Classroom Inclusion in Australia - Essay Example

Classroom inclusion in Australia: Views of parents and teachers and their impact on classroom inclusion strategies Table of Contents Introduction This essay is about inclusion in the classroom within the context of Australia. Three key issues about inclusion are addressed in the essay. The first one is a brief review of what inclusion in the classroom means. The second one is about the views of teachers and parents about the issue of inclusion in Australia. The third issue that is addressed in the essay is the impact of the views of teachers and parents about inclusion and how they affect the strategies that are used to enhance inclusion in the classroom in Australia. Finally, three recommendations on how the views can be realigned with the current inclusion policies are provided in the essay. Inclusion: An introduction Within the context of education, the concept of inclusion means integrating children from diverse backgrounds and with diverse physical, mental and psychological characteristics within a classroom. Sebba and Ainscow (1996, cited in Nanda 2008, p. 5) define inclusion in education as an approach in which schools operate on the basis that all students in the community should learn together. Similarly, Dash (2006, p. 21) defines inclusion as a process in which learners with disabilities are allowed to learn together with other children, without any form of discrimination. What is emphasised in these definitions is that the concept of inclusion within schools covers the practice of ensuring that all students, regardless of their backgrounds, are allowed to learn within a single environment and that all their different needs are catered for within the same environment. According to Foreman and Arthur-Kelly (2014, p. 3), the essence of having an inclusive classroom in education in Australia arises from the fact that teachers in the current times are likely to be confronted with classes that have students from diverse backgrounds. Diversity among students may be as a result of several factors. For example, it may arise from the students’ cultural backgrounds. In the current times, teachers are likely to encounter classes in which the students are from completely different backgrounds in terms of their ethnicity, family composition and religion (Foreman & Arthur-Kelly, 2014, p. 4). In addition to this, diversity among students may be in the form of their learning abilities. Whereas some students may be uniquely gifted in academics, others may not. However, since all the students who have different intellectual abilities are grouped together in the classroom, it is necessary for the teacher to find out ways of ensuring that all the students benefit. Therefore, increasing diversity and the realisation that all students need to be taught within a single environment that is designed to cater for their different needs are the factors that have created the need for inclusion within classrooms in Australia. Inclusion: View of Teachers and Parents How teachers view the issue of inclusion within the entire education system in Australia actually determines how well the teachers end up implementing the inclusion policies and practices that are already in place. Similarly, the opinion of parents towards inclusion determines the extent to which they may support classroom inclusion efforts in Australia. In relation to teachers, Pearce (2009, p. 5) states that the behaviour that teachers exhibit when carrying out their professional duties is largely shaped by the attitudes that the teachers have towards specific issues. Hence, when interpreted within the context of the concept of classroom inclusion, it can be seen that the manner in which teachers treat students from diverse backgrounds is largely shaped by the views that teachers hold towards the concept of inclusion in the first place. One of the main issues that seem to shape the attitudes of teachers and parents alike towards the practice of classroom inclusion is fairness. Berry (2008, p. 1153) observes that the way individuals view the practice of including students from diverse backgrounds and with diverse abilities within a single classroom is shaped by whether or not the individuals view the practice as fair in the first place. For example, it is reported that the opinions of teachers and parents towards fairness in relation to inclusion vary considerably (Berry, 2008, p. 1155). Parents for instance tend to believe that it is fair for all children to learn together, regardless of their physical, social or cultural values (Berry, 2008, p. 1154). Parents also tend to believe that teachers can successfully handle the requirements that come with having an all-inclusive class (Berry, 2008, p. 1154).These views may be attributed to the general expectation that when children who have special needs are allowed to learn together with the rest, the practice benefits the children with special needs. On the other hand, Gilmore, Campbell and Cuskelly (2003, cited in Elkins, van Kraayenoord and Jobling, 2003, p. 112) state that although many parents in Australia support inclusion, they think that the needs of some students can best be met in special schools. Further, it is observed that some parents believe that classroom inclusion will have a negative effect on the children who do not need special care (Elkins et al., 2003, p. 126). About teachers, it is noted that much as many teachers tend to understand the need to give special help and treatment to students with particular needs, some teachers believe that this requirement may be unfair to them since its implementation may translate to more work for them (Mintz, 2007, p. 7). Therefore, it is evident that support for and opposition against classroom inclusion is evident among teachers and parents alike. Secondly, whether teachers view classroom inclusion positively or negatively varies with their level of education. Hsien, Brown and Bortoli (2009, p. 27) conducted a study that sought to determine how the level of education of teachers in Australia affects the way in which the teachers view the issue of inclusion in school. It was found that in general, teachers who hold higher degrees view classroom inclusion more favourably as compared to teachers who only hold basic educational qualifications (Hsien, Brown & Bortoli, 2009, p. 30). In general, the reason for this finding is attributed to differences in the level of education, training and the amount of time that teachers spend getting prepared for practice (Pearce, 2009, p. 6). Therefore, it can be deduced that the higher the level of education of teachers, the more likely the teachers are to view classroom inclusion positively. Also, it can be seen that how parents and teachers view inclusion is based on their beliefs and expectations about fairness. It is also important to note that the way teachers view the issue of classroom inclusion tends to change over the course of the time that the teachers spend in school undergoing training. Mintz (2007, p. 5) observes that when trainee teachers first report to their respective teacher training institutions, their opinions towards inclusion remain widely varied. Whereas some new trainee teachers view inclusion as a necessary practice that should be undertaken in order to help students who have special needs, others view the practice as additional responsibilities for teachers (Mintz, 2007, p. 6). These views correspond to how parents in general view the issue of inclusion in Australian schools. Similarly, Hodkinson (2016, p. 22) states that the opinions of many teachers about whether or not they favour classroom inclusion change by the time they are doing their final year of training. When teachers are completing their training, many of them seem to have grasped the need for inclusion and how schools need to be adapted to ensure that classroom inclusion practices are successfully implemented (Hodkinson, 2016, p. 23). Impact of Views on Inclusion Strategies One of the strategies that are used to foster inclusion within the education system in Australia is modifying the classroom environment. According to Foreman and Arthur-Kelly (2014, p. 34), modification of the classroom environment takes place in the following three key ways: socially, physically and academically. Social modification of the classroom environment entails school administrators, teachers and students developing a positive attitude towards inclusion. When this happens, a culture in which students with special needs are supported is established and maintained within a school. On the other hand, modifying the physical environment of a class involves ensuring that the physical facilities that are required by students with special needs are made available within the classroom environment. Academic modification is based on ensuring that the manner in which teaching is carried out within the classroom is meaningful and helpful to all the students. There are several ways in which the attitudes of teachers and parents have an impact on the way the strategy of modifying the classroom environment is implemented within the Australian education system. For example, how teachers view the issue of inclusion determines the extent to which they will be willing and ready to modify the physical, social and academic environments of their classrooms. Similarly, the attitudes of parents determine the extent to which parents will be supportive to the process. Jordan, Schwartz and McGhie-Richmond (2009, p. 535) observe that in spite of the availability of evidence showing that inclusion works to benefit students with special needs, many teachers in Australia believe that the policy will not succeed over the long-term. Similarly, Anderson, Klassen and Georgiou (2016, p. 133) argue that as much as there has been concerted effort, with the support of parents, to ensure that the policy of inclusion is fully implemented in schools in Australia, the success of the process heavily relies on how well teachers will implement the basic tenets of inclusion. Hence, it can be seen that the knowledge and willingness of teachers in relation to inclusion have a direct impact on the extent to which the social, physical and academic aspects of the classroom environment are adapted to address the special needs of some learners. Another common class inclusion strategy that is used in the Australian schools is curriculum adaptation (Foreman & Arthur-Kelly, 2014, p. 34). Curriculum adaptation is carried out in two main ways: enrichment which is aimed at gifted students and adaptation which is meant for students with special needs (Foreman & Arthur-Kelly, 2014, p. 34).There are several ways in which the views and beliefs of teachers and parents about disability influence the manner in which curriculum enrichment and adaptation strategies are implemented within Australian schools. In the first place, the views of teachers towards the level of demand that the current curriculum places on them as well as the students determine the level of willingness of teachers to enrich or adapt the curriculum under the requirements of inclusion. Forlin, Loreman, Sharma and Earle (2009, p. 195) state that in general, teachers in Australia are concerned with the depth and breadth of the curriculum that is currently in use and find it demanding to make any changes that require extra work. On a similar note, Blake and Monahan (2006, p. 19) point out that even specially trained teachers have to demonstrate a high level of mastery in order to successfully apply the curriculum to the needs of different students in general. Therefore, it can be seen that as much as it is possible to adapt the curriculum to the needs of students, teachers believe that teaching under the current curriculum is very demanding and that adapting it to the needs of special needs students will amount to extra work. However, much as some teachers are of the opinion that the strategy of modifying the classroom environment may not be sustainable compared to curriculum adaptation, it may be easier to implement classroom environment modification. Conclusion The opinions of teachers and parents towards the issue of classroom inclusion in Australia vary widely. In general, parents tend to support the process. Similarly, some teachers tend to view the implementation of the classroom inclusion policy in Australian schools as a necessary step towards addressing the special needs of some students. On the other hand, some teachers are concerned with the additional work that comes with the implementation of the policy. Still, others believe that the policy will not succeed over the long-term. These views have an impact on the manner in which the two main strategies of curriculum adaptation and modification of the classroom environment, which are used to implement inclusion, are successfully adopted. Recommendations Finally, the following are the recommendations on how the views of parents and teachers towards inclusion can be realigned with the current inclusion policy. To start with, there is need to change the attitudes of teachers towards the subject of inclusion. This can be done by ensuring that teachers are trained on the basic principles of inclusion not only when they are undergoing their professional training as it is the case, but also as part of their continuous teacher education programme. Secondly, school administrators need to support the implementation of the inclusion policy in their respective schools. This will ensure that a culture that is favourable to inclusion is entrenched in the school processes and traditions. As well, there is need to continuously retrain teachers on how to be flexible enough with regard to the curriculum so that they can address the different needs of all students. This will address the concern of teachers that the curriculum is too burdensome and that it is difficult to adapt it to different individuals’ needs within the context of an inclusive classroom. References Anderson, C.J.K., Klassen, R.M., & Georgiou, G.K. (2007). Inclusion in Australia: What teachers say they need and what school psychologists can offer. School Psychology International, 28(2), 131-147. Berry, R.A.W. (2006). Novice teachers’ conceptions of fairness in inclusion classrooms. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24, 1149-1159. Blake, C., & Monahan, E.C. (2006). Wishful thinking or a bag of tricks? Helping the beginning special educator. Support for Learning, 21(1), 19-23. Dash, N. (2006). Inclusive education for children with special needs. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers. Elkins, J., van Kraayenoord, C.E., & Jobling, A. (2003). Parents’ attitudes to inclusion of their children with special needs. Journal of Research in Special Education Needs, 3(2), 122-129. Foreman, P., & Arthur-Kelly, M. (Eds). (2014). Inclusion in action. South Melbourne: Cengage Learning. Forlin, C., Loreman, T., Sharma, U., & Earle, C. (2009). Demographic differences in changing pre-service teachers’ attitudes, sentiments and concerns about inclusive education. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 13(2), 195-209. Hsien, M., Brown, P. M., & Bortoli, A. (2012). Teacher qualifications and attitudes toward inclusion. Australasian Journal of Special Education, 33(1), 26-41. Hodkinson, A. (2016). Conceptions and misconceptions of inclusive education: A critical examination of final-year teacher trainees’ knowledge and understanding of inclusion. Research in Education, 73, 15-28. Jordan, A., Schwartz, E., & McGhie-Richmond, D. (2009). Preparing teachers for inclusive classrooms. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25, 535-542. Mintz, J. (2007). Attitudes of primary initial teacher training students to special educational needs and inclusion. Support for Learning, 22(1), 3–8. Nanda, B. (2008). Schools without walls in the twenty-first century: From exclusion to inclusion practice in education. New Delhi: Mittal Publication. Pearce, M. (2009). The inclusive secondary school teacher in Australia. International Journal of Whole Schooling, 2, 1-15. 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