1.1) Define Inclusive Education.
The term inclusion implies a sense of community and creating shared spaces. Inclusion takes place in a classroom community that is continuously changing according to the students, their needs, as well as their interests. Inclusive education refers to reforming the ...
Question 1
1.1) Define Inclusive Education.
The term inclusion implies a sense of community and creating shared spaces. Inclusion takes
place in a classroom community that is continuously changing according to the students,
their needs, as well as their interests. Inclusive education refers to reforming the educational
system to meet the needs of all students regardless of their background. Equalization of
opportunity needs to be reflected in the field of education. The principle of inclusive
education is that all students regardless of any challenges should be placed in general
education classes, which are in their neighbourhood to receive high-quality instructions and
support that enable them to meet success in the core curriculum. Children should learn
together regardless of any difficulties or differences they may have. Inclusive educational
settings should accommodate and respond to the diverse needs of their students.
1.2) Discuss the following theories underpinning Inclusive
Education.
1.2.1 Critical theory and its key principles.
Critical theory critiques the view of society, social structure and group culture. As opposed
to merely debunking criticism, a critical theory is concerned with preventing the loss of truth
that past knowledge has laboured to attain. It criticizes social justice, racial oppression,
discrimination and many other contradictions. The critical theory analyzes how educational
systems can provide education to all people. In the view of critical theory, learners have the
right to access education and every learner has their strengths and weaknesses. The crucial
principles of the critical theory include the right of every learner to access education.
1.2.2 African philosophies and their key principles.
African philosophies are disinclined to schools of thought that promote colonial supremacy.
African philosophies focus on issues that influence inclusive education. These issues include
cultural traditions, faith and values that affect the way learners learn. Sotuku and Duku
identified elements of Ubuntu. This philosophy articulates such important values as respect,
human dignity, compassion and compromise. Ubuntu also values independence and
dependence as it requires supportiveness, cooperation and solidarity within the community,
, Ubuntu promotes a spirit of interconnectedness, social cohesion, respect and dignity,
collectivism and solidarity, communal enterprise and leadership. However, modern African
society is constituted of people from different cultures or different backgrounds. Ubuntu also
facilitates a spirit of hospitality and sharing.
1.2.3 Social constructivism and its key principles.
Social constructivism views disability as a social construct, implemented against minorities
and social marginalisation. It views disability as a developmental process instead of a static
condition. Social constructivism advocates for the school system to adjust and enable healthy
learning environments for each learner. It focuses on the collaborative nature of learning and
believes that knowledge develops from how people interact with each other, their culture and
society at large. Students rely on others to help them build their building blocks and learning
from others helps them construct their knowledge and reality. The key principles of social
constructivism include culture and context influence on learning, the pedagogic approach of
active learning, and learners constructing knowledge from their experiences. Learners should
be encouraged to explore and should be encouraged to ask and answer questions.
1.3) Critically analyse the different epistemologies informing
different theoretical assumptions in Inclusive Education.
Epistemologies are philosophical concepts that are targeted at shaping convictions about
knowledge and reality. These different epistemologies inform different theoretical
assumptions in inclusive education.
Educational essentialism is an educational philosophy whose advocates believe that
children should learn the traditional basic subjects. Essentialism guarantees that the
accumulated wisdom of our civilization as taught in the traditional academic disciplines is
passed on from teacher to student. It is also known as the deficit or medical approach as it
locates children’s differences and disabilities within their pathology.
Social epistemology presents disability as a socially contrived construction.
Institutionalisation was questioned because it removed people with disabilities from the
cultural contexts to which they belonged. This brought in concepts of normalization and
integration. This epistemology can inform understanding of how to play interactions with
peers to support the learning of young children with developmental disabilities in inclusive
programs. This allows children to learn through play.
Rights-based epistemology views education as a vital and basic human right for every
single person no matter their background, colour, gender, ethnicity, disability or social class.
There has been a major shift from an earlier conception of inclusion which was limited to
including all people with different categories of disabilities to an embrace and celebration of
diversity. This conception differed from normalisation which failed to consider each
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