Inclusion in Higher Education

1
Inclusion in Higher Education

• Prof. Dr. Shaheen Pasha
• Chairperson
• Department of
• Special Education
• University of Education

2
Agenda

• Categories of the Disabled
• Disability Models
• Definition of Disability
• Segregation to Inclusion
• Inclusive Education in HE
• Global Concerns
• Recommendations

3
Key Categories of the Disabled

• Hearing Impaired
• Mentally retarded
• Physically disabled
• Visually Impaired

4
Disability Models

• The Medical Model views disability as a problem
  of the person, directly caused by disease,
  trauma, or other health condition requires
  sustained medical care.
• The Social Model sees the issue of "disability"
  mainly as a socially created problem, and
  basically as a matter of the full integration of
  individuals into society

5
Disability Models (Cont.)

• Bio-Psychosocial Model identifies three levels
  of human functioning
• Body Functioning Structure
• Activity
• Participation.

6
Body Functions Structures

• covers the complete range of individual's
• ? Body Functions the physiological functions of
  body systems (including psychological functions).
• ? Body Structures the anatomical parts of the
  body such as organs, limbs and their components.
• Impairments problems in body function or
  structure as a significant deviation or loss.

7
Activities and Participation

• Activities and Participation covers the complete
  range of functioning from both an individual and
  a societal perspective
• ? Activity execution of a task or action by
  an individual.
• ? Participation involvement in a life
  situation.
• Activity Limitations difficulties an individual
  may have in executing activities.
• Participation Restrictions problems an
  individual may experience in involvement in life
  situations.

8
Contextual Factors

• Environmental Factors make up the physical,
  social and attitudinal environment in which
  people live and conduct their lives.
• Individual the immediate environment of the
  individual, including settings such as home,
  workplace and school including the physical and
  material features of the environment that an
  individual comes face to face with, as well as
  direct contact with others such as family,
  acquaintances, peers and strangers.
• Societal formal and informal social
  structures, services and overarching approaches
  or systems in the community or society that have
  an impact on individuals. Like organizations and
  services related to the work environment,
  community activities, government agencies,
  communication and transportation services, and
  informal social networks as well as laws,
  regulations, formal and informal rules, attitudes
  and ideologies.

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Contextual Factors (Cont.)

• Personal Factors
• Background of an individuals life and living.
• Gender, race, age.
• Health conditions, fitness, lifestyle, habits,
  upbringing, coping styles.
• Social background, education, profession, past
  and current experience.
• Overall behavior pattern and character style.
• Individual psychological assets and other
  characteristics.

10
Definition of Disability

• Disability involves dis-functioning at one or
  more of these three views as
• Impairments,
• Activity Limitations and
• Participation Restrictions
• taking into account the Contextual Factors.
• Definition of the Disabled
• People who face difficulty/ies in
  accomplishing their task because of Impairment,
  Activity Limitations, Participation Restrictions
  due to Societal Environmental factors are
  disabled.

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Segregation to Inclusion

• The Medical Model (Segregation)
• The Social Model (Integration)
• Bio-Psychosocial Model ( Inclusion)
• Education for All

12
Special Educational Needs

• Learning Difficulties A child who have
  significantly greater difficulties in learning
  than the majority of the children of his /her
  age has a disability which either prevents or
  hinders him/her from making use of educational
  facilities generally provided in schools.
• Special Educational Provisions For children
  under two years of age this means any provision
  but for children over the age of two this means
  educational provisions which are additional to or
  otherwise different from the educational
  provisions made generally for children of his/her
  age in a school environment.
• Special Educational Needs A pupil has special
  educational needs if he/she has learning
  difficulties.

13
Inclusive Education

• Inclusive Education is based on the basic
  principle that all children should learn
  together, so far as is practicable, regardless of
  their handicaps or difficulties.
  http//portal.unesco.org
• "All children are entitled to high-quality
  teaching and learning and high standards in every
  classroom."
• http//www.learning-connections.org.uk/2006/09/ed
  ucation-and-health-policy-for.html

14
Global Concerns

• Forcing children with special needs into
  mainstream classrooms that lack adequate support
  is a "form of abuse", academics warned in a
  latest report . National Union of Teachers (NUT)
  report on inclusion http//www.guardian.co.uk/edu
  cation/2006/may/16/schools.uk3

15
Global Concerns (Cont.)

• Prof MacBeath said "Physically sitting in a
  classroom is not inclusion. Children can be
  excluded by sitting in a classroom that's not
  meeting their needs."

16
Global Concerns (Cont.)

• Teachers without expert training were placed
  under enormous pressure, while children -
  especially those who suffered from anxiety or
  depression - were left without help. A research
  by Cambridge academics

17
Global Concerns (Cont.)

• David Willetts, the Conservatives' spokesman on
  education, said too many children with
  special needs are being forced into mainstream
  schools. The obsession with inclusion is unfair
  on children with special educational needs,
  unfair on the rest of the class and unfair on
  teachers.
• "It is vital that the government conducts a root
  and branch independent review of inclusion
  policies and practice. It must put an end to the
  stress and strain experienced by teachers,
  support staff, parents and youngsters alike.

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LUMS as and Example

• Practical Experiences

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Recommendations

• Top Down vs Bottom Up Approach towards Inclusive
  Education
• Higher Educational Institutions should recognize
  and take into account the diverse needs of their
  pupils, adapt to different styles and rhythm of
  teaching and provide quality education through
  the appropriate use of resources, institutional
  organization and study plans as well as
  partnership with the community.
• Institutions make sure that the services provided
  correspond exactly to the special needs,
  regardless of students grades.

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Recommendations (Cont.)

• All colleges and universities in the country
  should be disabled friendly in near future with a
  clear vision to promote and implement Inclusion.
• Promote an understanding of the paradigm shift
  from charity to training and inclusive education
  for the disabled through a massive awareness,
  motivation and rationalization campaign.

21

• Thank You