Contemplating Inclusive Education as a Human Right
When contemplating Inclusive education and what governments do one has to understand that the truth is that most of the governments invest in inclusive education ideology in theory but in practice, the work most of the times is insufficient. Inclusion supporters claim that the debate is human rights based, since all children should have full rights and access to education and in general normative resources. The concept of Inclusive Education is not a government priority due to the perceived budgetary constraints of developing countries such as Jamaica. Becoming more specific, in the Caribbean context, the government devotes more attention to the macro levels of policy development and implementation in education such as development of policies and programmes, strategies, the organization, and the physical environment, while they appear to have fewer ideas with respect to policy development and implementation when it comes to the school system and the micro level (the students) such as the curriculum, the methods of teaching, classroom management, and professional attitudes and communication. This is where the battle for inclusive special needs education starts.
When discussing Inclusive education the question of why is it important arises. People with disabilities face challenges to engagement and it is important to take a range of issues into consideration. For instance, do not assume that just because two people have the same impairment they will have the same experience of disability, or the same views and opinions on the issues that affect them. People’s lives and personalities are not defined by their impairments. Some children may have needs which require more effort and special equipment. Inclusive education therefore must contemplate different kinds of disabilities.
It’s important to acknowledge that everyone benefits from inclusion. All children regardless of ability enabled in the same education environment are winners through this experience. Children with disabilities acquire social skills and the integrated education transforms the experience into more rewarding for them. They also have more opportunities for socialization with peers, while they are prepared for full participation in the community with learning with and from all of the children and involved adults. But just as importantly children without disabilities learn tolerance and compassion towards differences, they learn about disabilities and become more sensitive, less fearful of and more willing to interact and befriend children who may seem different, as well as develop healthy social skills, which ultimately create an adult inclusive community, regardless of ability.
Inclusion therefore is not just an approach aiming at educating children with disabilities but rather educating the entire community and ensuring all people have the same rights; education, living, employment, and leisure opportunities.
Inclusive education is about the child’s right to participating and the school’s duty to accept and enable the child with respect for their social, civil, and educational rights.
