Inclusiveness in Education: What Is It & How to Implement It

There is a lot of talk about inclusivity these days, whether it's about how to incorporate it in workplaces or education. Without a doubt, inclusivity is something that is becoming a priority for our society. When it comes to inclusive education, there are many challenges for teachers trying to create an inclusive classroom for their students.

As something that is still relatively new, teachers should be aware of the many challenges and opportunities such an approach involves. That is why we've decided to gather all relevant information about inclusive education in this article, from understanding what inclusive education means to useful tips for teachers on how to create a more inclusive space for their students.

What Is Inclusive Education?

The idea behind inclusive education is that every student is unique, with unique interests, skills, and learning requirements, and that educational programs and systems should be created with these differences in mind.

The goal of inclusive education is to guarantee that all children, young people, and adults have access to high-quality education that is fair and that meets their requirements, particularly in situations when there may be a risk of social exclusion.

Inclusive education requires creating an environment welcoming to all and customizing it to each individual. More importantly, an inclusive classroom will provide unique support and help to vulnerable students. Lastly, inclusive education aims to minimize the social exclusion rate as much as possible. In other words, no child or adult should be denied education resources.

Types of Inclusive Education

Since every student is unique, their specific educational demands will differ. It's critical to select the most inclusive education model for students as long as it suits their unique needs. When all students participate actively, this leads to better grades and stronger bonds within the community.

A school can decide which type or to which level they want to implement inclusive education, especially if they are just starting the process. It's something that both teachers and students need time to get used to, and oftentimes, changing everything can be very confusing and even counterproductive.

That is why it's important to have a conversation between teachers, students, and parents. Getting their opinion on inclusiveness and how it can best be achieved allows schools to succeed.

Full Inclusive Education

This teaching approach is based on the concept that every student belongs in the main classroom. Only with full inclusion can kids work side by side with their peers, regardless of whether their impairments are obvious or not.

If a school chooses to use the full inclusion approach, it must pay attention to how each kid is progressing and make sure the strategy is helping the students.

Partial Inclusive Education

The foundational element of partially inclusive education is encouraging all kids to learn and engage with the main classroom. It also includes teaching students who require extra help outside of the classroom in a separate setting.

Most of the learning time for kids enrolled in a partial inclusion plan will still be spent in the main classroom. They will, however, also spend time apart from the general class to get more help from special education teachers.

Mainstreaming

With mainstreaming, students with disabilities start their educational journey in a separate classroom from the general classroom.

Students doing well in their self-contained classroom may be introduced into the general classroom depending on their preparedness. Some children may find this approach less intimidating because it gradually allows them to integrate into a fully inclusive classroom.

How to Create an Inclusive Classroom

Providing extra help to students with special educational needs is only one aspect of inclusion in schools. Whether a student has a disability, speaks English as a second language, belongs to a minority group, comes from a low-income home, or struggles academically for other reasons, the goal is to provide a learning environment that supports all of them.

Luckily, there are many tips teachers can implement to create a learning environment that allows them to implement inclusive education in the classroom and through different school activities. When choosing which of these you want to implement, make sure you've considered your students' needs and how they would feel if you started implementing these practices.

Keep in mind that it's a big change, and allow them to come to you and talk about any concerns or questions they might have. With an open conversation, you will be able to connect better with your students and understand what could and couldn't work in your classroom.

1. Be Aware of Special Education Students Needs

In inclusive classrooms, all students feel welcomed. Special education students should have equal access to education, but in the least restrictive environment, to be able to meet success. Consider well what your special education students need and which type of environment is best for them. Also, don't forget that what works for one special needs student might not work for another.

Teachers should provide additional support to their students and help these students by allowing them to work in small groups, applying different teaching methods, and communicating with them to understand their needs better.

Students with disabilities may need to receive high quality instruction and support to achieve success in school. Teachers should think about how inclusion can help students with disabilities be an active part of the classroom.

2. Define Quality Education Standards for Your Classroom

If you take time to create clear standards for your classroom, your students will follow. Providing each student with clarity on what is expected to thrive in a respectful environment is critically important. Once you've defined these standards, allow your students a chance to discuss them and access them at any time.

Teaching is already challenging on its own, so educators must provide structure to ensure inclusion and fair chance for all their students. If your students feel your classroom is a safe space for them, they will have more respect for you and prioritize learning.

Whether your standards refer to core curriculum or behavior in classrooms and school areas, students need to know what is expected of them in order to do great. Teachers should think about how they want their classroom to look and set achievable general education goals for each school year.

This can be especially motivating for students in special schools where the entire system is built to allow teachers to dedicate full attention to students with disabilities.

3. Allow Students to Show Their Knowledge in Different Ways

Each student learns in its own unique way. Some prefer visual learning, while others may be more successful with auditive learning. Inclusive classrooms should allow students to express what they have learned in multiple ways.

It's not about making a difference between a non disabled students and those with disabilities. It's about treating each student in your classroom the way that works best for them. Some students will need extra support to understand which learning style works for them, but that is something educators are skilled to help with.

Also, when students have a wider range of communication and activities within the school, it boosts their creativity and leads to fewer absences as students look forward to interacting with their entire class.

4. Avoid Comparing Your Students

Never compare a student with their peers. Inclusion requires teachers to get to know these children better and be able to guide them to the best they can be. When comparing students with others in their school, you encourage behaviors that are quite the opposite of an inclusive environment.

There is no such thing as a general student population in inclusive classrooms. Average or typical should be avoided because students learn better when they feel accepted for who they are. This is especially true for younger students, who focus on improving their knowledge instead of developing a competitive attitude and being better than their peers.

5. Encourage Peer Tutoring in Your School

The best way to implement inclusive education is by allowing your students to teach each other. Each student has a solid understanding of something, so why not teach their peers? This strategy works really well with diverse groups of students as it allows them to connect with each other and bring out the best of inclusion classrooms.

All educators should do is provide students with quality instruction and provide them with additional support when learning in groups. That said, avoid having high expectations the first time you do this inclusive practice in your classroom, as it will take time for students to get used to it. They will see it's one of the best learning methods with time and patience!

Group work is also great for students conducting research because all students can participate, including students with learning disabilities. If your school celebrates diversity, you can encourage student with a different ethnic background to share key information about their culture.

Conclusion

All teachers should encourage diversity and inclusion in a learning environment, which is important because it allows all students to succeed. Also, inclusive classrooms create an environment where students with special needs are not isolated but are valued members of the learning community. Misconceptions and unfavorable cultural attitudes toward individuals with disabilities or members of minority populations are something that is successfully resolved with inclusive practices.

If you're unsure how to add inclusion to your class, start with one practice at a time. Observe how children react to it and allow them to share feedback with you or teaching assistants.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Is Inclusion in Classrooms Important?

Inclusion goes beyond just integrating students with different learning disabilities into a classroom with other students. It requires teachers to treat each student individually in order to be able to meet their needs and provide them with unique support.

How Can Teachers Create Inclusive Classrooms?

Teachers can support students with a range of inclusion practices, from allowing them to express their knowledge in a way that suits them best to encouraging all students to work in groups and tutor their peers. Applying inclusivity in schools allows students with different disabilities to learn efficiently and build quality relationships with their friends and teachers.

What Are the Benefits of Inclusive Education?

Not all students learn the same way. Inclusivity aims to allow all individuals access to general education and enables them to learn in the best way for them. Schools that implement inclusivity notice fewer absences during the school year, higher interest in learning and school activities, and stronger bonds between students and the local community.