📝 Introduction
While implementing inclusive
education in schools, certain practical doubts often arise:
- Should children with disabilities
be placed in normal classes for the entire day?
- Should they attend special classes
for part of the day?
- Or should they receive instruction
in separate special settings throughout the day?
The appropriate
approach depends on:
- The extent and type of
disability of the child,
- The skills of the classroom
teacher, and
- The learning environment
available in the school.
To address this, three
major approaches to educational programs for CWSN (Children with Special
Needs) are identified:
Inclusive
Education Approach
🔹 Inclusive Education means educating
children with disabilities and learning difficulties together with
non-disabled children in the same classroom under one roof.
🔸 It aims to address the learning
needs of all children, especially those vulnerable to exclusion or
marginalization.
🔹 Inclusive education allows access
to:
- Common pre-school provisions
- Mainstream schools
- Community-based education settings
🔸 It is supported by:
- A flexible curriculum
- Appropriate teaching aids
- Support systems and services to
accommodate diverse learning needs
🟢 Key Features:
- Focuses on equal participation
and removes discrimination.
- Promotes collaborative learning
among diverse learners.
- Builds an inclusive school
culture.
Integrated
Education Approach
🔹 In this approach, students
with special needs study in regular classrooms along with their
non-disabled peers.
🔸 However, they also receive additional
support from special educators or resource rooms to adapt to the regular
curriculum.
🔹 In some cases, special education
is given:
- Within the regular classroom
(co-teaching)
- Or separately in a resource
room within the same school campus
🟢 Key Features:
- Promotes academic and social
integration
- Requires both general and
special educators
- Ensures better access to
mainstream education with necessary support
Special
Education Approach
🔹 Special Education refers to the education
of children with disabilities in separate specialized settings.
🔸 These settings include:
- Special schools for different
disabilities (blind, deaf, autistic, dyslexic, etc.)
- Home-based learning setups
- Residential or institutional care
🔹 This approach is based on the assumption
that differently-abled children have unique needs that cannot be fully
addressed in regular schools.
🟢 Key Features:
- Individual-centric approach
to cater to specific needs
- Separate curriculum,
environment, and infrastructure
- Often located in urban areas
or metro cities
🔄 Comparison Table: Inclusive, Integrated & Special Education
|
Component |
Inclusive
Education |
Integrated
Education |
Special
(Segregated) Education |
|
1. Place of Study
for the Disabled |
Regular classrooms
in public schools |
Regular classrooms +
special education classrooms within the same school campus |
Special schools
exclusively for specific types of disabilities |
|
2. Duration of Class
Hours with Normal Children |
Disabled students
study with peers during all class hours |
Disabled students
study with peers during all class hours, but also receive support from
special classrooms |
No time with regular
students; study only with children having similar disabilities |
|
3. Duration in
Special School Setting |
May receive
additional support from a special educator (itinerant teacher) outside
class hours within the regular school |
Spend part-time
in regular class and part-time in special education classroom, or
attend special school on campus for most of the day except for co-curricular
activities |
Study full-time
in a separate special school throughout the year |
|
4. Teacher Skill |
Regular teachers
trained in general subjects and basic special education skills; supported by
itinerant special educators |
Regular teachers
have general + basic special education training; special educators in school
have professional training |
All teachers are
professionally trained in special education |
|
5. Special
Facilities for the Disabled |
Basic facilities
like special seating, wheelchair space, assistive devices, and teaching aids
provided within regular classroom |
Some basic
facilities in regular classroom; most special facilities available in
special classroom or school campus |
Full special
facilities available: trained staff, aids, helper support, toilets, canteen,
etc. in special schools |
|
6. Achievement of
Disabled Students |
Moderate academic
achievement and significant development in social skills due to
inclusive interaction |
Lower academic
achievement but better improvement in social skills due to partial
inclusion |
Minimal academic
achievement, better life skills development, but limited social
skill development |
|
7. Degree of
Disability of Learners |
Primarily children
with mild or low-level disabilities |
Suitable for
children with moderate disabilities |
Designed for
children with severe or profound disabilities |
Deno and Reynolds Model (1970–1971)
🔹 Researchers Deno (1970)
and Reynolds (1971) proposed a seven-level educational model to
categorize children with disabilities based on the intensity of support
required.
🔸 Their model guides schools in
organizing instruction for exceptional children within or outside the
mainstream system.
🔹 Key Principle:
- Children should remain at the lowest
level of support possible.
- Only move to more intensive
settings if absolutely necessary.
🎯 Seven Levels of Deno
and Reynolds Model (1970–1971)
Educational Continuum
for Children with Disabilities
🔹 Level 1: Regular
Class Assignment
- The child attends a regular
classroom along with other non-disabled peers.
- Minimal adjustments
like large desks or seating support are provided.
- Success at this level depends on
the inclusive teaching skills of the regular classroom teacher.
🔹 Level 2: Regular
Class with Supplementary Instruction
- The child continues in the regular
class for most of the day.
- Additionally, they receive individualized
or small-group support in a resource room.
- A special educator helps
reinforce learning based on the child’s specific needs.
🔹 Level 3: Part-time
Special Class
- The child splits their time
between the regular classroom and a special education class.
- Special classes provide focused
instruction in certain subjects or areas.
- Useful for children needing moderate
academic support.
🔹 Level 4: Full-time
Special Class within Regular School
- The child is placed in a separate
special education class for all academic activities.
- Still within the regular school
environment, allowing interaction during breaks, assembly, or
co-curricular activities.
- Suitable for children who require
a more structured and supportive learning environment.
🔹 Level 5: Special
School
- The child attends a separate
special school, specially designed for certain types of disabilities.
- The entire curriculum, teaching
methods, and infrastructure are tailored to their needs.
- Children may be reintegrated
into mainstream schools if their progress allows.
🔹 Level 6:
Home-bound Instruction
- For children who are unable to
attend school due to medical or severe physical conditions.
- A highly trained teacher
visits the child’s home to deliver lessons.
- Though effective, this is often expensive
and logistically difficult.
🔹 Level 7:
Institutional/Residential Assignment
- The child lives and studies in a residential
care institution far from home.
- Provides round-the-clock care,
therapy, and education.
- Most restrictive and
segregated form of education; may lead to social isolation if not
supported properly.
This model illustrates a hierarchical range of educational
placements for CWSN, progressing from most restrictive (bottom) to least
restrictive (top), promoting inclusive practices.
🔸 The education of CWSN can follow
three main approaches:
1.
Inclusive Education
– Mildly disabled students are fully integrated in regular classes.
2.
Integrated Education
– Moderately disabled students attend regular classes with part-time special
education support.
3.
Special Education
– Severely disabled students are educated in separate special schools or
institutions.
🔹 The Deno and Reynolds Model
provides a flexible framework to guide placement of children based on
their level of need and ensures that children are only moved to higher levels
of support when absolutely necessary.
✅ An effective educational system for
CWSN should aim for maximum inclusion, supported by trained teachers,
accessible infrastructure, and individualized learning support.
0 Comments