Introduction :

“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 NEP 2020’s Vision:

Considering the disparities in the existing education system in the country, NEP 2020 has made a conscious attempt to refocus and reassure equitable and inclusive education in India. 

“The foundational pillars of this Policy are access, equity, quality, affordability and accountability. It believes that the purpose of education is to develop good human beings – capable of rational thought and action, possessing compassion and empathy, courage and resilience, scientific temper and creative imagination, with sound ethical moorings and values. It aims at producing engaged, productive, and contributing citizens for building an equitable, inclusive, and plural society as envisaged by our Constitution.” – National Education Policy 2020

1.2 An inclusive culture paves the way for inclusive education

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 where 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.

1.2.1  The transformation that Inclusive culture can bring in a school:

When the school culture is truly inclusive,

• ‘Child First’ will be the foundation for every decision in this school.
• All students have an equal access to education and school activities
• 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 neurotypical students.
• 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.
• Parents of children with disabilities feel welcome here.
• Educational needs of every child are catered to.
• The environment is least restrictive, which means that all students with special needs must be 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.
• 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.

1.2.2 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.

1.2.3 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. For example, students with disabilities are learning in the same classrooms as neurotypical students. All students’ work is displayed in classrooms.
• 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
• Leaders and key staff members should have a detailed understanding of what inclusive  education means and how it can be embedded in the inclusive culture of the school.
• .School leaders should share their vision for Inclusive education and the policies framed for its implementation with all the parents and students. This must be a practice at the beginning of each academic year for the new entrants in the school family.
• The school should appoint one of the teachers, who displays an inherent understanding and passion to champion for the cause of inclusive education, as the Inclusion Champion or Inclusion Coordinator of the school. He/She would be a ‘go to’ person with sufficient authority and empathy to address the challenges other stakeholders face as regards provision of inclusive education and making inclusion a way of life..
  • School leaders at every level have to 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.

• 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.

Conclusion

Inclusive culture thus  enables Inclusive education

With an inclusive culture in place, all the stakeholders in the school realise that

• Inclusive education empowers all people
• Inclusion is all about equity, not equality
• Good, innovative teaching practices help ALL children, with or without disabilities
• A healthy collaboration between special education and general education teachers, strengthens the Inclusive education program
• While accepting the social model of inclusion, relevant bio-medical information cannot be ignored. Inclusion is a human rights issue but mere social  or physical inclusion of people with disabilities is not enough. To enable every child to reach his or her potential, schools must be aware of the nature of disability and provide  appropriate support .
• Special education and General education methodologies have to be effectively combined in the inclusive classroom with diverse learners.
• Early intervention and response to intervention are very crucial in the journey of inclusive education
• Inclusive education has the potential to lay the foundation of a more inclusive society where being ‘different’ is accepted, respected and valued.

Attributions/Citations

No	Thumbnail	Source
1		https://pixabay.com/photos/children-india-education-classroom-876543/ – By akshayapatra
2		https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/modern-hand-drawn-education-concept_2848306.htm#fromView=search&page=15&position=13&uuid=11084587-50c6-40f7-865f-a2c9d6627f64
3		https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2022/12/08/16/51/school-7643672_640.png
4		https://img.freepik.com/free-vector/politician-sitting-round-table-boardroom-board-directors-with-ceo-holding-formal-talk-office-room-flat-vector-illustration-business-authority-corporate-leader-planning-strategy-concept_74855-22013.jpg

This digital material has been developed by the Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vahini Inclusive Education Project, a unit of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam, as a collaborative offering in the service of our nation.