Definition of Social Inclusion
The concept of social inclusion in educational settings has emerged from policies that advocate for education of students with special needs in the same schools and classrooms with regular students (Ferguson & Nusbaum, 2012). Social inclusion involves a move away from the educational context where children with mental and intellectual disabilities were educated in special schools and completely isolated from regular students (Valle et al., 2011). Social inclusion emerges from the perspective of the society’s response to disability. In the event that disability is not viewed from a negative perspective, all children are considered equal and given equal opportunities in society, including education. According to Chimbala and Fourie (2012), the concept of inclusion of learners with disabilities suggests the move where the support systems are brought to the students instead of the students being taken to the support systems. Hence, the regular classrooms are resourced such that they have the support services for the students with disabilities to learn in the same environment with the regular students (Ferguson & Nusbaum, 2012). While there are divergent views of social inclusion, the idea reflects complete acceptance of children with intellectual disabilities in the mainstream classroom.
Historic Aspects of Social Inclusion
The philosophy of social inclusion, as used in the United States has roots in the civil rights movement where the equal rights of every citizen of the United States were promoted. The establishment of the philosophy has major metaphorical power as well as influence on education in the country and beyond (Chimbala & Fourie, 2012). The move towards social inclusive education system has resulted in the closure of most of the special schools, committing resources to regular schools to support the needs of all the students. In the 1970s, two main court decisions were the basis for the creation of educational systems that supported the needs of the students with disabilities. The Mills v. Board of Education of the District of Columbia (1972) and PARC v. Pennsylvania (1972) formed the aspect of viewing all children as having equal rights to education without discrimination (Ferguson & Nusbaum, 2012). Since then, there has been increasing efforts to educate children with disabilities in the mainstream classrooms.
Current Perspectives on Social Inclusion
According to Chimbala and Fourie (2012), the adoption of the inclusion philosophy has major policy implications in education. In fact, it is transforming the provision aspect of education in the United States. Enrollment of children with disabilities through inclusive arrangement has sparked a huge debate in the current educational policies (Ferri, 2012). A major part of the policymakers in education have recognized social inclusion as the most beneficial policy for educating children with mental and intellectual disabilities (Slee, 2011). Scanlon and Baker (2012) acknowledge the equal rights of children to education as well as the coordination and unification of the education system to provide similar opportunities for all the children. There are two models that are commonly used in the view of educating children with disabilities. The basic principle behind the use of inclusive learning, as Slee (2011) elucidates, is the claim that disability is a reaction of the society to those with special needs. Thus, social inclusion is founded on the social model of disability, which suggests the need for society to respond more positively to those with special needs, unlike the medical model that sees disability as a medical condition necessitating special treatment. The medical model was founded on the need to isolate those with special needs and to provide services specific to those needs.
Challenges/Barriers of Social Inclusion
Social inclusion efforts for children with intellectual disabilities are hindered by major challenges emanating from the students, teachers, and the general setup of the education system. Ferri (2012) reveals a challenge associated with the attitude of the students with disabilities. In most cases, the students do not feel as part of the setting where regular students are learning. The major issue emanates from the reality that the students with intellectual disabilities may fail to learn at the same pace with the regular students. The system poses a challenge for the students with intellectual disabilities as they will have to cope with the novel educational settings. Hence, support from the teachers and the other learners is critical for inclusion to be effective, a factor that is not always a reality (Valle et al., 2011). The regular students might face challenges accommodating the special need students as they might have to slow down in their learning process.
Ashby (2012) indicates that inadequate teacher’s training and preparation to cater for the needs of the students with disabilities in the same learning environment with the regular students poses the greatest challenge. Obiakor et al. (2012) posit that most of the current teachers lack the relevant skills to provide for the needs of the students with learning disabilities. The authors add that teaching children who are not learning at the same pace requires a great deal of training and patience. Ashby (2012) established that social inclusion is not just a philosophical change as it necessitates a great deal of structural changes. In this case, the changes in programs and classroom strategies are necessary to ensure that the needs of the students with intellectual disabilities are met. Reconceptualization is not readily acceptable to the teachers and other stakeholders in education (Ferri, 2012). Failure to readily effect changes in structures and workforce is a barrier to the implementation of inclusion.
Solutions
Research has indicated a myriad of solutions to the problems associated with inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities. Preparing the teachers for the new challenges should be the fundamental step (Hedge & MacKenzie, 2012). The teachers are the implementers of the necessary change and should be well trained to develop and implement teaching strategies that will cater for the needs of the students with intellectual disabilities and the regular ones. Fostering of positive relationships is revealed to address the challenge of students with disabilities feeling out of place in the regular classrooms. Naraian (2011) suggests the move can be achieved by the well-trained teachers developing the right attitudes in all the students. Such an environment is a source of support from the teachers and the peers. From a social inclusion point of view, the idea is to develop the critical social skills amongst the students for a more effective learning environment. Developing a sense of belonging will be a critical role for the teacher to achieve success in teaching the students with intellectual disabilities.
Hedge and MacKenzie (2012) suggest the importance of differentiated learning to accommodate the needs of the students with intellectual disabilities. The teacher will embrace teaching approaches that are relevant to the students represented in the classroom. Other teaching strategies that can be used include cooperative group learning, a social activity, where the students learn through support from their peers. Naraian (2011) elucidates that group activities allow sharing of ideas and knowledge, making learning more enjoyable and effective. The same applies to the concept of peer mentorship as a source of support for the learners with intellectual disabilities. Hedge and MacKenzie (2012) claim that the entire education system should be reformed to become more suitable for the education of the students with intellectual disabilities along the regular students. The curriculum should also change to account for the special needs, but at the same time retain the fundamental ideals of equitable learning.
References
Ashby, C. (2012). Disability studies and inclusive teacher preparation: A socially just path for teacher education. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities 37(2), 89-99.
Chimbala, R. & Fourie, E. (2012). Trekking back to mainstream for inclusive education, is it there? Educational Studies 38(2), 175-187.
Ferguson, P.M. & Nusbaum, E. (2012). Disability studies: What is it and what difference does it make? Research & Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 37(2), 70-80
Ferri, B.A. (2012). Undermining inclusion? A critical reading of response to intervention (RTI), International Journal of Inclusive Education, 16(8), 863-880.
Hedge, N. & MacKenzie, A. (2012). Putting Nussbaum’s capability approach to work: Re-visiting inclusion. Cambridge Journal of Education 42(3), 327-344
Naraian, S. (2011). Pedagogic voicing: The struggle for participation in an inclusive classroom. Anthropology & Education Quarterly 42(3), 245-262.
Obiakor, F. E., Harris, M., Mutua, K., Rotatori, A., & Algozzine, B. (2012). Making inclusion work in general education classrooms. Education & Treatment of Children (West Virginia University Press), 35(3), 477-490.
Slee, R. (2011). The irregular school: Exclusion, schooling and inclusive education. New York: Routledge.
Scanlon, D. & Baker, D. (2012). An accommodations model for the secondary inclusive classroom. Learning Disability Quarterly, 35, 212-224.
Valle, J. Connor, D.J., Broderick, A.A., Bejoian, L.M., & Baglieri, S. (2011). Creating alliances against exclusivity: A pathway to inclusive educational reform. Teachers College Record, 113(10), 2283-2308.
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