“Inclusion is a philosophy, which embraces the idea that everyone has something of value to contribute, and that everyone has the right to belong”. — Lisa Friedman.

1.1 Inclusion is a Philosophy
The course of life’s journey on earth, largely depends on our perceptions-how we look at things and the choices we make. So, when we choose to accept the truth that, every being in this universe is here by design and not by chance, we begin to see every individual as integral and unique part of a divine design! And what is integral and unique cannot be weak or uneducable. Therefore, ‘being inclusive’ means, being able to accept the uniqueness of every individual and look for strengths in. that individual.

1.2 What is School Culture and what are its constituents? 

NEP 2020 states that “All participants in the school education system, including teachers, principals, administrators, counsellors and students, will be sensitised to the requirements of all students, the notions of inclusion and equity, and the respect, dignity and privacy of all persons. Such an educational culture will provide the best pathway to help students become empowered individuals who, in turn, will enable society to transform into one that is responsible towards its most vulnerable citizens (section 6.19)”.

National Curriculum Framework 2023 further clarifies that “School culture can be understood in terms of values, norms and beliefs or their manifestation in action in the form of relationships, behaviours and practices.” (Part D. Section 1.1)

The elements that constitute school culture can be put under three categories:

RELATIONSHIPS, SYMBOLS and ARRANGEMENTS & PRACTICES in the school.

Ideally, right from the inception,   the school’s culture should be deeply rooted in the conviction that the school is an extension of every home from which the children come. Therefore, the people who interact with the children in school are like extended family members for children during their formative years. We believe that the culture or the way of life in the school predominantly affects how safe and happy each child feels in school. School culture is not only about children. It is about every person there. The need to be accepted, respected, wanted, and appreciated is universal. In an inclusive environment where trusting relationships are cherished, differences are accepted, and diversities are celebrated, everyone feels included and wanted. Teamwork and a spirit of togetherness are natural outcomes of this culture. All the stakeholders take ownership and get willingly involved in all that happens in school. The entire school thrives as one big family.

In such a school environment,

•  ‘Child First’ is the foundation for every decision in this school.
• There is a presumption of competence in every child.
• There is no labelling of children based on disability.
• All students are educated in a least restrictive environment which means that the students with disabilities are learning with neuro-typical students.
• Parents of children with disabilities feel welcome here.
• Staff collaborate with each other and with parents to provide equal opportunities to all children in all domains of learning. For this, relevant accommodations and modifications are made for children with disabilities to ensure that they can access all facilities and curriculum in the classrooms.
• Enriching peer relationships are encouraged and fostered here. 
• Students respect teachers more out of love than out of fear.
• Care is taken to ensure that students suffer no physical pain or mental anguish.
• A strong and trusting relationship is built between the school family and the parents, siblings and family members of children, especially those with special needs.
• School leaders at every level practise the school’s culture consciously in their dealings with each other and all the others including children. Use of inclusive language in daily interaction and written communication is one of the requisites. 

For example,

1. If the principal does not communicate respectfully with staff members and teachers do not talk respectfully to the utility staff, children will not do it either. 
2. If teachers do not address or view disability positively in the classroom, children will not learn to accept their friend with a disability in the right manner.
3. If children do not see and feel empathy and kindness around them, they would not understand their significance in life.

1.2.2 Symbols : Any form of visual sign is a symbol. Schools try to communicate a lot through symbols. The various kinds of visual displays the school chooses to present in the immersive spaces like classrooms, corridors, campus and community, communicate what is valued by the school. Therefore the visual displays in the school, constitute the culture of the school.

In some schools, the school emblem / logo and motto are prominently visible on entering the premises or they are found on the school almanac and exercise book covers. This is a daily reminder to students about what their alma-mater stands for.

•  Display boards along corridors, outside and inside classrooms truly reflect the culture of the school. These boards are as dynamic and attractive as the events and activities that happen in the school. Some of these display boards are managed and updated by students themselves. Teachers display children’s work on these boards, sometimes we get to see theme displays, festival displays etc.

Some of the other key school processes include: 

a. Classroom practices – Different classroom practices promote certain values.

i. Seating arrangement – Some classrooms have all children facing the black board and the teacher. Others have children sitting in circular or semi-circular groups. Every arrangement makes way for different learning experiences. Therefore, how the teachers use the available spaces creatively according to the learning activities planned throws light on the school’s culture.

 iii) Giving responsibility and ownership to students in the learning process:

There could be a classroom culture where students are totally dependent on teacher instructions and reluctant to take any initiative by themselves. On the other hand, if students are actively involved in the learning process by preparing teaching-learning materials, displaying all students’ work on the display boards, leading peer learningsessions, organising group activities and so on, the classroom becomes an inspiring and interesting place to learn in. Instilling values like cleanliness, empathy, compassion and kindness through student driven activities or learning experiences, where ALL students are included is another way of enriching classroom culture. Different  teachers may initiate and sustain different rituals in their classrooms.That is why the classes of different teachers are different cultural experiences.

C) Engaging with Parents and Community: The culture of a school is reflected in the way it welcomes and engages with parents, visitors and the community. Some ways to enrich the culture or way of life in school are,

• Setting up a warm, approachable and efficiently managed Reception area/office. 
• Having regular meetings (scheduled or need based) between parents and teachers to communicate and collaborate for the welfare and progress of every child.
• Providing equitable opportunities for all students, with or without disabilities, to participate in sports, study tours, social service projects and other cultural activities held round the year. 

School need not limit itself to parents alone. Healthy relationship and collaboration with the larger community outside the school also constitutes the school’s culture. When students get opportunities to know, inter-act and empathetically understand or serve people outside their home and school, they grow up to be better human beings, who can in turn create a better world.

Thus, we may conclude that school culture plays a very important and direct role in learning. It does so in two ways:

• First, it helps in creating an effective learning environment wherein all children are free from fear and are engaged in learning enthusiastically and joyfully.
• Second, it is one of the biggest influences on the achievement of curricular goals like developing values and dispositions among students 

1.3 When the school’s culture is inclusive……

• All students have an equal access to education and school activities
• All students’ progress is regularly monitored. Students with special needs are not just offered a seat in the classroom but are provided with an appropriate and meaningful education that results in positive outcomes.
• Educational needs of every child are catered to.
• The environment is least restrictive, which means that all students with special needs are educated with their non-disabled peers to the maximum extent. Schools shall not place students with special needs in separate classrooms just because they have a medical diagnosis of a disability. Students with special needs shall only be removed from a general education classroom if their needs are so severe and can only be met in a separate classroom or school.

1.3.1  Who will be responsible for this culture? 

• At the outset, it will be the school management/ Heads of the school. Then it becomes a shared vision and responsibility of all the stakeholders who together constitute the school ecosystem.
• Children imbibe this culture by observing and doing what the adults around them do. Eventually they also adopt the culture and make it their own.

1.3.2  How can this culture be developed? – Inclusive Practices

• To nurture and give roots to this culture, it must be seamlessly integrated into everything that happens in the school. It must be seen, heard and felt in every area of the school.
• Be it the school prospectus, the school calendar, the corridor spaces, the grounds, the offices, the staffroom, the classrooms or the activity rooms, the inclusive culture must pervade everywhere. 
• Inclusion, Equitable education opportunities and such other terms and words signifying human values or character education should form part of the Vision and Mission statement of the school.
• Policies, Processes, Procedures, Practices & Codes of Conduct should be in keeping with the culture of the school. Therefore, they need to be amended accordingly. 
• Intake procedures in the school must be amended according to NEP 2020 directives .At the same time, school managements must remember that merely giving a seat is not Inclusion. Just providing a seat in the class and not ensuring that the child is learning, amounts to ‘dumping’ and that does more harm than good to the child with or without disabilities. The school teams need to closely monitor the progress of students with disabilities. Additionally, government reviewing bodies like “Parakh’ or other external bodies need to closely monitor school suspensions, expulsion, graduation rate and school dropout rates for students with disabilities.
• All stakeholders should have basic understanding of what inclusive culture means and how it could be achieved.
• An inclusive culture cannot be locked within the school. It spreads to every home and in the society outside the school premises. That paves the way for the creation of an inclusive world – Our ultimate goal.