The power of inclusive education | Ilene Schwartz | TEDxEastsidePrep

                   INCLUSION AND INCLUSIVE PRACTICE


Inclusive education happens when children with and without disabilities participate and learn together in the same classes. Research shows that when a child with disabilities attends classes alongside peers who do not have disabilities, good things happen.

The inclusive classroom means that all students have the right to feel safe, supported and included at school and in the regular classroom as much as possible.

Here is a powerful video that shows and explains the outcomes of inclusion in a classroom setting.



            

      Twelve Key Features of Inclusive Settings .

1.  The attitudes and behaviour of practitioners, children and parents demonstrate how unremarkable it is that disabled children are part of a wide cross-section of the local community using the service. 
2.  Activities are led by the interests and enthusiasms of each child who attends and take place with regard to any likes, dislikes and specific needs each child may have. 
3.  Everyone is welcomed on arrival and wished well on departure in a way that suits them. 
4.  Pictures, equipment and resources reflect disabled people's lives as part of a wide representation of children's differing backgrounds and experience. 
5.  The person in charge is committed to the active participation of children, parents/carers, team members and others to ensure good quality provision and to ensure each individual's needs are met. 
6. The person in charge has made time to build links with families/schools/services for disabled children by becoming directly involved with them as part of a commitment to give all local children and families a genuine choice to be part of the service. 
7.  All practitioners have had attitudinal training around disability and other equality issues and continue to take part in training about inclusion. 
8. All practitioners are aware that attitudes, environments, structures and policies need attention in order that they do not disadvantage particular children. 
9. All practitioners have or are developing necessary skills to communicate effectively with each child, and encourage all children to develop ways of communicating with each other.  
10. Each child has opportunities for formal and informal consultation so that they can express their views and opinions on sessions they take part in and on the setting as a whole, using whatever communication methods they choose. 
11.  Each parent/carer feels welcome and valued as an expert on their child, with a continuing key role in helping practitioners enable their child to take a full part in the setting.  

The service has a vision of what it wants to do; policies and procedures for how it does it; and a process of monitoring and evaluation to see how well it is doing it. This includes all who are involved in the setting in a process of continuing reflection on the development of inclusive policy and practice.

                          ANTI-DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE

Anti-discrimination is the basic policy to tackle inequalities in school with regards to race, gender, sex, level of ability, social status etc. All schools are required to have an equal opportunities policy which states that all members of staff and children will be treated equally.This document is usually a part of the induction process of all staff members and should be available for reference at any point of time.Supporting all pupils in a safe anti-discriminatory setting provides for positive experiences. Mutual respect and clear codes of conduct are the basis of anti-discriminatory policy. The teaching assistant should know and follow the policy as laid down by the school, for effective outcome.

There are a number of ways to promote anti-discrimination.

•  Be a good role model – do not only pay lip service to anti-discriminatory practice, but demonstrate it in everything you do.
•  Appreciate and promote diversity and individuality of children and young people by acknowledging their positive attributes and abilities. 
•  Listen to and involve children and young people in the delivery of services, and respond to their concerns.
•  Recognise that the child or young person is at the centre of the learning by treating each one as an individual. 
•  Have realistic but the highest expectations of all children and young people. 
•  Support a positive ethos within the school. 
•  Give pupils the confidence and skills to challenge prejudice or racist behaviour of others. 
•  Recognise and question anti-discriminatory practice.