This research project will investigate staff and children’s perceptions of inclusion of children with special educational needs (SEN) across year three. It will consider whether the inclusive methods used by staff are effective, with reference to psychological theories, relevant legislation and recent research. The project will take place at a three form entry junior school where I am a teaching assistant. It will involve a range of school staff and pupils from Year Three. The enquiry will be based around perceptions gained through a range of interviews, questionnaires and observations. Therefore permission from the parents of the children involved will be required and informed consent given due to their age. Similarly, consent will be required from all adult participants involved. The effectiveness of inclusion will be measured by the extent to which participants feel children with SEN are included within the classroom setting. The researcher will take observations from a series of lessons, which will also be recorded. Another teaching assistant will then observe the recordings and give feedback to provide another viewpoint, or rather ‘investigator triangulation’, consequently reducing researcher bias (Thomas, 2013, p.146). This area of research is of particular interest to the researcher, firstly because inclusion is widely recognised by the National Curriculum. It highlights ‘A wide range of pupils have special educational needs’ and consequently, ‘Lessons should be
Gov.uk (2001) states inclusion is about recognising that every child, irrespective of their background or situation are individuals, and they have the right to access a curriculum that is planned to meet their different requirements. It can be their personal, social, emotional and academic development that may be affected if the work they are given is not differentiated for their individual needs. The Equality Act
Schools most frequently use them for selected students with mild to severe special needs. Inclusive education differs from previously held notions of 'integration' and 'mainstreaming', which tended to be concerned principally with disability and 'special educational needs' and implied learners changing or becoming 'ready for' or deserving of accommodation by the mainstream. By contrast, inclusion is about
As a teacher when delivering any lessons planned we have to make sure that each students individual needs are met, so they will feel included in the lesson. “Inclusion is about creating interesting, varied and inspiring learning opportunities for all learners, ensuring all learners contribute and are never disadvantaged by methods, language or resources” Wilson (2008).
However, the negative aspects of inclusion have not proven a strong enough point in that the good, which comes from this experience, severely outweighs any doubt of its success. Inclusion of autistic children has shown to be beneficial due to the notion that these 'disabled kids' can attend 'normal' classes with their non-learning disabled peers. By allowing all kids to feel 'normal' we, as a society, stand a chance of making prejudice which we associate the disabled under, cease to exist.
‘The success of inclusive education is largely dependent on teachers’ perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs’ (Yuknis, 2015) around how deaf and hard-of-hearing children should be educated. Learn to swim teacher’s need to ‘focus on the potential ability of the child rather than the limitations caused by a disability’ (Kappelides, 2014). A common misunderstanding is that inclusive education involves a child (who is being included) to change in order to adapt within an environment (Cologon, 2013). This concept is in fact an example of assimilation rather than inclusion.
Preparing regular education teachers to address the diverse needs of children with special needs in inclusive set up.
I also believe that a key element of inclusion is maintaining a close relationship between me and the special education teachers and paraprofessionals that I will be working with. If it is at all possible to work together in one classroom, I believe that this will benefit all my students.
"All children, irrespective of ethnicity, culture or religion, home language, family background, learning difficulties or disabilities, gender or ability should have the opportunity to experience challenging and enjoyable programme of learning and development." (Statutory Framework 1.15)
The purpose behind this report is to analyse inclusive practice within an early years setting of a child with a special educational needs (SEN). This is done through a case study. In order to establish whether inclusion is being taken into consideration and put into place, theoretical views, legislation and appropriate intervention methods will be discussed in this report. There is sufficient evidence being drawn upon as how the setting provides equal access to the curriculum for the child. The report will consider strategies that are in place to promote and factors that hinder inclusive educational practice.
It is important here to clearly distinguish between the terms of integration and inclusion as they are often interchanged (Thompson, 2002). Ainscow (1995) suggests that integration is about making a limited number of additional arrangements for individual pupils with SEN in schools which themselves change little overall, reflecting Warnock’s report. On the other hand, inclusion implies the introduction of a set of changes through which schools restructure themselves so as to be able to embrace all children. Integration involves the school in a process of assimilation where the onus is on the assimilating individual (whether a pupil with SEN or a pupil with a different cultural and linguistic background) to make changes so that they can 'fit in'. By contrast inclusion involves the school in a process of accommodation where the onus is on the school to change, adapting curricula, methods, materials and procedures so that it becomes more responsive. The creation of an inclusive school system certainly appears to harbour numerous challenges including: changing of staff attitudes; restructuring of the physical
Many children have had learning disabilities for many years. Each year more and more of these children are being helped. Schools are working to improve their special education programs and to have all kinds of students work together in the same classroom. The practice of inclusion was started because educators felt that special needs students would achieve more in traditional classrooms with non-learning disabled students than they would in special education classes. However, research findings suggest that there really is no difference in academic achievement levels for special needs students when they are placed in regular classrooms.
This report will aim to discuss the inclusion for special educational needs (SEN) students as well as those students with autistic spectrum condition (ASC). This report will discuss inclusive education and its history, as well as the social, political and philosophical arguments that impact upon it. The report will look at how educational practice is shaped by legislative and regulatory frameworks; it will also show how our own practice provides support for all children to achieve within mainstream education.
This controversy may stem from the fact that inclusion is expensive and experts disagree about how much time disabled students should spend in regular classrooms (Cambanis, 2001). Although this topic is controversial, it cannot be ignored. Inclusion will, at some point, affect 1% of all children born each year, who will have disabilities and the families and educators they will come in contact with (Stainback, 1985).
For years children with special needs were ushered off to separate classes and schools. Children with special needs have the right to attend classes with their same aged peers in the same classroom with support. Students with special needs deserve the same opportunities they would have if circumstances were different. Inclusion gives those students with special needs the chance to be part of the community; able to form relationships outside of the family unit. All students benefit from inclusion; students with disabilities develop social skills and develop friendships while non-disabled students learn tolerance and acceptance.
For thousands of years individuals with exceptionalities have been present in all parts of society across the world, especially those with physical or sensory characteristics. However, the way that these individuals have been viewed has changed dramatically. Originally these individuals were seen as ‘imbeciles,’ ‘worthless,’ and ‘a burden on society’ and were often shut away from ‘normal’ society or simply left to die or abandoned to institutions. Society has, however, created a positive change and started to exhibit a more humanitarian view and protective nature and developed a concern for the welfare of individuals with exceptionalities. The steadily changing view of society has paved the way to where today these individuals are now considered a part of an all-inclusive society where every citizen has value, merit and is capable of making a contribution to society.