Response to Ainscow's statement
Special education is the kind of education where students with special needs are taught separately at their own. Traces of alienation of special students are still visible in some institutions despite being campaigned against (Schneider,1992). Numerous research that have been carried out show that even students with special education can be taught in regular education system. That is increased need for education equity for all. This has led to increased inclusion of students with special needs into regular schools. However, the manner in which support is provided to such students leaves a lot to be desired.
I totally agree with the author. Traditional education system has to be eliminated from the education system. Firstly; governments in many countries are greatly emphasizing the need for inclusive education system in their schools. This evidently shows that the practitioners of special education should reconsider greatly their own actions and thinking. I believe these governments are doing this because they have seen the implication of isolating the students with special needs.
Secondly, inclusive education combats cases of discrimination. When the special needs students are integrated into the regular system of education, they learn to mingle and collaborate with them thus a feeling of being appreciated occurs. The regular students also learn that disability is no disease thus views the special students as normal human beings. They learn to take care and assist the special students when need arises. They learn to appreciate the special students as they are and not discriminating them based on their disabilities (Tossebro, 1996).
Inclusive education system ensures that everyone achieves quality education. Normally; education is a human right very important for the emergence of a just society. This is because it reduces barriers to learning and adopts a learning culture suitable for all. This is by looking at the differences between students as a motivation to source learning. (Tossebro, 1996)
Teachers are the main stakeholders of ensuring that inclusive education succeeds. This is because once the classroom door is closed, only the teacher in session determines what should go on in that classroom. Thus, measures should be put in place to motivate the teachers as they handle the students. They should also be provided with means of reaching out to all the students in their society. Inclusive education system ensures that teachers are taught at individual level how to handle all students equally. This, however, may not necessarily lead to changes in the classroom setting. Thus, teachers ought to understand the difference between what they are doing and what they aspire to do. This would not be achieved in traditional education system because the teachers would be alienated from their colleagues thus would not see anything wrong with their mode of teaching (Florian, 1997).
Students with special needs experience difficulties in their studies thus they require close attention from their teachers. On their part teachers should motivate students with disability by equipping them with collaborative problem solving techniques that will improve their understanding in class. This will enable the young lads to see their disability as an opportunity of enriching their learning skills and not as a problem. Institutions should also assist disable students by improving the quality of education they provide to them in order to make them at par with their counterparts in regular schools.
The development of education of children with disability can be enhanced by providing support to the concerned students. Specific teachers should be assigned the task of guiding and monitoring the academic progress of special needs’ students. Teachers should also help special need students to discover their talents. They should incorporate leadership skills to this students so that in future they can compete with other people in the society. leadership skills will help the special needs students to fight for their own rights in the society. teachers should work hard towards eradication of discrimination in institutions in the quest of ensuring special needs students are not looked down upon by their colleagues.
The alienation of special needs students from other students acts as a blinder hindering them from unleashing their great potential. Most of them harboured low self-esteem to an extent that they could not succeed in life. However, with the emergence of inclusive system of education, such notions have long been buried. Currently special needs students are working in big institutions and rubbing shoulders with the high and the mighty. Thus is should be conceded that disability is no inability (Tweddler, 2003).
Hence teaching methods should be changed to suit the modern education system. This should mostly be directed to the teachers. They should attend educative seminars every now and then to equip them with means of handling special students. D. Michailakis in 2002 wrote an article about some considerations on inclusive education in Sweden. He pointed out that the students do not have to necessarily study in the same class for inclusive system to succeed. He, however, argues that all teachers should be well trained to give regular and remedial teachings to all (Schneider, 1992).
In conclusion, institutions should adopt the inclusive system of education because it has many merits. Overall, inclusion should be a never-ending process where students are not discriminated based on their differences. They should learn from each other's differences and be motivated in the process. Therefore, I greatly support AINCOW.
References
Schneider, C. (1992). Deviance and medication. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
Tossebro, T. (1996). "Patterns of Institution ." European Journal On Mental Disability, 3,29. 32.
Tweddler, A. (2003). what is the purpose. (understanding the changing role of English local education authorities in promoting inclusion, 165-177 .
