Embracing All Learners Through Inclusive Education

In a class, the learners have different socio-economic status, cultural backgrounds, different abilities, capacities and intelligences. Some are endowed with abilities and others are born with disabilities. This is where inclusive education comes in. It is considering the manners our schools, programs and lessons are designed so that all learners can participate and learn. Inclusive education may also mean looking into and finding different strategies of teaching so that every school actively involves all learners.

            According to Alquraini & Gut, the school and classroom operate on the premise that students with disabilities are as fundamentally competent as students without disabilities. Therefore, all students can be full participants in their classrooms and in the local school community. Much of the movement is related to legislation that students receive their education in the least restrictive environment (LRE). This means they are with their peers without disabilities to the maximum degree possible, with general education the placement of first choice for all students.

            Inclusive education is successful when schools accept, understand and attend to learners’ differences and diversity which include the physical, cognitive, academic, social and emotional disciplines of every learner.

            All schools and classrooms should operate on the assumption learners with disabilities are as fundamentally competent as learners without disability. Therefore administrators and teachers should look upon learners as full participants in the teaching-learning.

            Nowadays, inclusive education is gaining steam because there is so much research-based evidence around the benefits. Let us take a look at the research of Alquraini and Gut.

The benefits for the students

            Simply put, both students with and without disabilities learn more. Many studies over the past three decades have found that students with disabilities have higher achievement and improved skills through inclusive education, and their peers without challenges benefit, too.

            For students with disabilities (SWD), this includes academic gains in literacy (reading and writing), math, and social studies—both in grades and on standardized tests, better communication skills, and improved social skills and more friendships. More time in the general classroom for SWD is also associated with fewer absences and referrals for disruptive behavior. This could be related to findings about attitude in that they have higher self-concept, they like school and their teachers more, and are more motivated around working and learning.

            For their peers without disabilities, they also show more positive attitudes in these same areas when in inclusive classrooms. They make greater academic gains in reading and math. Research shows the presence of SWD gives non-SWD new kinds of learning opportunities. One of these is when they serve as peer-coaches. By attending to how to help another student, their own performance improves. Another is that as teachers take into greater consideration their diverse SWD learners, they provide instruction in a wider range of learning modalities (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic), which benefits their regular students as well.

            Researchers often explore concerns and potential pitfalls that might make instruction less effective in inclusion classrooms. But findings show this is not the case. Neither instructional time nor how much time students are engaged differs between inclusive and non-inclusive classrooms. In fact, in many instances regular students report little to no awareness that there even are students with disabilities in their classes. When they are aware, they demonstrate more acceptance and tolerance for SWD when they all experience an inclusive education together.

            Getting the gist, everybody concerned with the education of every learner should see to it that learners through inclusive education are embraced, provided with inclusive programs, projects, activities and curriculum in an inclusive learning environment so that all types of learners will develop fully their potentials and contribute to growth and development of one’s self, family and to the community and society as a whole.