Group 2 — Idea for Inclusive Education in India.
Introduction
The previous blog covered some of what we learned during the initial phase of our workshop. Based on our research and findings, we chose to work on special education from the perspective of a teacher in a government school. Currently various factor affecting government schools which deter an inclusive environment is accessibility issues, lack of skilled teachers, resources, lack of proper curriculum, etc. Of these an important issue is high student-teacher ratio in the government schools. This, along with the other deterrents, makes it difficult for teachers to managing inclusive classrooms as it becomes too overwhelming for them.
Creating an ecosystem for teachers in an inclusive school
To facilitate an encouraging and inclusive environment for both teachers and students, we have come up a system for government schools deriving from various existing models. The following images present the over view of the proposed system. This model is heavily dependent on community participation, willing and passionate teachers and school system. The various stakeholders involved are general teachers, children with disabilities (CWDs), able-bodies students, assistant teachers, resource teachers, therapists, school, parents, community, NGOs, government and a networking facilitator.
The various stakeholders involved at different levels are mapped in this diagram. In the classroom, the teachers are themselves trained to manage an inclusive classroom, plus find support from assistant teachers and buddies to manage the inclusive environment. The teachers also finds support from resource teachers, therapists and other resources provided by the schools, like tools and devices, library, etc. Outside of school the teachers find support from community members, NGOs, parents and encouraging government policies.
The various roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders are detailed in the given chart.
In the classroom
A general teacher will be supported by assistant teachers and buddies in the classroom. Assistant teachers will vary in number from class to class depending upon the number of CWDs and their requirements. Assistance will be provided based on the needs and severity of the disability of a CWD.
Able-bodied students will act as buddies and will help with minor tasks which will encourage a sense of responsibility in them and they get to know their CWD peers which might encourage understanding, acceptance in the buddies and possibly deter bullying activities. The abled students will also be trained in appropriate behavior and skills to interact with CWDs and encourage a better classroom environment. One of the major strengths of the buddy system in government school is that it helps with classroom management which becomes a major task for a teacher given the high student-teacher ratio. It leverage that and encourages an interactive and inclusive environment for all.
At school level
At school level general teachers will receive assistance from resources teachers and school infrastructure and resources to aid in teaching. The number of resource teachers in a school will depend upon the number of CWDs in that school and their requirements.
Outside school
Participation at community level would help reduce stigmas and encourage an inclusive environment for PWDs. An accepting community will encourage similar behavior in students which will help in their classroom behavior. Teachers can also participate in community activities to reduce stigma by sharing their experiences, presenting strengths and capabilities of CWDs, which will in turn help towards building an inclusive society and generate opportunities for PWDs.
The following stories illustrate some scenarios of the proposed system.
Understanding motivations and interaction of stakeholders
The following charts map the motivations of stakeholders in current education system and the proposed education system. Some of the demotivating factors are addressed by the proposed system.
The following chart maps the interactions and requirements of various stakeholders with respect to each other in the proposed system. As can be seen, the system relies heavily on active participation of every stakeholder for the system to work at its fullest capacity.
