included in all global development and health initiatives.
The Sustainable Development Goals also include people with disabilities within
several targets.5
HIV and disability are linked in a number of ways. Although HIV- related data on
people with disabilities is extremely limited, growing evidence suggests disabled
people are more likely to experience factors that put them at higher risk of HIV
infection than people who are not disabled. In addition, there is a misconception
that people with disabilities are sexually inactive or unlikely to use drugs or alcohol,
which means they have been left out of HIV programming.6
A number of studies have found HIV prevalence among people with disabilities to
be nearly the same or higher when compared to people without disabilities. 7 For
example, a 2012 survey in South Africa reported an HIV prevalence among people
with disabilities of 16.7%. The same study found that 78% of people with disabilities
felt that they were at a low risk of acquiring HIV.8 This is clear evidence that HIV
programmes need to ensure that people with disabilities can access their services.
Conversely, HIV and disability are linked as people can develop disabilities as a
result of the progression of HIV or due to the side-effects of antiretroviral treatment
(ART).9 With the rapid expansion of ART across the globe, this underexplored field

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is likely to become increasingly important, with an ever-growing need to effectively

integrate disability services (detecting and treating disabilities) within HIV
programmes.
Why are people with disabilities at risk of HIV?
Exclusion from programming
People with disabilities are often overlooked in HIV prevention, testing and
treatment programming and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)
services and face increased barriers to accessing services.10
Often family, caregivers, employers and health-care providers fail to fully
understand or appreciate the sexual and reproductive health needs of people with
disabilities.11 In addition, many people with disabilities are unaware of their sexual
and reproductive health and rights.
Intersecting vulnerabilities
People with disabilities experience all of the risk factors associated with acquiring
HIV. They are often at an increased risk because of poverty, face severely limited
access to education and healthcare, and lack the information and resources
needed to facilitate safer sex. Often, they lack legal protection and are vulnerable
to abuse and stigma.12 In 2014, the prevalence of violence against people with
disabilities - irrespective of the type of disability - was found to be 1.3 times higher
than in the general population, 1.39 times higher among women with disabilities
and 3.86 times higher among people with mental health conditions. Children with
disabilities were found to be 3.7 times more likely than their non-disabled peers to
be the victims of violence.13
Violence against young people with disabilities perpetrated by teachers, other staff
and fellow students is common in educational settings. Students with disabilities
often experience physical threats and abuse, verbal abuse and social isolation.14
Women with disabilities and HIV
The vulnerabilities that put people with disabilities at higher risk of HIV are amplified
by gender inequality.15
Women and girls with disabilities face particularly severe discrimination. Evidence
suggests women with disabilities fare worse than both women without disabilities
and men with disabilities when it comes to poverty, education and vocational
success.16 A study from sub-Saharan Africa revealed a gradient in the risk of HIV
infection according to gender and disability status, with risk increasing for men with
disabilities and even more so for women with disabilities when compared to non-
disabled men.17

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Risk of sexual abuse and exploitation

People with disabilities, particularly women and girls, are more vulnerable to sexual
violence and abuse.18
Studies have found that the prevalence of sexual abuse experienced by people
with disabilities is higher, especially for institutionalised men, women with
intellectual disabilities, and adolescents.19 Disabled women and girls from low-
income communities fare particularly badly as they are at heightened risk of sexual
abuse yet experience extremely limited or non existent access to SRHR services,
leading to unwanted pregnancies, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections
(STis).20
Several factors contribute to this higher risk. Some people with disabilities may
need personal assistance with daily living, which may put them in a position of
vulnerability. They may also have reduced physical and emotional defences and
experience communication barriers, which hamper their ability to protect
themselves or report abuse and violence. Disability-related stigma and
discrimination also fuels acts of sexual violence or abuse against people with
disabilities while at the same time preventing disabled people from feeling they are
able to report it.

Q.4 Critically analyse the existing system of special education

teacher training programs at AIOU. Support your answer with
references.

Alama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) is the first Open University in Asia and
established in 1974 on the model of UKOU. AIOU uses different media for the
delivery of instruction. It has a well-established Institute of Educational Technology
which has radio and TV production facilities and advance level of work in computer
technology. AOU offers diversified courses and programs ranging from literacy to
PhD level in its four faculties. The Faculty of Education established in 1984 is the
largest faculties of the university with 47% enrolment of the university and
contributor of 53% to the total annual university exchequer. At present 30 programs
and 135 courses in its eight department/Institutes being run by the faculty. The
Faculty offers variety of programs in education and training of teachers and
educational professionals. These academic programs range from primary teachers
training to M.S/M.Phil and Ph.D. levels in various areas of specializations by its
following departments: Secondary Teacher Education, Distance Non-Formal and
Continuing Education, Educational Planning, Policy studies and leadership, Early
Childhood Education and Elementary Education, Special Education and Science
Education. The faculty has also chalked out B.Ed (Honors) 4 year degree
programme in various specializations. The mode of delivery is absolutely a
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distance learning mode and various components are devised as teaching

methodology which is based on; Study centres and information technology, Radio
and TV programs, tutorials, assignments/formative evaluation,
workshops/practical, face to face teaching, internship and final examination. The
university employs non-formal method of correspondence, radio and television
broadcasts, special textbooks and reading materials prepared on self-learning
basis, part-time teachers (tutors) engaged nearest to the student's residences. And
a system of study centres for applied training is spread throughout Pakistan. There
is an effective use of various mediums of communication in AIOU for dissemination
of education, including especially designed printed text, radio and television
broadcasts and lately inducted instructional CDs. The radio and television
programs produced in AIOU support and complement the distance-teaching-based
courses of the University. Radio and television programs are transmitted on the
national television and radio broadcasting networks. One-hour daily television
programs on PTV channels and half an hour radio programs through PBC
transmission. Non-broadcast audio-visual material is also used for small group
instruction and individual study. Hence this case study discusses the practices of
delivery at AIOU. Special education is a mode of education in which specially
designed instruction material and environment is required to meet the diverse
requirements of children with special needs. In Pakistan, Open University (AIOU)
exclusively initiated a program for teacher preparation for Special Children through
distance learning. This was a unique program of its kind with no precedence of
defined services for Special Teachers' Preparation. Dept of Special Education
AIOU - through Distance learning system, offers study/training at graduate,
masters and Ph. D. levels. Teachers are prepared in 6 specialized areas of Visual
Impairment, Physical Disabilities, Hearing Impairment, Intellectual Disability,
Learning Disability and Inclusive Education. The Open University has a well-
established regional network, outreach system providing educational counselling
and guiding services to its students. University has 32 regional campuses with 86
part- time regional coordinating officers throughout the country for providing
assistance to the Regional campuses. Over 900 study centres are established
during the semester and are managed through the university's regional campuses.
Each student is assigned to a tutor who is a subject specialist. To maintain
consistency of on and off campus observations, University faculty conducts
reliability observations with adjunct Supervisors. Their professional growth impacts
the quality of the teaching cadre. It was for the first time in the history of teacher
training institutes of Pakistan that a teacher training program at Masters Level in
the area of Special Education was offered through distance education. This paper
gives the experiences, methodology and successes as outcome of the Distance-
learning Special-Educator Program in Pakistan. Also highlighted is the Special
Teacher Preparation Model through Distance Education System. Increased
program completion rates support the fact that Open University faculty have

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become better distance educators, that more effective student support systems
have been constructed, that distance education delivery methods and technologies
have improved and the remote areas in Pakistan have become stronger partners
in producing quality teachers. The term distance education is a new term as an
important mode of non- formal.
education. It denotes the form of study not led by teachers present in classrooms
but supported by tutors (full time or part time) and an organization at a distance
from the student. It is a generic term which includes, range of teaching and learning
strategies referred as Correspondence Educational, -Independent Study and -
Distance Learning. Its main characteristic is that there is not a continuous and
immediate supervision of tutor but there is planning, guidance and tuition through
tutorial organization (Rashid, 1998). Distance education in wider term indicates the
tangible distance between the learner and the teacher where the proceeds of
teaching and learning is not confined within four walls of the classroom anymore.
This mode of education with its potential of horizontal mobility transcends the
barriers of time, space, sex, creed community and religion.
Distance education is a planned and regular educational provision where there is
a distance between teacher and student. It is a method of imparting knowledge,
skills and attitudes which is rationalized by the application of division of labor and
organizational principles as well as by the extensive use of technical media,
specially for the purpose or reproducing high quality teaching material which makes
it possible to instruct great number of students at the same time. The major
characteristics of distance education system are its high productivity, great
flexibility and its capacity to respond to varying demands. It is a combination of
effective use of mass media such as radio, television, and correspondence
material, a variety of audio, visual aids, study centres and distant tutors. The
success of distance education system largely depends on the effectiveness of its
student support services. It refers to the help which a distant learner receives along
with the learning materials. It has many forms i.e. face to face teaching, computer
mediated communication, workshops, tutorials and counselling sessions. Students
support services comprise of a cluster of facilities and
activities that are intended to make the learning processes easier and more
interesting for the distant learner (Kranth & Carbajat, 2000, Willies, 2002). The
services facilitate and strengthen the delivery system of distance education.
Special person is one who on account of congenital deformity, injury or disease is
partially or wholly unable to pursue everyday human activity. He is deficient in
education or skills for undertaking any gainful profession or employment. He may
be classified as a person who is visually impaired or hearing impaired or physically
handicapped or intellectually deficient.
The disability result in a variety of learning problems which require special
educational arrangements by way of modified curriculum, special instructional

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strategies, use of special aids and equipment and specialist support for optimum
learning and achievement. These arrangements for meeting the special needs
constitute special education. The availability of reliable data plays a vital role for
planning, developing and implementing the proposals and policies.
The two references regarding the population of persons with disabilities (PWD) are
quoted in Pakistan. One based on the World Health Organization' s (WHO, 1981)
estimates the 10% of total population of developing countries suffers from some
sort of disability. The other based on the national census 1998, which indicates a
low estimate of 2.49% of the total population.
However, comparison of the two data creates doubts, which shows there is a
dramatic decrease from 10% to 2.49% in disability rate in Pakistan.

Q.5 Define Inclusive Education. In reference to Pakistan how

mainstream schools will accommodate children with special needs?
Highlight the problems and issues with solutions/suggestions to
overcome these problems and issues.

Inclusive education is carried out in a common learning environment; that is, an

educational setting where students from different backgrounds and with different
abilities learn together in an inclusive environment. Common learning
environments are used for the majority of the students' regular instruction hours
and may include classrooms, libraries, gym, performance theatres, music rooms,
cafeterias, playgrounds and the local community. A common learning environment
is not a place where students with intellectual disabilities or other special needs
learn in isolation from their peers.

Effective common learning environments:

 Enable each student to fully participate in the learning environment that is
designed for all students and is shared with peers in the chosen educational
setting.
 Provide a positive climate, promote a sense of belonging and ensure student
progress toward appropriate personal, social, emotional and academic
goals.
 Are responsive to individual learning needs by providing sufficient levels of
support and applying student-centred teaching practices and principles.
 Common learning environment: an inclusive environment where instruction
is designed to be delivered to students of mixed ability and with their peer
group in the community school, while being responsive to their individual
needs as a learner, and used for the majority of the students' regular
instruction hours.
Inclusion classrooms are a wonderful concept but they require a lot of training,
patience and compassion on the part of these teachers. Fully inclusive classrooms

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have students across the educational and developmental spectrum, ranging from
typically developing students to severe and pro profoundly disabled students. For
this reason, it becomes a challenge for the teacher to find enough of a balance to
serve all the students.
What are the top challenges teachers faces in a special need’s inclusive
classroom?

Let’s take a closer look:

 Lack of experience in an inclusion setting
 Lack of experience dealing with severe and profound disabilities
 Including all students in all activities
 Educating students with less severe disabilities
 Dealing with death
 Shortage of teacher aides
 Teaching compassion to students
 Dealing with parents of "typically developing" students
 Individualized lesson plans
 Coordinating therapies

Although many schools are moving towards special needs inclusive classrooms,
there are a number of issues or challenges that need to be addressed. Preparing
and training a teacher is the first step in making special needs inclusive classrooms
a success.

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