How Might Inclusive Special Education be Developed in a United Kingdom School - Essay Example

? How Might Inclusive Special Education be Developed in a United Kingdom School? The study delves on the means of developing an inclusive special education curriculum in a school in United Kingdom. The focus of the study is the implementation of policies, as supported by effective practices from other countries. The study elaborated on the different factors that help produce an effective inclusive classroom and the barriers that hinder its efficiency. It also identified the limitations in enforcing inclusion, as well as various means to address current concerns in handing inclusive classrooms through the implementation of proper training for teachers and a simultaneous assessment of the provisions. Introduction Inclusion exercises the right of each individual to an apt and proficient education in a mainstream educational facility. The implication of this cause states that children who are born with physical or cognitive abilities, if mentally capable, must not be regarded as an exception to receive the same level of education other children are receiving. It also encourages values among children, in terms of respect and support towards their peers and the community. Scholars believe that an environment that promotes fewer restrictions allows students to greater exposure in interacting with diverse individuals (Farrell 2001). This allows for a more equitable environment where SEN or students with Special Education Needs would be able to receive the same education as other children. This type of setting encourages everyone, regardless of impairment, to operate and learn through the same educational perspective. Inclusive education is not only beneficial for special education students, but for other students as well.  Belonging to a diverse class would enable students to interact, understand and construct relationships with peers who are different from them. This removes the notion of discrimination as per usual means of segregations in classrooms, in terms of intellectual capabilities (Lindsay 2003). A school that follows a special education environment employs an instruction that involves techniques and exercises specific for students whose learning needs are not in coherence with the standard school curriculum. The United Kingdom government has mandated laws that discourage the utilization of special school; instead, focus on the concept of inclusion. This form of education acknowledges each individual's right to fairness and society practises its responsibility of supporting those who have special needs, in their best interest (Mitchell 2005). Nature of an Inclusive Environment The effectiveness of inclusion is not only dependent on special education students, but various groups in the community should also partake in making inclusive education efficient. These are parents, teachers, support staff, instructors and whole general population. There are various concerns regarding inclusive education, one of which is that most parents of mainstream students feel that their child's growth will be limited when the class teacher would have to tend to those who are impaired. Mainstream students are those who participate in the prevailing values and practises in society, as opposed to SEN students (Pather 2007). On the contrary, the parent of a special education child might feel that her child would not be provided the extra attention and care that her child requires in a general mainstream education. There is also a possibility that the children would feel a sense of belongingness once accepted by peers, or would be a cast away if the inclusion isn't effective (Avramidis 2003). The nature of inclusion reduces the level of exclusion in mainstream classrooms, and engages the reduction of barriers in participation and education. It encompasses education of all levels, from preschool, elementary, high school, colleges and universities. The Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education asserts that others have a tendency to necessitate more support from their peers, which stakeholders must support (Lieber et al 1998). Practises and Policies Inclusive education has been established as the main policy with respect to children with physical and cognitive impairment in an international setting (Ainscow and Sandill 2010). Enforcing the segregation of special education as an intellectual foundation hinders a child's abilities to progress, as limited by traditional framework misconceptions. This ideology restricted the means to look for alternatives in improving SEN students’ methods of learning, as it has been stereotyped that they can only be tended to by specialists (Thomas and Loxley 2001). Inclusion practises from Queensland, Australia and Scotland have benchmarked relevant education systems (Allan 2003). Queensland School Reform Longitudinal Study recognized productive pedagogies which focused on tackling issues of social justice, equity and inclusion. (Luke et al 1999). Similar methods have been applied in the Scottish Parliamentary Inquiry into Special Needs (Scottish Parliament 2001). As per both studies, both define that the obstacle that prevents effective inclusive education system is the simultaneous stress on a person's deficits. This notion diverts concentration in acknowledging structural and attitudinal barriers found in society and particular institutions.  These practises can only be resolved though implementation of productive pedagogies that entail major systematic changes in educational facilities (Allan 2003). Countries such as Australia, Brazil, Romania, England, Portugal, Spain and Zambia have also practiced inclusion in their school systems (Ainscow 2004; Ainscow et al 2006). The key variable that denotes whether the system would be effective is the continuous influence of the national government and local district administration support. Others are as follows: definite parameters to the scheme of inclusion and the variables considered in measuring educational performance (Ainscow 2005). The concept of inclusion implies a curriculum and assessment systems that takes account of all its learners, regardless of impairment or normalcy.  A general goal or objective guides all policies and practises within a particular system. The policies formulated by the senior staff must be in reference to concise leadership, as all leaders must disseminate and apply constant policy ambitions to strengthen the development of inclusive practises. In lieu to this, comparison with practises of other school systems is also beneficial for improvement of present practises and policies (Avramidis et al, 2000). Each policy implemented in various school systems differ, as defined in cognizance to the system's local circumstances, culture and history. The following factors must be considered in setting up policies for inclusion (Avramidis 2001): Inclusion is a process that teaches individuals to learn from one another. It allows positive adaptation to difference, while learning from it. Inclusion eradicates segregation among people. As per process, it consists of gathering, assembling and assessing data for continuous development of current policies and practises. Inclusion is about cooperation, in terms of presence and participation. Only through this would the method be effective. Presence connotes the environment of the educational setting and the children's interest in attendance; whereas participation is related to the experiences within the said locale. Success can only be achieved if positive outcomes do not only manifest in tests and exams, but also through personal and individual growth. Inclusion highlights groups who are usually excluded or marginalized. This is an indication of society's moral obligation to ensure that those who are most at risk must be vigilantly monitored and ensured to be involved. Structures and systems must have prominent quality sustenance for vulnerable groups of students. All of the stakeholders involved must coordinate in line with policies and practises implemented. All means of resources must be distributed in accordance to the inclusion policy, where a specific role of a specialist is required for additional assistance to promoting inclusive education (Loxley & Thomas 2001). As per practice, an inclusive education system must enforce strategies that would promote the presence, participation and achievement of all learners from their local communities. Schools, colleges and universities must provide support for learners who are vulnerable to marginalization, exclusion and underachievement. In coherence to the learner’s methods, trainee teachers should also be prepared with dealing in a diverse class. Teachers and professors are an integral aspect in continuing professional development in relation to inclusive practises, in part with both statistical and qualitative data (Lloyd 2000). Barriers to Inclusion Teachers and instructors play a critical role in ensuring the efficaciousness of inclusive classrooms. Discrepancy emerges when teachers resist due to the lack of confidence as per their instructional skills and the degree of support accessible to them (Croll and Moses 2000b). A barrier in this form of teaching method is usually hindered by insufficient training of teachers to comply with the needs required by both mainstream and special education students. They feel that they are incompetent to support an inclusive type of educational setting. (Avramidis et al, 2000; Garner 1996). Experienced teachers have stated that most teachers who instruct inclusive classrooms lack the knowledge and skills needed to effectively raise the quality of the class' education above par, while extensively supporting students in need of special care and attention. (Avramidis et al, 2000b; Rose 2001). The reason behind this notion is triggered by the negative perspective towards inclusion. Initially, most educators perceive that it is difficult to teach special children along with mainstream pupils, under the same curricula and teaching methods. Most believe that a fully inclusive education system is not feasible; therefore, causing a negative attitude to create a more effective inclusion environment. The formulation and development of policies in regards to inclusive education in United Kingdom is in progress, though it is not comprehensive towards the whole locale (Farrell 2001; Evans and Lunt 2002; Lindsay 2003) The uncertainties regarding the analysis and application of inclusion has been specified in the Green Paper (DfEE 1997). An example would be the studies conducted by the Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education, which presented that there is a gradual improvement for inclusion in the country, though there is a significant discrepancy between the degrees of the isolated conditions within its parameters (Norwich, 1997, 1999, 2002). This variation indicates that students who require special needs may have the chance to enroll in a mainstream facility in one local, but there are probable chances that they will be designated in a special school upon relocation. One of the most apparent obstructions in achieving effective inclusion is the competitive environment of educational facilities. This notion has been derived from the philosophy of schools or universities to exceed academic excellence, in order to adhere to the principles of commendable standards, choice and competition; therefore, these philosophies increase the tendency to rule out the inclination towards social responsibility as per inclusion (Evans & Lunt 2002; Lloyd 2000; Loxley & Thomas 2001). Competitiveness within educational facilities has been a standard, as this is the basis of the reputation of the school to harbor quality students and receive proper funding. The ongoing tendency of the amplified volume of students who suffer from emotional and behavioral complexity being excluded is an implication of the reduced forbearance of mainstream schools to inclusion. (DfES 2004). Most schools remain to oppose the demands of welcoming inclusion as they are more concerned with its negative implications to their institution's credibility of providing exceptional results. On their belief, it could affect the academic advancement of other students involved, further reducing their academic standards (Dyson et al, 2003; Farrell, 2001). This ideology had been reinforced by a study that showed that schools with a larger populace of special education students reflected a lower GCSE performance level (Lunt and Norwich 1999). Through a survey conducted concerning the views of professionals' in the academic industry stated their perspective that inclusion is ideal for society's improvements, but a consideration must be acknowledges in regards to its feasibility by means of assessing the types and severity of a child's difficulty, as well as the deficiency regarding the capabilities of a mainstream school to address these concerns (Croll and Moses 2000b). Factors that Make Inclusion Effective A crucial factor of the fundamental modifications that needs to be applied in schools relate to the manner educators conceptualize variations in educational standards. Courses regarding professional development must allocate a consideration for critical discussion about the concept of inclusive education, in reference to pedagogic issues at hand. A radical perspective must be employed in coming up with professional development methods, eliminating the standard responses to specific needs and syndromes towards long-term reflective on-hand training (Bayliss 1998 Tilstone 2003). The continua of teaching approaches is a particular teaching strategy that is most advisable for children both with special needs and normal. It provides a more rigorous and unequivocal teaching method for students with various level of learning difficulties. Through this means, it would also reflect that degree of adaptation of normal students, compared to those who have SEN. This process of adaptation is referred to as a common teaching approach called specialized adaptations or high density teaching (Madriaga and Goodley, 2009). This, in turn, would reduce the generic responses of teachers among impaired students, which can result to a more conducive means of effective learning in coherence with the concept of a holistic inclusive framework (Tilstone 2003). In respect to pedagogical methods, the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) courses must also supply training with regard to psychological principles of teaching and learning in reference to the following factors: distinguishing the curriculum, evaluating academic advancement, managing behavior, developing Individual Educational Plans (IEPs) and collaboration with fellow colleagues. Apart from that, ample knowledge through critical understanding must also be enhanced to produce a working educational process (Robertson 1999) Such method would enable teachers the ability to creatively respond to the challenges and limitations brought about by inclusive education. The underlying principle in this method is that if the teachers obtain assistance in mastering the skills required of them to execute inclusion, they will be empowered and committed to cause an effective change as their skills increase, along with their efforts (Avramidis 2005). However, at a deeper level of analysis what motivates this line of thinking is a presumption of efficiency. If teachers are more efficient, defined in terms of professional knowledge, expertise and energy, then inclusion is possible. Therefore, efficiency in pedagogical methods is tantamount to the efficaciousness of inclusion, by means of expertise and energy in the task. This analysis presupposes that if a particular group of students is maintained by a continuous developing ability to improve intellectual capacity through various learning method and motivational circumstances, it would attain the advocacy's goal (Ainscow et al 2004). A practical approach addressing the concern is to observe the teaching methods of those who facilitate the class' development and learning within the confines of the school. The framework pertaining to the communities of knowledge promotes the transformation of teachers' improvement and learning through long-term opportunities for cooperation, self-sufficiency and reflection (Olson and Craig 2001). This pattern of assessing methods would create a familiarity base that could be utilized as a means to formulate school practises. Such communities consist of teachers, educators, educational psychologists and researchers to produce collaboration between theory and practice. It is a more practical means of addressing solutions, instead of the usual rectification through template solutions produced by theoretical assumptions only (Avramidis 2003). Discussion Inclusion promotes an environment that provides a simultaneous means of developing methods of teaching a class with varying degrees of intellectual and behavioral levels. Several policies must be implemented to formulate a setting that encourages children to function and learn by means of an equivocal educational perception. This would employ diversity as a means to connect, comprehend and build relationships with peers (Lindsay 2003). Special inclusive education applies the sense of equality among children to be provided quality education as a concrete foundation for further advancements in their lives. Each individual has their own intricacies, either cognitive or behavioral, and this must not be considered as an obstacle for them not to be provided the same opportunities other children are given. Inclusion is a positive and constructive means of promoting the values of respect and support among their peers. It is a method of eliminating discrimination and segregation among society. At an earlier stage, it is imperative for children to be taught equality and fairness. (Farrell 2001). In order to develop an effective inclusive special education facility, it must have concrete policies. A school that offers inclusive education must be able to set limitations and must thoroughly assess the qualities of each individual, in relation to the class they would be joining. Apart from that, characteristics of the normal individuals must also be analyzed and observed, to make sure than an inclusive education program wouldn't only be beneficial to the genetically impaired child, but to other students as well (Clough and Corbett 2000). In reference to the idea of inclusion, further assessment and analysis of students with impairment must be observed. Students who are fit to be integrated in a mainstream environment and those who are not required of supplementary needs are at chances of being involved in inclusion. It would reduce the risks of not achieving the objective of inclusion as per required by the extra needs that needs to be allocated for SEN children (Farrell 2001). Inclusion does not only affect special education students, but various groups in the community should also partake in making inclusive education efficient. These are parents, teachers, support staff, instructors and whole general population. Though there are various concerns regarding inclusive education, one of which is that most parents of mainstream students feel that their child's growth will be limited when the class teacher would have to tend to those who are impaired. This type of approach on education does not only cater to impaired students, but other groups in the society as well. In order to develop a special inclusive school, all stakeholders must take part in making the goal feasible. Parents, teachers, instructors and the support staff must contribute in developing mental and behavioral progress among its community. They should be able to sustain not only children with SEN, but mainstream students as well. They must see the whole class as one group in order to make inclusion effective (Pather 2007). A barrier that prevents the effectiveness of inclusive education is the unnecessary emphasis on the disabilities of other individuals, which results to constant exclusion and segregation. Productive pedagogies must be developed constructively to address the structural and attitudinal obstacles in modifying educational facilities (Allan 2003). Traditional frameworks have been practiced without the initiative of formulating other alternatives to improve handling of inclusive classrooms and better teaching methods (Thomas and Loxley 2001). Moreover, continuous government and local administration support is crucial to implement an effective system. In formulating policies, one must define specific parameters and identify the variables that would contribute in assessing the children's performance at school (Ainscow 2005). Quality sustenance in terms of structure and systems must be strictly adhered to, for the benefit of both the vulnerable and mainstream group of students. In line with that, all possible resources must be properly allocated to support the policies of inclusion (Loxley & Thomas 2001). To come up with effective practice methods, an inclusive education system must apply approaches that would endorse the attendance, involvement and attainment of all learners. It can only be accomplished if trainee teachers would be fully equipped in handling a diverse class. Educators play a fundamental role in determining the influences and impact of both quantitative and qualitative data in the implementation of inclusion (Lloyd 2000). A restriction that can be viewed in light with the implementation of inclusion is the possibility of a genetically impaired individual to have fits and tantrum, which could discourage the other children from helping and adapting. Instead of special children adapting to the normal environment, they might reject it and cause harm to themselves and their peers. There's also a possibility that the individual child might not be able to cope with the learning environment. Regardless, addressing such concerns is possible once a constructive and critical means of response have been formulated in relation to different situations. Efficiency can be measured through a facilitator’s standpoint. If teachers are well equipped with professional comprehension, proficiency and vigor, the students would be able to adapt to teaching methods presented. If an inclusive class is continuously provided by a method of teaching that is apt for varying levels of intellectual capabilities, all of the students would be able to learn effectively (Ainscow, et al 2004). A viable approach is to come up with holistic methods in improving the class’ development and learning. Frameworks must be directed at promoting collaboration, and self-reliance as well (Olson and Craig, 2001). The traditional competitive nature of schools must be modified in order to fully implement the idea of inclusion. The government must support social responsibility over standardized separation of students through their performance of school. Instead of developing educational facilities with varying degrees of performance, they must focus more on the performance of all students within the community by means of promoting inclusion (DfES, 2004). The ideology of reducing educational credibility of an institution upon the integration of special education students is not accurate; as it would be better if a particular school would manifest good academic standards in advancements despite having SEN students, instead of harboring bright students to improve the quality of education the school provides (Farrell 2001). The goal of inclusion is to provide a normal environment between a class that comprises normal children and those who are genetically impaired, for the latter to learn along with his peers; and for the former to welcome the differences and help the special child. The environment is also a big factor, alongside the methods of learning that the teachers would provide. Nonetheless, if provided with policies that would protect the welfare of both parties, an inclusive special education setting is possible. Pedagogy is one of the most critical factors in attaining inclusion. It is the manner in which the teachers interact and educate their students. They are the ones who interact, sustain, and maintain a harmonious inclusive environment, as balanced by the government's support and an institution's capability. Conclusion Special and Inclusive Education scrutinizes the extensive range of professional issues contiguous to special educational needs in mainstream schools. It examines the connotations of inclusion for learning, teaching and student performance and considers local and nation government policies and legislation. The study was able to tackle different aspects concerning special education, focusing on policy reforms highlighting pedagogy as the most integral aspect in the effectiveness of an inclusion program. The paper presented elaborates the concept of inclusive education and its benefits to all the stakeholders involved. It also cited several practices employed in other countries, and assessed the difficulties they encountered through the implementation of the said program. It defines the limitations and the possible measures that need to be undertaken in order to attain the objective of inclusion. The limitation of the study is it does not include statistical and quantitative research from other practises. The information collated was able to present a concise definition of inclusion, including the factors and barriers concerning its effectiveness. It is vital that any educational facility taking into consideration of applying inclusive practises allot sufficient time to plan effectively. Planning should engage all stakeholders involved in researching, probing and conferring the system of the entire educational program. Inclusive education entails reformation of a school's complete curriculum and requires continuous evaluation of practises and results. An extensive research as inclusive education becomes more prevalent is necessary, as well as reflection in order to determine what particular strategies will help the program progress. Inclusive special education is possible, as proven by several practises applied in other countries such as Australia and Scotland. United Kingdom is not different from other nations who were able to gradually implement inclusion on a positive note, thus acquiring constructive results. Inclusion is a long term process; it cannot be applied and implemented immediately for there are a lot of stakeholders involved. Countries that aim to provide or to develop SEN inclined facilities within the mainstream school must emphasize that the curriculum must not only consider special education children, but it must cover all the students. Specific adaptations, if not complete restructuration, to the curriculum may be necessary. If given the proper support and effort, inclusive special education would be beneficial for society itself. In order to develop this type of educational degree, all of the factors that could affect the effectiveness of this method must be taken into consideration. Apart from the necessary support from the government, policies should also be made clear in order to evidently identify the goal. An institution must be willing to provide resources in achieving inclusion, by compromising academic excellence for social responsibility and developing it from there. Most of all, the teachers or educators are the biggest factor in determining whether an inclusive classroom would be successful, as they are the ones interacting, managing and molding the students as one group, helping and learning together. Methods in inclusive education are usually successful at the primary education level, but at secondary level, critical issues tend to surface. In line with this issue, the gap between the students with special needs and the other student becomes increasingly detached as they age. At this level, some specialists or educators are less willing in providing efficient means of teaching to the whole inclusive classroom. Apart from the concerns regarding the support available about the size of the class or the number of students being handled, most teachers have a tendency of not being able to handle the workload. Also, the children’s' emotional and behaviour problems get more severe as their age increases, which makes them more difficult to handle. Pedagogy is a crucial aspect and must be stressed in concise definition as per implication to achieve desired results; proper training and an appropriate mindset must be employed, sans the common misconceptions of the inability to teach students with varying intellectual levels under the same method. In essence, inclusion is a constant adaptation in regards to a group's classification, wherein templates must not be applied; rather, continuous observation and development must be involved. Recommendations Upon considering the option of developing an inclusive special educational program from a traditional one, it is vital that the entire community to be engaged in a pensive and meticulous examined transition. Without the consensus of the community stakeholders, a modified environment may respond in an unpleasant manner. It would not be possible for the government to just form a directive that coerces schools or universities to adapt to an inclusive form of education without asking for the consent of the parents of the family within the community, the students who are enrolled in school, the teachers who will be handling the classes and most especially, the special students. They must be briefed that they will be entering a new environment of learning. They should be able to highlight the difference in transitioning from a type of education from a specially integrated perspective to a mainstream setting. In accordance to that notion, restructuring the school’s program must be based on research and communal values and viewpoints. The following recommendations can aid schools in developing inclusion in providing an inclusive environment. All decisions must be supported by a well-developed IEP, emphasizing the needs of a child, his peers and the provision of services. It must not only focus on the performance of the school in regards to academic standard; instead, it must stress on the learning curve of all the students within the class, regardless of cognitive or behavioral deficiencies. Moreover, a top-down approach in mandating full inclusion is destructive and improper. Though the government must support this cause, federal or state law does not require full inclusion among schools. The transition must be processed in such a way that the adaptation must be thorough, so as not to confuse the stakeholders acclimatizing to the said development. An Education ethic must be devised in line with the program’s objective. It will serve as an objective that will help limit the parameters of the transition to inclusion and define the purpose of intention. Organisational culture and philosophy that promotes inclusion is also one of the key principles in establishing an inclusive type of education. A collective culture and ethos based on the constructive attitudes towards accepting a variety of learners in classrooms and meeting diverse needs in education is crucial. The educational leaders must have a precise vision for developing inclusion that comprises viewpoints in regards to school development, accountability and responsibility for handling a diverse range of needs. Teachers and support staff must be fully engaged the formulation of processes such as: decision-making, planning and evaluation. The formulation of one system that would govern the policies and practices implemented for the special inclusion program may also be considered. There should be a guarantee that the support staff would comprise licensed specialists and practitioners that has the ability to deal with the social, emotional and cognitive needs of all students. In accordance to this, class sizes must be reduced or there should be an increased numbers of teachers handling per classroom as necessary. Barriers in developing a special inclusive school must be considered, along with the preparation of the plan of transitioning to mainstream inclusion. One of the most critical aspects is to be provided appropriate funding. Being deprived of funds due to not being able to exceed academic standards must be waived, as this would only discourage schools or universities from participating in a social responsibility of promoting inclusion. Another factor is the availability of adequate conditions that supports mainstream educational facilities. If proper knowledge, skills, attitudes and material are not available within the setting of a mainstream school, inclusion of students with special needs would indeed be difficult to attain. The ITT (Initial Teacher Training) or TIS (Through In Service) must be mandated as a prerequisite for all the educators, instructors, specialists and support staff that will be involved in an inclusive school. In addition, educators must be given the right to address and appeal IEPs that they deem unsuitable for a child, while parents and students must be involved in making decisions regarding their education. Finally, there ought to be an effort to develop teaching methods that would be applicable to varying level of intellectual capacity and behaviors of children towards learning. Activities within the confines of the classroom can be employed, such as: group learning, co-teaching, peer partners, cooperative learning, etc. Promoting a sound inclusion program necessitates a clear and well defined policy. The school's goal or objective must be promoted in these policies, which must also be supported by the philosophy, the educators’ practises and the type of leadership being implemented within the mainstream setting. Certain policies that are in cognizance in promoting quality inclusive education are as follows: taking into account various policies and initiatives applied in an international level; provide flexibility to reflect and adapt to local level needs; maximise all resources and aspects that supports the cause for inclusion, in reference to the individual learners and their parents, in line with the teacher and educational organisational levels. Future studies can focus more on the statistical results of the application of inclusive education by means of partial and full inclusion. Studies can focus more on the different aspect and practices of both versions of the inclusive method, taking into account the effectiveness of previous cases that has been applied to various programs. Quantitative research can be done to support theories as a means of application in regards to methods and strategies in policy making in reference to pedagogies. References Ainscow, M. & Sandill, A. (2010). 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