Inclusion in Special Needs Education Research Paper

Inclusion in Special Needs Education - Research Paper Example Discussion According to Ballard (1997: 244): Inclusive education is understood as a non-discriminatory practice of providing individuals of whatever age, color, ethnicity, culture, gender, or even disability the equal treatment they deserve at classroom setting and the school community (Ballard, 1997). These learners are given equal rights and involve all students in a community. There are no exceptions to access the culturally valued curriculum of their society whatever may be the intellectual, physical, sensory or other differences they may have. They are treated as full-time valued members of society. Inclusion accepts and practices diversity in the assimilation process. Colonization of minority experiences by prevailing and popular culture, thoughts and actions are as much as possible diminished (Ballard, 1997). There were set unique characteristics of integration as against inclusion. Integration involves the provision of support to students with special needs in the same mainst ream classes where regular and disabled children are educated side-by-side (Farrell, 2010). Inclusion, on the other hand, poses a major restructuring of schools to inherently educate all students in the communities. Ballard (1997) recommended that physical education teachers and their trainers should establish clear contexts for their work based upon ethos committed to fundamental restructuring and adaptation of existing policies, learning, teaching, and assessment practices. It is important that teachers are adequately prepared to meet the special needs of children. The teachers should be responsive to a diverse range of pupil needs to address inclusive education. In the mid-1990s, the rights of all learners (including young disabled people and those with special educational needs (SEN)) to experience education alongside their age peers in a mainstream, rather than segregated, settings has increasingly become a defining feature of government policy in many countries (Farrell, 2010) . The Salamanca Statement on inclusive education (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 1994), has many governments committed to providing a more inclusive education system based on an accepted ideological assumption that all children should have a fundamental right and equal opportunity to experience education in mainstream schools (Barton, 2009). The Salamanca Statement specified the inclusion of all young disabled people and those with special educational needs in mainstream settings. Mainstream schools must accommodate all children regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic and other conditions (Garner, 2009). Implementation It was suggested that hiring well-prepared teachers with sufficient training or experience with SEN pupils is important for mainstream inclusion (Sachteleben, 2010). These teachers are well-versed on available resources online and use of technologies that aid in addressing SEN pupils. Continuing educ ation for capable mainstream teachers may also be adopted. But most importantly, capable teachers should be properly benefitted to make them stay in the school and in the profession.