MODULE

3- Making Schools Inclusive

INTRODUCTION
The definition of inclusive school
impinges on human rights, dignity and
equalization of opportunities. The 2000 Agenda
for Sustainable Development further built on
these principles and the  on Education and
the Education 2000 Framework for
Action emphasize Education for All as a way to
conceptualize inclusive education, and make a
pledge to “leave no one behind”. Education for
All takes into account “the needs of the poor and
the most disadvantaged, including working
children, remote rural dwellers and nomads, ethnic and linguistic minorities, children,
young people and adults affected by conflict, HIV/AIDS, hunger and poor health; and
those with special learning needs”. DepEd order 72, S. 2009, addresses the right of the
children with special needs within the regular or “inclusive setting”. Inclusive Education
embraces the philosophy of accepting all children in the school community.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

After working through this module you should be able to :

a. explain the concept of Inclusive Education

b. demonstrate inclusive values
c. shares salient features of Inclusive Education
d. describe ways on how to accommodate learners with disability in the inclusion program.
e. Identify curriculum instructions for learners with exceptionalities.

LEARNING APPROACH

A. ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Please watched the animated video by clicking the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HPh4RoV63s- Inclusive Education -
Education Equity Now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SnXBKEfr2s

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 B. ANALYSIS
Describe the pictures using the three words EQUALITY,EQUITY and LIBERATION.
Explain your answers

C. ABSTRACTION
Concepts and Definition of inclusive education
The definition of inclusive school impinges on human rights, dignity and equalization of
opportunities. Inclusion describe process by which a school attempts to respond to all pupils as
individuals by reconsidering its curricular organization and provision. Through this process, the
school builds capacity to accept all pupils from the local community who wish to attend and in
so doing, reduces the need to exclude pupils.
Inclusion is a right, not a privilege for a select few ( Oberti vs. Board of Education in
Clementon School District). Usually families, professionals and advocacy groups would initiate
the move for inclusion.
Inclusion also means providing all students within the mainstream appropriate
educational programs that are challenging yet geared to their capabilities and needs as well as
any support and assistance they and/or their teachers may need to be successful in the
mainstream. But inclusive school is a place where everyone belongs, is accepted and is supported
by his peers and other members of the community in the course of having his or her educational
needs met (Stainback & Stainback, 1990).
D. Conceptualization of Integration, Mainstreaming, and Inclusion
Integration was the term used for the past last forty years for the program that allowed
children and youth with disabilities to study in regular classes and learn side by side with their

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peers. At present, when it is no longer unusual to find blind, deaf and even mentally retarded
students participating in regular class activities at certain periods of the school day, the
preferred term is mainstreaming.
In mainstreaming, children who have moderate or severe forms of disabilities are
mainstreamed (not officially enrolled) in regular classes in non-core subjects.
On the other hand in inclusion, children with disabilities are enrolled in regular classes and
may recite in non-core subjects or in all subjects.
Below are the concepts that summarize the framework of inclusive education.
Inclusive education is a flexible and individualized support system for children and
young people with special educational needs (because of a disability or for the other reasons) It
forms an integral component of overall education system and it is provided in regular schools
committed to an appropriate education for all.
Inclusive education preferably takes place in regular class, in the student’s nearest regular
school. Separation from the regular class environment, weather partially, or in exceptional
cases, fully occurs only where there is evidence that education in a regular class, accompanied
by supplementary support and services, fails to meet the student’s educational, emotional and
social needs.
Inclusive education recognizes and responds to the diversity of children’s needs and abilities,
including differences in their ways and places of learning
This requires a fundamental change both in educational practice and in the design of
educational services. This reality is that inclusion involves changes in philosophy, curriculum,
teaching strategy and structural organization.

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 E. SALIENT FEATURES OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Inclusive school is described as one that embraces diversity with the following features:

First, inclusion means implementing and maintaining warm and accepting

classroom communities that embrace diversity and honor differences.

Teachers who are concerned with creating classroom in which all students are accepted
take active steps to understand individual differences and create an atmosphere of
respect.

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 Second, inclusion means implementing a multi-level, multi-modality
curriculum.

A broader curriculum which include multi-modality, child-centered, interactive and

participatory activities make inclusion easier. The trend is moving away from rigid use of
textbooks and basal-driven frontal teaching to cooperative learning.

Third, inclusion means preparing and supporting teachers to teach

interactively.

The classroom model for one teacher trying to meet the needs of an entire group of
children single-handedly is being replaced by structures in which students work together,
teach one another and actively participate in their own and their classmate. Students in
the classroom do not compete with each other but learn with and from others.

Fourth, inclusion means providing ongoing support for teachers in the

classroom and breaking down barriers of professional isolations.

The hallmarks of inclusion include co-teaching, team teaching, collaboration and

consultation and other ways of assessing skills and knowledge with support from
colleagues. A more cooperative atmosphere that prevents isolation of professionals is
thus achieved.

Fifth, inclusion means involving parents in the planning process in meaningful

ways.

Parental involvement becomes a key feature in inclusive school. It relies heavily on input
of parents for their child’s education. In fact, the whole family is part of the educative
process.

4 A’s” of inclusive education

1. Availability: whether educational system is physically there
2. Accessibility: fees, regulations, location (transport, safety); limitations deciphering
whether child can access education
3. Acceptability: quality of education, acceptably meeting educational needs
4. Adaptability: ability to adapt to relevance and needs of child

F. POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF INCLUSION

Some teacher’s pupils often expressed concerns before experiencing inclusion, those familiar
with inclusion indicated that not disabled students actually benefited from the relationship with
children with special needs. Below are identified positive themes:

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 1. Reduced fear of human differences accompanied by increased comfort and
awareness
Students in inclusive schools attributed their reduced fear of people who looked or behaved
differently to having had interactions with individuals with disability. In addition to feeling more
accepting of others, children also learn to value the contributions that individuals make.
2. Growth in social cognition
Nondisabled students learned to be more to tolerant of others as they became more aware of the
needs peers of peers with disabilities. Students demonstrated more positive feelings about
themselves after spending time helping classmates with disabilities. They also learned skills to
enable them not only to communicate more effectively but also to be more supportive of disabled
persons in their daily interactions.
3. Improvement of self-concept
Many nondisabled students have experienced an increase in self-esteem as result of their
relationship with individuals with disabilities. Teachers reported that students who act as
buddy/peer tutor give them a sense of belonging.
4. Development of personal principles
Many non-disabled students experienced a growth in their commitment of personal, moral and
ethical principles as a result of their relationship with students with disabilities. Parents also
reported that their children showed less prejudice towards people with disabilities.
5. Warm and caring friendship
Students who act buddies/peer tutors to disabled children develop friendship with their buddies
or tutees. They are friends not only in school but in the community as well.
ADDRESSING CONCERNS ON CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION OF
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

The essential features for effective teaching include providing classroom conditions that
encourage learning of all pupils; seeing differences between pupils and respecting their
individuality; and responding to each pupil’s learning needs successfully. For children with
special needs in the regular classes, these features include: proper classroom setting,
modifications or adaptations of curricular instructions and activities and program modifications.

A. PROPER CLASSROOM SETTING

The teacher needs to organize the learning environment to ensure that the child with special
needs will be truly involved in any classroom activities and accepted by his/her classmates.

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 1. Build a positive class climate
Personal relationship between the child with special needs and his/her teacher is very
important. The teacher should show a genuine concern for the child’s feeling at the same
time demonstrate control over his/her behavior. The child with special needs has to
behave from the start in the most relaxed and friendly environment.

In the classroom, what matters most is the kind of relationship and interaction that occur
and the teacher has always to model the appropriate attitudes toward the child with
special needs. This relationship has considerable potential in influencing other children to
view the child with special need as one of them.

2. Position the pupil’s seat for inclusion

The child with special needs has to be grouped with the class like everyone. This type of
arrangement will foster friendship and acceptance. If he/ she is separated from the group,
there must be a good reason for it. Perhaps, he/she can’t concentrate and can be easily
distracted when other children are around, or even requires an extra space for extra
equipment or to maneuver a wheelchair. These are the things to be addressed.

3. Build opportunities for friendship

The teacher should ensure that there are classroom activities that involve working and
playing together. In this way, each one will discover the needs and potentials of each and
will learn how to provide assistance.

4. Make instructions clear, and equipment and materials accessible

A pupil with hearning impairment might miss the instruction on what to do and where
things are at the start of an activity along with 45 hearing students. Teachers should form
the habit of writing instructions on the board as well as saying them. These strategy is
helpful for all students.

A pupil with intellectual disability may find it harder to remember where things are kept
in the room. Teachers could use picture or color code for the boxes, trays and equipment
found in the room.

5. Supply the pupil with the standard books and equipment

Even a pupil with very severe developmental delay will probably be aware if he/she does
not have a reading book like the others do.

6. Involve the pupil in all class activities possibilities

No matter what the skill level or disability of a pupil, he/she can always be involved in
some ways in class activity. This is not only better for the pupil’s learning but it means
the pupil feels included, that he/she is really a member of the class.

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 7. Affirm the pupil
Teachers have to highlight the pupil’s strengths when an opportunity arises. Be sure to
draw attention and praise his/her achievements rather than the disability.

8. Set rules and routines

Rules and routines have to made clear so that less disruptions occur in the classroom and
activities will conducted smoothly.

POSITIVE WAYS TO HELP CHILDREN IN THE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM

 Encouraging young children to practice writing in the sand using two fingers not one.
 Use a highlight to color text when displaying a lesson on overhead.
 When the child has made a spelling mistake e.g. “tryed” change the mistake by using a
color marker.
 So the correction will look like this:
tryed becomes tried
 So this way the child still has gained some achievement of success and this is a more
positive way to encourage a child with spelling.
DISPLAYING THE LESSON
 At the beginning of the lesson have the schedule of the lesson displayed either on the
blackboard or with an overhead where everyone can see it.
 The alternative is to provide a copy of the lesson. Although these suggestions seem time
consuming think about how many times you have to stop teaching because a child says
"What did you say was next"?
“Could you repeat what I was to do after page 5"?
"Did you say I had to do from page 5 to 9?
Or was it pages 5 and 9"?
 Also at the end of a lesson you will be left 5 to 10 minutes where you can get the whole
class to verbally summarize the lesson, this can be a great enforcer for those who were
not sure if they understood everything.

EXAMPLES ON HOW YOU MIGHT TALK TO CHILDREN IN YOUR CLASSROOM

Learn how to change your commands
to increase the chances of getting children to comply

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CHANGE THIS…
 Please sit down. I'm going to start now.
 Please be quiet. It's time to begin.
 I'm not going to line you up until everyone
is quiet.
 Don't talk out. Raise Your hand.
 Turn your Homework in on time or you'll
get a lower grade.
TO THIS…
 I'll begin as soon as you are seated.
 I'll be glad to start as soon as you show
me that you are ready.
 I'll be lining people up as soon as it is
quiet.
 I'll listen to people
 I'll give full credit for papers turned in on
time.

How to begin…
 START SMALL: try a differentiated task for a small block of time
 GROW SLOWLY BUT GROW: take notes so you can see what works and what
doesn’t for various learners; assess before you teach a new topic and use results to guide
the differentiation
 ENVISION IN ADVANCE HOW AN ACTIVITIY WILL LOOK: write out
procedures for yourself and directions for the students, think about what might go wrong,
plan alternative options

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  STEP BACK AND REFLECT: ask yourself questions like – were all students engaged
in learning? did grouping (size, arrangements) work? Note what to keep as well as what
requires modification.

REFERENCES
K.Eileen Allen and Ilene S. Schawrtz, The Exceptional Child. Inclusion in Early Childhood Education.

Booth, T. and Ainscow, M.(2013). Inclusion: developing learning and participation in schools.

Inciong, T., Quijano, Y., Capulong, Y. & Gregorio, J. (2007). Introduction to Special Education.
Quezon City: Rex Printing Press Company, Inc.
Handbook on Inclusive Education,SPED Division
Handbook in Special Education SPED Division
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HPh4RoV63s- Inclusive Education - Education Equity Now
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/475903885594757807/

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his picture is perfect for describing the inequality of testing in our education system. Although
each student is unique and learns/tests differently, they are all expected to take the same test
and get a good score. "If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its

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