Volume : III, Issue : II, February - 2014

Inclusive Education in Crossroads: Issues and Challenges

K. Leelavathi, P. Neeraja

Abstract :

India has the second largest education system in the world, with 200 million children aged between 6 and 14, around 25 million of whom are out of school. However, beå in mind that apparently only 35% of children are registered at birth, others estimate between 35 to 80 million out-of-school children. Children in special schools were seen as geographically and socially segregated from their peers, and the initial movement to vocationally integrate these students in mainstream schools (‘integration’) shifted to one where the whole school was encouraged to become more adaptable and inclusive in its day-to-day educational practices for all students (‘inclusive education’). The World Health Organisation estimates that 10% of any population is disabled. In addition, approximately 85% of the world’s children with disabilities under 15 live in developing countries. It is further thought that with disability, or impairment, being both a cause and consequence of poverty, the Millennium Development Goals cannot be achieved without a specific disability focus. The teacher education focus of some government programmes is perhaps going in the right direction. However, the apparently slight regard for content and methodology of the courses, which do not re-conceptualize IE or address attitudes towards disability, demonstrates the need for further change in this context. Also, teachers are not the only stakeholders involved. Students, parents, administrators and local government officials are affected too, all of whom will see any innovation or new concept in a different light. However, the re-conceptualization of IE as whole school issue appears to be essential if IE is to be more than physical relocation of children with disabilities in a mainstream classroom.

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Article: Download PDF   DOI : 10.36106/ijsr  

Cite This Article:

K. Leelavathi, P. Neeraja Inclusive Education in Crossroads: Issues and Challenges International Journal of Scientific Research, Vol.III, Issue.II February 2014

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