📝 Introduction
While implementing inclusive
education in schools, certain practical doubts often arise:
- Should children with disabilities
be placed in normal classes for the entire day?
- Should they attend special classes
for part of the day?
- Or should they receive instruction
in separate special settings throughout the day?
The appropriate
approach depends on:
- The extent and type of
disability of the child,
- The skills of the classroom
teacher, and
- The learning environment
available in the school.
To address this, three
major approaches to educational programs for CWSN (Children with Special
Needs) are identified:
Inclusive
Education Approach
🔹 Inclusive Education means educating
children with disabilities and learning difficulties together with
non-disabled children in the same classroom under one roof.
🔸 It aims to address the learning
needs of all children, especially those vulnerable to exclusion or
marginalization.
🔹 Inclusive education allows access
to:
- Common pre-school provisions
- Mainstream schools
- Community-based education settings
🔸 It is supported by:
- A flexible curriculum
- Appropriate teaching aids
- Support systems and services to
accommodate diverse learning needs
🟢 Key Features:
- Focuses on equal participation
and removes discrimination.
- Promotes collaborative learning
among diverse learners.
- Builds an inclusive school
culture.
Integrated
Education Approach
🔹 In this approach, students
with special needs study in regular classrooms along with their
non-disabled peers.
🔸 However, they also receive additional
support from special educators or resource rooms to adapt to the regular
curriculum.
🔹 In some cases, special education
is given:
- Within the regular classroom
(co-teaching)
- Or separately in a resource
room within the same school campus
🟢 Key Features:
- Promotes academic and social
integration
- Requires both general and
special educators
- Ensures better access to
mainstream education with necessary support
Special
Education Approach
🔹 Special Education refers to the education
of children with disabilities in separate specialized settings.
🔸 These settings include:
- Special schools for different
disabilities (blind, deaf, autistic, dyslexic, etc.)
- Home-based learning setups
- Residential or institutional care
🔹 This approach is based on the assumption
that differently-abled children have unique needs that cannot be fully
addressed in regular schools.
🟢 Key Features:
- Individual-centric approach
to cater to specific needs
- Separate curriculum,
environment, and infrastructure
- Often located in urban areas
or metro cities
🔄 Comparison Table: Inclusive, Integrated & Special Education
|
Component |
Inclusive
Education |
Integrated
Education |
Special
(Segregated) Education |
|
1. Place of Study
for the Disabled |
Regular classrooms
in public schools |
Regular classrooms +
special education classrooms within the same school campus |
Special schools
exclusively for specific types of disabilities |
|
2. Duration of Class
Hours with Normal Children |
Disabled students
study with peers during all class hours |
Disabled students
study with peers during all class hours, but also receive support from
special classrooms |
No time with regular
students; study only with children having similar disabilities |
|
3. Duration in
Special School Setting |
May receive
additional support from a special educator (itinerant teacher) outside
class hours within the regular school |
Spend part-time
in regular class and part-time in special education classroom, or
attend special school on campus for most of the day except for co-curricular
activities |
Study full-time
in a separate special school throughout the year |
|
4. Teacher Skill |
Regular teachers
trained in general subjects and basic special education skills; supported by
itinerant special educators |
Regular teachers
have general + basic special education training; special educators in school
have professional training |
All teachers are
professionally trained in special education |
|
5. Special
Facilities for the Disabled |
Basic facilities
like special seating, wheelchair space, assistive devices, and teaching aids
provided within regular classroom |
Some basic
facilities in regular classroom; most special facilities available in
special classroom or school campus |
Full special
facilities available: trained staff, aids, helper support, toilets, canteen,
etc. in special schools |
|
6. Achievement of
Disabled Students |
Moderate academic
achievement and significant development in social skills due to
inclusive interaction |
Lower academic
achievement but better improvement in social skills due to partial
inclusion |
Minimal academic
achievement, better life skills development, but limited social
skill development |
|
7. Degree of
Disability of Learners |
Primarily children
with mild or low-level disabilities |
Suitable for
children with moderate disabilities |
Designed for
children with severe or profound disabilities |
Deno and Reynolds Model (1970–1971)
🔹 Researchers Deno (1970)
and Reynolds (1971) proposed a seven-level educational model to
categorize children with disabilities based on the intensity of support
required.
🔸 Their model guides schools in
organizing instruction for exceptional children within or outside the
mainstream system.
🔹 Key Principle:
- Children should remain at the lowest
level of support possible.
- Only move to more intensive
settings if absolutely necessary.
🎯 Seven Levels of Deno
and Reynolds Model (1970–1971)
Educational Continuum
for Children with Disabilities
🔹 Level 1: Regular
Class Assignment
- The child attends a regular
classroom along with other non-disabled peers.
- Minimal adjustments
like large desks or seating support are provided.
- Success at this level depends on
the inclusive teaching skills of the regular classroom teacher.
🔹 Level 2: Regular
Class with Supplementary Instruction
- The child continues in the regular
class for most of the day.
- Additionally, they receive individualized
or small-group support in a resource room.
- A special educator helps
reinforce learning based on the child’s specific needs.
🔹 Level 3: Part-time
Special Class
- The child splits their time
between the regular classroom and a special education class.
- Special classes provide focused
instruction in certain subjects or areas.
- Useful for children needing moderate
academic support.
🔹 Level 4: Full-time
Special Class within Regular School
- The child is placed in a separate
special education class for all academic activities.
- Still within the regular school
environment, allowing interaction during breaks, assembly, or
co-curricular activities.
- Suitable for children who require
a more structured and supportive learning environment.
🔹 Level 5: Special
School
- The child attends a separate
special school, specially designed for certain types of disabilities.
- The entire curriculum, teaching
methods, and infrastructure are tailored to their needs.
- Children may be reintegrated
into mainstream schools if their progress allows.
🔹 Level 6:
Home-bound Instruction
- For children who are unable to
attend school due to medical or severe physical conditions.
- A highly trained teacher
visits the child’s home to deliver lessons.
- Though effective, this is often expensive
and logistically difficult.
🔹 Level 7:
Institutional/Residential Assignment
- The child lives and studies in a residential
care institution far from home.
- Provides round-the-clock care,
therapy, and education.
- Most restrictive and
segregated form of education; may lead to social isolation if not
supported properly.
This model illustrates a hierarchical range of educational
placements for CWSN, progressing from most restrictive (bottom) to least
restrictive (top), promoting inclusive practices.
🔸 The education of CWSN can follow
three main approaches:
1.
Inclusive Education
– Mildly disabled students are fully integrated in regular classes.
2.
Integrated Education
– Moderately disabled students attend regular classes with part-time special
education support.
3.
Special Education
– Severely disabled students are educated in separate special schools or
institutions.
🔹 The Deno and Reynolds Model
provides a flexible framework to guide placement of children based on
their level of need and ensures that children are only moved to higher levels
of support when absolutely necessary.
✅ An effective educational system for
CWSN should aim for maximum inclusion, supported by trained teachers,
accessible infrastructure, and individualized learning support.
Kirthi's
Exam Insight:
"To
score full marks on the Education Programmes for CWSN, you must clearly
distinguish between Inclusive, Integrated, and Special Education. Use the
comparison table provided in these notes to show differences in place of study,
teacher skills, and social interaction.
Presentation
Tip: Draw a vertical ladder representing the 7-level Deno and Reynolds Model,
starting from 'Regular Class' at the top down to 'Institutional Assignment' at
the bottom.
Topper's
Secret: Emphasize the principle of the 'Least Restrictive Environment'
(LRE)—the goal of keeping every child as close to a regular classroom as their
disability allows. Highlighting this ethical goal proves your professional
depth and is key to securing top marks!"
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