“What is important about people and about schools is what is different, not what is the

same” (Barth, 1990, p. 515). Inclusion involves the immersion of all students in relation to

their education, irrespective of diverse differences within their school setting. Inclusion

infers the elimination of segregation between mainstream and ‘special’ schooling, where

educators take a proactive and responsive approach to cater for the needs of all students

(Loreman, Deppeler, & Harvey, 2011).

Global views are changing in regards to inclusive education, some countries being more

successful than others in implementing an accepting approach. Barriers still remain

politically and socially in relation to inclusive education practices with some countries such

as Canada, where individuals reported views about children with disabilities as “fragile,

incompetent, unable to communicate in ways which are valued” (Loreman, 2007, p.24).

Additionally, past global views looked at categorising and labelling individuals based upon

their disability or additional needs and therefore excluding them from societal settings.

Now, in the present these views are shifting to inclusive education becoming a human right

that promotes social inclusion and integration of all people, of all abilities without

discrimination (Boyle & Sharma, 2015). Perspectives are changing from “whether“ they can

cater to individual differences to “how” they can (Forlin, 2006).

Students with diverse needs have inadequate opportunities for integration compared to

their retrospective peers. Over time the ideology of views are changing and further

progressing, deterring away from seclusion and marginalisation to a more inclusive setting

(Tiwari, Das, & Sharma, 2015). Attitudes, values and views are increasingly expanding in

relation to additional needs and disability. Loreman, Deppeler, & Harvey (2011) research

suggests that personal views and attitudes should reflect disability as something that should

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not define an individual but add to ones intrinsic value, displaying uniqueness rather than

dysfunction. Additionally, individual views and attitudes should not view impairment as a

barrier or limitation to ones abilities, but highlight their capability to perform associated

tasks that they can do instead of focusing on what one cannot do. The research also looks at

views and attitudes from a wider scope within an educational setting, focussing on inclusion

of all students, providing education that reflects the abilities and needs of the students

irrespective of differences. This changing ideology highlights that all students regardless of

difference can learn and be taught, which discourages the past ideology that disability and

additional needs prevents learning to take place where levels of achievement is deemed

impossible for students with diverse needs within a classroom (Loreman, Deppeler, &

Harvey, 2011).

Views on inclusive education are predominately dependent on an individual’s life

experiences and are vital in the successful implementation of inclusive education. Teachers

with negative attitudes and views in relation to inclusive education being seen as near

impossible to change (Loreman, 2007). Concurring with Loreman (2007), research

conducted by McCrimmon (2014) suggests that the length of time in teaching has a

significant influence over acceptance of inclusive education within the classroom. Further,

suggesting that newly graduated teachers are more willing to implement inclusive practices

into their classroom due to the fact that inclusive education programs, strategies, support,

resources and supplementary information is readily available as views are expanding and

becoming progressively more common within a university and pre-service setting (Loreman,

2007). Most importantly inclusive views are changing in all aspects of the school. Research

by Bates, McCafferty, Quayle, & McKenzie, (2014) suggests that views and attitudes do not

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primarily focus on parents, teachers and the community but rather the views, attitudes and

values of students experiencing inclusive education. Further, research demonstrates that

inclusive education promotes positive interactions between peers and students with diverse

needs, as it endorses peer acceptance and assimilation amongst all peers groups rather than

experiences such as peer rejection, segregation and bullying. Inclusive education places

primary focus on students with a disability and additional needs at the focus of learning,

acknowledging their differences and catering for them in an array of possible ways.

It is essential to identify that laws, policies and procedures operate as a framework for

behaviour adjustment. Legislation shapes the actions of the government which

consequently regulates the actions of individuals and the community in relation to inclusive

education. The power of both legislation and policy, collectively have the influence to form

society and govern how it operates at a range of levels (Hunt, 2011).

The Salamanca Statement is an international declaration which aims to support inclusion

within an education, providing an equal opportunity for all students through active

participation. The reform aims to provide support with collaboration of teachers, school

staff, the school community, parents, caregivers, families and peers. The legislation

highlights the inclusion of all students irrespective of physical impairments, intellectual

capabilities, social circumstances, emotional needs and linguistic requirements.

Furthermore, including students with gifts and talents, multiple intelligences and children

with a disability or additional needs (Hunt, 2011; Saloviita, 2015). The Salamanca statement

focuses on students strengths at the core, catering for disadvantaged and minority groups

“reaffirming the right to education of every individual... regardless of individual differences”

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(Hunt, 2011, p.469). Teacher preparation is a variable necessary to uphold the Salamanca

statement, with teachers providing accommodation and adjustments catering to different

learning styles. This idea involves teachers’ undergoing ongoing training, displaying a

positive attitude towards inclusion through non-categorical approaches and diversifying

learning opportunities with collaboration from a whole-school approach. A whole-school

approach is necessary and is carried out through curriculum, organisation, teaching models,

strategies and student-centred pedagogical methods. Teaching strategies within the

Salamanca statement can be modified to accommodate to the needs of all students through

assistive technology and mobility aids (Saloviita, 2015). The Salamanca Statement strives for

normative balance between diverse abilities across an education context offering a

continuum of services to cater for all needs equitably (Forlin, 2006).

The Disability Standards for Education (DSE) is another contributing legislation essential for

implementation of inclusive education. This reform looks at students with disabilities to

have equal access to standardised education and equivalent rights to the degree of their

peers without additional needs or disability. The DSE enforces effective accommodations

and adjustments, therefore students have the opportunity to entirely participate in learning

activities thus having an equal right to education through access to services and facilities

(Squelch, 2015). Research from Squelch (2015) also looks at the DSE working towards a

more inclusive curriculum and a supportive learning environment, where students with a

disability can experience educational benefits in relation to their individualised needs. DSE

focusses on creating a more inclusive curriculum by ensuring education providers design the

curriculum in a way that maximises learning, opportunity and choice for the individual

(Dickson, 2006). An inclusive setting is achieved through the content and teaching materials

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being appropriate and easily accessible to all, making study materials in a range of different

formats to cater for all types of learners, alternative assessment and activities, extended

completion periods for assessment and class work and finally, assessment materials being

adapted and modified to suit the needs of all, with the allowance of assistive technologies.

The DSE therefore provides a framework that aims to eliminate unlawful discrimination

against an individual with a disability or additional needs and promotes an inclusive setting

for students to reach their maximum learning potential within their schooling environment

(Dickson, 2006; Squelch, 2005)

Inclusion involves active participation of every student through effective adaptation and

adjustment made by the teacher and the schools community. The adjustments and

accommodations are enforced to value each student’s differences and aims to deliver

equitable educational outcomes for all. Inclusive adaption can be deemed difficult and

complex to many educators, as this process requires a high level of skills and teaching

competence (Loreman, Deppeler, & Harvey, 2011).

When catering for students who have diverse needs there is a range of adjustments and

accommodations a teacher could implement to support the students learning. One of these

strategies include differentiated instruction. Differentiated instruction is where the content,

process, product and learning environment are continually modified to cater for diverse

needs (Smit & Humpert, 2012). Differentiated instruction focusses on giving students a

choice through a strength based approach incorporating individual interests into the

learning accommodating for diverse needs through engagement (Suprayogi, Valckem &

Godwin, 2017; Valiandes, Neophytou, & Hajisoteriou, 2018). Some examples may include,

Mia Katar 17432825 Page 5

different forms of assessment which are project based, visual based, collaboratively based,

problem based, kinaesthetically based, orally based, creatively based or electronically

based. Assessment modification allows the students to feel confident in producing

maximised learning outcomes by being given the opportunity to demonstrate their

academic strengths and competence through a medium in which they feel most

comfortable with (Smit & Humpert, 2012).

Inclusive practice enhances learning for all students. Students with diverse needs and

differences are seen to perform better academically in an inclusive setting demonstrating

increased engagement and motivation in their learning (Roy, Guay, & Valois, 2015).

Students who have additional needs are also percieved to learn more efficiently through

communication, interaction and social skills with others. These benefits are not just

beneficial for students with diverse needs but also their peers. Adjustments and

accommodations include collaborative learning, peer tutoring and peer mentoring, further

enhancing and building upon empathy, forming friendships and overall enhancing ones self-

esteem and self-confidence (Loreman, Deppeler, & Harvey, 2011; Smit & Humpert, 2012).

More specifically, an example of a student with additional needs is a student that has

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). According to research by Lever & Geurts (2018),

individuals with ASD possess some intricate features which are measurable upon a spectrum

varying from low to high functionality. ASD traits can consist of difficulty with verbal

communication, struggles with fine and gross motor movements, social anxiety, limited

social responsiveness, repetitive behaviours and actions, lack of emotional regulation,

inability to express empathy, difficulty coping and building resilience, sensory sensitivity,

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obsessive interests and the necessity for structured routine therefore resistance towards

change. Each individual with ASD is different and possess a diverse set of unique elements

which contribute to their overall needs (Lever & Geurts, 2018).

Whichever qualities an Individual with ASD may have, it is ultimately the school community

and the teachers’ responsibility to adapt learning and use a range of adjustments to meet

their individual needs at a high standard. Some strategies a teacher may use if a student

with ASD demonstrates difficulty with verbal communication and fine motor skills is to use

assistive technologies within the classroom. Assistive technologies can range from audio

activated ICT devices, joy sticks and picture conversion communication systems (Kilham &

Alston, 2004). Additionally more adaptions may be to display a clock in the classroom to

acknowledge an individual’s desire for structure; the teacher can also inform the student in

advance if there are any deviations from the normative routine. Refraining from sensory

disruption is also another adaptation a teacher must consider when teaching students with

ASD e.g. reducing noise levels within the classroom, limiting strong lighting such as closing

the curtains and implementing distraction free environments when performing tasks,

exams, assessments and classwork (Sarrett, 2017). Moreover, Sarrett (2017) suggests the

teacher using multi-model instructions, providing alternative process avenues and voicing

clear and precise directions with the use of visual prompts for additional support and

understanding. Concurring with this research, a study by Kantavong & Sivabaedya (2010)

additionally proposes a myriad of accommodations and adjustments such as peer teaching,

peer mentoring and collaborative tasks to enhance social skills. Additionally, also

recommending differentiating learning activities such as using games, story-telling and

creative tasks to relay messages and information, making the content relatable and

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relevant to the students drawing upon their prior knowledge, incorporating interests,

highlighting information that is important, making texts larger and including diagrams and

dividing the lesson into sequential smaller tasks for clearer and simplified instruction.

The array of strategies above do not only accommodate for students with ASD but also cater

for other types of diverse learners and allows gifted and talented students to also tap into

their own interests, display strengths, demonstrate leadership, enhance social skills and use

interactive mediums such as ICT to further support their intelligences.

Parents, families and caregivers should be contacted in respect to their child’s needs before

making any significant adjustments and accommodations. Communication with parents and

incorporating stakeholders is vital for effective partnerships which places the students’

needs at the centre of learning. Individual Education Plans (IEPs) can be discussed and

arranged with the support of the schools community such as, executive staff, learning

support officers, school counsellors and if need be healthcare professionals. This process

ensures active involvement, ongoing support systems and appropriation in relation to the

use of resources and assistive technologies.

In conclusion, each and every student should be treated fairly, justly and equally within the

educational system. As a teacher it is essential to practice inclusivity within the classroom

and cater for each student’s diverse needs, regardless of what they may be. As a teacher it is

required to differentiate learning and deter away from the “one size fits all” approach. As a

result, each student has the right to feel safe, secure and supported by their teacher and

their school community within their learning environment indefinitely. Each student should

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have the access to equal educational opportunities and feel acknowledged within their own

efficacy and individualised abilities.

Mia Katar 17432825 Page 9

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