Inclusive education – What is it? From 4th Child Protection Forum in Tajikistan, 2013.

1. Inclusive education – What is it?
Gerison Lansdown
4th Central Asian Republics Child
Protection Forum
Dushanbe, Tajikistan
1-3 August

2. CRC
• Article 2 – non
discrimination
• Article 28 – right to
education on the basis of
equality of opportunity
• Article 29 – education to
fulfil optimal potential
CRPD
• Articles 3,4, 5 and 7 –
obligations on States to take
all measures to protect
from discrimination on
grounds of disability
• Article 24 – the right to
inclusive education at all
levels, and to be provided
with all necessary supports
and reasonable
accommodations
The right to education

3. ‘a process of addressing and responding to the diversity
of needs of all learners through increasing participation
in learning, cultures and communities, and reducing
exclusion within and from education. It involves
changes and modifications in
content, approaches, structures and strategies, with a
common vision which covers all children of the
appropriate age range and a conviction that it is the
responsibility of the state to educate all children’.
UNESCO 2005, Guidelines for Inclusion: ensuring access
to education for all, Paris
Defining inclusion

4. The human rights and principled case
• International human rights law makes clear the right of every
child with a disability to an inclusive education
• Segregation is inherently discriminatory – marginalising and
rendering invisible children with disabilities
• Segregation has condemned millions of children to denial of
many fundamental human rights – family life, freedom of
association, play, health care, optimum
development, protection from violence, access to justice
• Inclusive education promotes respect for human rights, human
dignity and diversity

5. The social and educational case
• It produces positive changes in attitudes within schools towards diversity
by educating all children together and leading to greater social cohesion.
• Children with disabilities are less stigmatised and more socially included.
• Children without disabilities learn tolerance, acceptance of difference and
respect for diversity.
• Children with disabilities have access to a wider curriculum than that
which is available in special schools.
• It leads to higher achievement for children than in segregated settings.
Indeed, there are educational benefits for all children inherent in
providing inclusive education.
• Education is a means to ensure that people can enjoy and defend their
rights in society and contribute to the process of democratization both in
society and in education.

6. “Inclusive education has not only
benefited the children with disabilities
but also benefits all the other non-
disabled students in the school by
teaching them how to care about
others and help others.”
(Headmaster from Xin Dian Primary
School in Sanshitou, China)

7. The economic case
• Recognises children with disabilities as contributors to society, not burdens.
• Reduces welfare costs and current and future dependence
• Frees other household members from caring responsibilities, allowing them
to increase employment or other productive activities.
• Contributes to the maintenance of a flourishing economy and society
• Promotes productivity, human potential and health and well being.
A UNESCO study found that up to 35.6 per cent of global GDP lost due to disability is estimated to take place in
Europe and central Asia.
UNESCO, Policy Guidelines, on Inclusive Education, 2009
The World Bank argues that the total value of GDP lost due to disability is between $1.4 and $1.9 billion US dollars.
World Bank, cited in Richler D, UNESCO, EFA Monitoring Report – commissioned study ‘Quality Education for Persons
with Disabilities’, 2005

8. Barriers to inclusive education
Within government Within communities Within schools
Lack of political
commitment
Hostility towards and lack of
understanding of disability
Reluctance on part of
teachers and other parents
towards including children
with disabilities
Discriminatory laws and
policies
Inaccessible environments
and facilities
Failure to engage parents of
children with disabilities
Failure to provide early
identification and
assessment
Parental fear of bullying and
discrimination
Lack of resources and
support for schools and
teachers
Inadequate support and
training for teachers
Poverty and social exclusion Rigid teaching and
assessment systems
Persistence of the medical
model of disability
Persistence of the medical
model of disability
Persistence of the medical
model of disability

9. Medical model –
child is a problem
and needs to
change
Social model - school
needs to adapt to
include and accept all
children
Social versus medical models of disability

10. Medical model Social model
Child is faulty Child is valued
Diagnosis is made of child Strengths and needs defined by self
and others
Child is labelled Barriers are identified and solutions
developed
Impairment becomes focus of attention Outcomes-based programmes designed
Child is assessed and monitored Resources made available
Segregated and alternative services are
provided
Training provided for parents and
professionals
Ordinary needs put on hold Relationships nurtured
Re-entry only if ‘normal’ enough or
permanent exclusion
Diversity welcomed; child is welcomed
Society remains unchanged Society evolves

12. Values of inclusion
• Equality – every child is of equal worth
• Rights-based – all rights apply to every child without discrimination
• Participation – children are engaged, involved, and contribute to decisions
that affect them
• Respect for diversity – every child is different and must be
included, diversity enriches learning
• Community – children live in a community with others inside and outside
the school, inclusion involves collaboration with communities, inclusion in
education is one aspect of inclusion in society.
• Sustainability – education must prepare children for sustainable lives
within sustainable communities, inclusive schools build the
relationships, opportunities and understanding for life in the longer term
• Non-violence –skills are developed for negotiation, mediation and non-
violent conflict resolution between adults and children and children
themselves, bullying of any child who is different is challenged

13. Courtesy of Michigan Alliance for Families

14. Segregation
• Children are classified
according to their impairment
• Allocated a school designed to
respond to that particular
impairment
Integration
Children with disabilities
are placed in the
mainstream system
Often in special classes
Only able to remain as
long as they can
accommodate the
school’s demands and fit
in with its environment
Inclusion
Recognition of need to transform the
cultures, policies and practices in school to
accommodate the differing needs of
individual students
An obligation to remove the barriers that
impede that possibility
Moving from
segregation to
inclusion
NOYES

15. Elements for successful inclusion
Values and commitment need to be backed up by practical action
Teachers
trained, supported
and willing to
learn, all staff
committed to
inclusion, supportive
governing body
Partnership and
involvement
with
families, provisio
n of information
and resources
Involvement of
local communities
– volunteers, faith
groups, friends and
neighbours
Assistive devices
–
wheelchairs, bra
ille, audio
equipment, sign
ing, ramps
Social services
– financial and
practical
support
Health services –
early
identification of
impairment,
occupational
therapy, on-
going treatment
and support

16. So how do you measure
inclusion?

17. Restructuring the cultures, policies and practices in schools to
respond to the diversity of students in the locality.
Indicators to
assess
inclusive
learning
environments
Producing
inclusive
policies
Evolving
inclusive
practice
Creating
inclusive
cultures
Creating inclusive schools: indicators of effectiveness

18. Inclusive cultures
• Every child is welcomed
• Staff co-operate
• Children help each other
• Staff and parents collaborate
• The school is a democratic environment
• The school develops shared values, based on respect for
human rights
• Expectations are high for all children
• Children are valued equally
• All forms of discrimination are challenged
• The school promotes non-violence in all interactions and
disputes

19. Inclusive policies
• The school admits all children from its locality
• Systems are in place to support every new child settle in
• Teaching and learning groups are arranged to support the learning
of every child
• The school ensures that its buildings and grounds are physically
accessible to every child
• Behaviour and inclusion policies are developed in collaboration with
staff, parents and children
• Staff parents and children are all familiar with the policies of the
school
• Professional development is provided to support teachers to
promote inclusion and respond to diversity
• Inclusive and accessible mechanisms are introduced to enable
children to share difficulties or challenges they face

20. Inclusive practices
• Learning activities encourage the participation of all
children
• Children are actively involved in their own learning
• Children learn from and support each other
• Lessons develop an understanding of similarities and
differences between people
• Assessments encourage and value the achievements of all
children
• Staff plan, teach and review together
• Staff develop shared resources to support learning
• Schools promote mutually sustaining relationships with
local communities.

21. Summary
Inclusion is a philosophy and approach – not a programme or
a service AND
 It is an educational, economic and human rights imperative
 It serves the interests of individual children, their families
and the wider society
 It is possible – examples exist across the world of positive
models of inclusion
BUT it needs political commitment and vision directed to
introduction of legislation, systems, training and support, re-
allocation of resources, public awareness and education, and
removal of the barriers that impede progress.