Inclusive education is a growing field that is aimed at educating students from all backgrounds and abilities. Students with disabilities, uncommon physical features, immigrants, often have unique needs and challenges that must be addressed in order to provide an accessible and equitable education.
Inclusive education has been shown to positively impact student achievement. When students feel safe and develop a sense of belonging in an inclusive learning environment, they are better able to learn and retain information. It includes providing information in a way that is relevant to the student’s experience, using respectful language, engaging in visual/verbal communication, and providing feedback that is anchored in why certain behaviours are effective or not.
An inclusive educational system is one that values the diversity and individuality of each student’s contributions in the classroom. Unfortunately, it happens frequently that students are treated improperly due to their individual characteristics in various parts of the world. No student should be isolated or shunned because of their uniqueness or aptitude for learning. In a typical inclusive learning environment, a learner’s individuality and originality are valued rather than being disparaged. Parishkar College of global excellence (Autonomous), Dr Raghav Prakash founder has this to say “We are dedicated to inclusive higher education for under graduate, graduates and post graduates. PHD degrees applying the requisite pedagogy for people with disabilities, under served young minds and people from remote locations.”
It is important that we as educators take an inclusive perspective when designing our classrooms and curricula. By doing so, we help our students reach their full potential. Inclusive education will continue to grow in popularity as more individuals adopt its philosophy into their daily lives. Learners should be treated with respect, irrespective of their differences or learning capabilities. Any kind of discrimination – be it overt or implicit – is unacceptable and must be put an end to. By acting now, we can ensure a more inclusive future for all learners.
IFTC is a 5-year-old organisation that has witnessed the prejudice and alienation of people with disabilities in the mainstream education system. If they are incorporated, the schools will have their own set of rules. Because of the constant pressures on parents, prolonged higher education possibilities are impracticable. These and other concerns must be addressed in depth in order to promote better integration for people with disabilities. Madhavi Gupta, the founder of IFTC has this to say “Education is the fundamental right of each individual irrespective of strata, abilities or background”.
Our ethos: we will create a more inclusive nation of empowered individuals, families, and other social eco-systems. We have a distinctly altruistic orientation and place great emphasis on playing a role in improving societal conditions. This can be seen in the way IFTC operate and their goals – often focussing on addressing major issues such as inequality, exclusive education system etc.
To raise awareness and enable support services to help those marginalized in our society IFTC has joined hands with Parishkar group of colleges in Jaipur. Parishkar is a fast growing group of co-education institutions, catering students from all the 33 districts of Rajasthan and other states like: Haryana, UP, MP, Gujrat, Delhi, Assam etc. Parishkar focuses on each student’s life skills, soft skills and specially communication skills, grooming her/him a well thinking, bold, creative and a global person.
The way forward:
In order for inclusive education to truly be inclusive, there must be a shift in the way we think about and approach disabilities. We must move away from the medical model of disability, which sees disabled people as needing to be fixed or cured, and instead adopt a social model, which views disabled people as equal members of society. This shift will require a change in attitudes, policies, and practices, but it is essential if we want to ensure that all students feel included and are able to achieve their potential. Measures that could support this include:
1. Developing a school and higher education curriculum that is accessible to all students, including those with disabilities.
2. Ensuring that all learning spaces and materials are accessible for students with disabilities.
3. Training teachers, staff, and school administrators in disability rights and inclusion.
4. Creating an inclusive school and higher education climate with peer-mentoring and anti-bullying initiatives.
5. Establishing clear procedures and protocols to support students with disabilities, including early intervention and accommodations.
6. Encouraging advocacy and meaningful participation of students with disabilities in school decisions.
7. Promoting positive representation of students with disabilities in the community, media, and curriculum.
By providing a platform for discussions and sharing best practice, we can make a real impact on improving people’s lives. In order to make this happen, it is important to have open communication between all parties involved. If you have questions or if you are interested in learning more about how you can support inclusive education, please contact us at [email protected]. For higher education please contact at [email protected].