Inclusive Education Strategies

The curriculum for students with severe disabilities has emerged from a largely developmental approach where students were taught skills thought to be appropriate to their mental age, to an approach which recognises that students need to learn functional, age-appropriate life skills (social and communication skills as …

Educating Students with Severe and Multiple Disabilities Students are taught to make choices, communicate in functional ways (which may include AAC methods such as signing, use of pictures, etc.), develop useful skills that reduce their dependence on others, and learn social skills suited to their chronological age.

• Use universal design principles to create accessible classrooms.
• Use a variety of instructional formats.
• Know your students’ IEPs/504s.
• Develop a behavior management plan.

Benefits of Inclusion for Students With Disabilities

• Friendships.
• Increased social initiations, relationships and networks.
• Peer role models for academic, social and behavior skills.
• Increased achievement of IEP goals.
• Greater access to general curriculum.
• Enhanced skill acquisition and generalization.

Studies show that inclusion is beneficial for all students — not just for those who get special education services. In fact, research shows that inclusive education has positive short-term and long-term effects for all students. Kids with special education needs who are in inclusive classes are absent less often.

Some of the benefits of inclusion for children with (or without) disabilities are friendship skills, peer models, problem solving skills, positive self-image, and respect for others. This can trickle down to their families as well, teaching parents and families to be more accepting of differences.

The mandate is clear: children and adolescents with disabilities have the right to be part of regular classroom programs, to have reasonable accommodations made for them, and to have ”effective individualized support measures . . . in environments that maximize academic and social development, consistent with the goal …

These principles state that students with special educational needs should not be treated differently from other pupils (this principle is particularly true as many children with SEN encounter difficulties during their education); the purpose and goals of education should be common for all students; if it is possible.

While the regular classroom may not be the best learning environment for every child with a disability, it is highly desirable for all who can benefit. It provides contact with age peers and prepares all students for the diversity of the world beyond the classroom.

A specialist approach to education Proof is in the fact that many specialist schools outperform the mainstream schools with their results. “Children with special needs have to be taught even better than usual,” says Jane Emerson. “Multi-sensory teaching suits every child.

A child has special educational needs if they have a learning problem or disability that make it more difficult for them to learn than most children their age. They may have problems with schoolwork, communication or behaviour. Parents can get help and advice from specialists, teachers and voluntary organisations.

Special Educational Needs (SEN) refer to learners with learning, physical, and developmental disabilities; behavioural, emotional, and communication disorders; and learning deficiencies.

A child or young person aged from 0 to 25 years has special educational needs or disability (SEND) if they: have a learning difficulty or disability which makes it much harder for them to learn than other pupils of the same age. they require special educational provision to be made for them.

The Four Broad Areas of SEND

• Communication and interaction.
• Cognition and learning.
• Social, emotional and mental health difficulties.
• Sensory and/or physical needs.

Dyslexia falls under the definition of a Special Educational Need defined under s20 Childrens and Families Act 2014 (CFA) as where the child has as a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made.

SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL HEALTH DIFFICULTIES Other children and young people may have attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or attachment disorder.

The SEND Code of Practice is broken into:

• The principles underpinning the Code.
• The provision of impartial information, advice and support.
• Working together across education, health and care for joint outcomes.
• The local available provisions that your local authority must provide.
• Early Years providers; Schools.

The most common SpLDs are dyslexia, dyspraxia, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, dyscalculia and dysgraphia. An individual may have one of these independently or they can co-exist as part of a wider profile.