Inclusive Schooling: Are We There Yet?

Gilber Ignacio Rodríguez Artunduaga

Dr Julia Shahid

EDU*115*A

September 13, 2022.

Questions:

How do “inclusive” segregation scenarios in school environments affect students with learning
disabilities?

How are students with learning disabilities affected with deficient programs later in their lives?

Why do students with learning disabilities perform better in general education settings?

How do cluster groups of students with disabilities affect their own performance and
achievement?

Why is collaborative work between teachers, families and stakeholders fundamental for
inclusive education?

Quote:

 Inclusion is a way of seeing the world. For schools, inclusion is a guiding

philosophy that prompts educators to work together to ensure every student is a
full and permanent member of the general education classroom and school
community.

Understanding the meaning of inclusion as just another perspective in how students with
learning disabilities see their realities leads to the recognition of difference as opportunities.
Opportunities that educators can provide in the classroom setting, where students can feel
included and supported, where they are aware of their uniqueness but are not ashamed of it.
Teachers’ commitment to transform practices to engage all type of students in learning settings
is the adequate strategy to equip students with the abilities to achieve goals. Last but not least,
students need to feel they belong to the classroom, and this can only be made by positive
inclusion in the educational scenarios.
  Kunc says: “When inclusive education is fully embraced, we abandon the idea
that children have to become ‘normal’ in order to contribute to the world. … We
begin to look beyond typical ways of becoming valued members of the
community, and in doing so, begin to realize the achievable goal of providing all
children with an authentic sense of belonging.”

To appreciate students’ contributions to the world it is important to stop looking at common

ways of becoming an active member of society and start recognizing students’ contributions
based on their own authentic selves. ‘Normal’ has never changed the world, great minds do
not hold ‘normal’ ideas or valuable contributions that change the world’s perspectives.
Encouraging learners to achieve beyond their own limits goals is the way in which students
can feel part of something bigger than themselves.

Talking Points:

Segregating students is commonly seen as the best option to ‘deal’ with students with different
abilities but this a common mistake when pursuing inclusion in educational centers. Instructing
institutions, stakeholders and teachers is a fundamental pilar of future students with learning
disabilities to find motivation and therefore, success.

In order to include students in classroom environments, schools need to modify previous

classroom curriculum to facilitate performance on all students in the classroom. Schools that are
not funded and left behind from others might struggle in offering students with different abilities
the opportunity to be included and noticed because the lack of resources and knowledge.

How common practices in trying to pursue inclusive education damage students’ performance
and engagement in learning opportunities. It is very concerning to see how some approaches
might seem effective or viable as a supporting method for students with disabilities but on the
other hand is stopping students to achieve their own goals and even learning.