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 Equity Measures through Inclusive Education: Some
Justifications and Provisions

Kalpanarani Dash
Ph.D Scholar, Department of Education, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack &
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Lecturer, Department of Education, J.M.Women’s College, Mandhatapatana, Jajpur, Odisha

Sankar Prasad Mohanty

Faculty, Department of Education, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, Odisha

Abstract

Say ‘no’ to exclusion, discrimination and segregation, which were traditionally,

experienced by weak groups, children with disabilities and special educational
needs. Like Education for All, inclusive education ensures the right to education
of all learners, regardless of their individual characteristics or difficulties, in
order to build fair society. Inclusive education initiatives often have a particular
focus on those groups who have traditionally been excluded from educational
opportunities. Amongst these weak groups, children with disabilities and special
educational needs are often the most marginalized within education systems and
within society in general. They have often been placed in separate classes and
schools or indeed, have been denied access to education of any sort. The
inclusive education approach is particularly important for these groups. More
important, special schools can play a vital part in supporting ordinary schools as
they become more inclusive. However, where special schools do not already
exist, the Salamanca Conference, UNESCO-2004, believed that countries would
be best-advised to concentrate their resources on developing inclusive ordinary
schools. In this connection, the paper has been prepared to highlight the
equitability in educational process through inclusive education and care has been
taken to include the details of some justification behind inclusive process; and
the provisions available for the same.
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Keywords: Equity, Inclusive Education, Various Justifications, Provisions for Inclusiveness

 Inclusive Education: Its concept placing students with special needs in the
regular classroom is not enough to impact
Inclusive education is a process that
learning. Teachers in inclusive schools are
involves the transformation of schools, and
asked to vary their teaching styles to meet
other centres of learning to cater for all
the diverse learning styles of a diverse
children-including boys, girls, students
population of students. Only then can the
from ethnic and linguistics minorities,
individual needs of all our students be
rural population these affected by HIV-
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met. Schools of the future need to ensure

AIDS, those with disability and difficulty
that each student receives the individual
in learning. Its aim is to eliminate
attention, accommodations, and supports
exclusion that is a consequence of negative
that will result in meaningful learning.
attitude and lack of response to diversity in
race, economic status, social class,  Why isn’t inclusive education the
ethnicity, language, religion, gender and norm in our schools?
ability. Many years ago, special classes were
created for students with special
Inclusion means full inclusion of children
needs. Special educators felt that if they
with diverse abilities (i.e. gifted sand
could just teach these students separately,
disabilities) in all aspects of schooling that
in smaller groups, they could help them to
other children are able to assess and enjoy.
catch up. However, the reality is that
It involves regular schools and classrooms
students in segregated special education
genuinely adapting and changing to meet
classes have fallen further and further
the needs of all children as well as
behind. Over time, we have learned that
celebrating and valuing differences
inclusive education is a better way to
(Loreman and Deppeler, 2001)
help all students succeed.
 Is inclusion the same as
Inclusive Education: Justifications
mainstreaming?
Answers is No. Proponents of Inclusive Education is need of the hour
mainstreaming hold that students with with reference to the following
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special needs be placed in the general justifications:

education setting solely when they can
 Educational Point of View
meet traditional academic expectations
with minimal assistance. Yet, simply
 Inclusive education includes everyone ignore this segment of our population
irrespective of talent, disability, socio- while we plan for education, development
economic status, culturally origin in and employment. So, MHRD, GoI has
supportive mainstream schools and launched SSA in 2000 to provide
classrooms, where the needs of all students compulsory and free elementary education
are met for preparing them for life. with universal retention and besides other
Teachers improve their professional skills; provisions has been made for providing
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society takes conscious decisions to inclusive education. Inclusive education is

operate according to social values. cost-effective in nature (Salamanca
Statement, UNESCO, 1994)

 Humanitarian point of view

 Sociological point of view
Segregation generates a feeling of
Society is constituted from different
inferiority in respects of child’s status in
cultural religious and ethnic background.
the community which may affect his
People must accept, respect and appreciate
emotional and cognitive development.
each other’s background. So, our children
Disable child has every right to parallel
must be educated accordingly right from
education as with non-disabled children.
their elementary level. Our society needs
Lck of confidence, lack of motivation, and
the schools in which the values like wider
lack o9f positive expectation for
social acceptance, peace and cooperation is
achievements are the product of segregated
prevalent.
learning environment (Stainaback,
Segregated education teaches children to Stainback and Forrest, 1989).
be fearful, ignorant and generate
 Democratic point of view
prejudices. Only inclusive education can
In a democratic country the value of
reduce these aspects and build friendship,
equality is most important. So, to bring
respect and understanding (CSIE Report,
disable children in the mainstreaming
2002)
education, the fair, ethical and equitable

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Economic point of view measures need to be taken to avoid

Near about 700 million persons are with discrimination.
disability all over the world out of which
Key Provisions for Inclusive Education
10 percent in India. Hence, we cannot
 The provisions for the inclusive education Thailand intensifies that large numbers of
are as following: vulnerable and marginalized group of
learners were excluded from the education
Constitution of India
system worldwide. It made its vision of
 Article 45: Free and compulsory education as a broader concept than
education for all children up to 14 schooling including women literacy,
years lifelong education etc. It is a conference in

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Article 21 A: Right to Education the development of thinking about

Act, 2009- Fundamental right of all inclusive education.
children aged 6-14 to get equitable,
National Policy on Education-1986 and
free and quality education.
POA-1992:
 Article 14: The State shall not deny
to any person equality before the Gives emphasis on the removal of
law or the equal protection of the disparities and equalize educational
laws within the territory of India. opportunities by attending to the specific
 Article 15 (2): No citizen shall, on needs of those who have been denied
grounds only of religion, race, equality. It stresses on reducing dropout
caste, sex, place of birth or any of rates, improving learning achievements
them, be subject to any disability, and expanding access to students who have
liability, restriction or condition. not had an easy opportunity to be a part of
 Article 15(4): Empowers the State the general system. The NPE, 1986
to make special provisions for the envisaged some measures for integrating
advancement of any socially and of children with physical and mental
educationally backward classes or handicap with the general community as
for SCs. equal partners, preparing them for their
 Article 17: The Constitution of normal growth and development and
India states categorically that enabling them to face life with courage
untouchability is abolished and its and confidence. Gives the basic policy
practice in any form is forbidden framework for education, emphasizing on
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Conference on Education for All, 1990: correcting the existing inequalities.

The world conference Education for all The Salamanca conference, UNESCO,
held at Jomtien, Thailand in 1990, 1994:
 The conference was held at Salamanca (a unemployment and establishment of
city in northwestern Spain) in 1994. The homes for persons with severe disability,
conference emphasized that School should etc.
accommodate all children regardless of
 Every child with disability shall
their physical, intellectual, social,
have the right to free education till
linguistic or other conditions. This should
the age of 18 years in integrated
include disabled and gifted children, street
schools or special schools.
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and working children from remote or

 Special schools for children with
nomadic population, children from
disabilities shall be equipped with
linguistic, ethnic or cultural minorities and
vocational training facilities
children from other disadvantaged or
The National Trust Act (1999)
marginalized areas of groups.
The act is known as ‘The National Trust
for the Welfare of Persons with Autism,
Persons with Disability Act (Equal Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and
Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Multiple Disabilities Act, 1999’. The
Full Participation), 1995: objectives of the act are:

The Persons with Disabilities (Equal  To enable and empower persons

Opportunities, Protection of Rights and with disability to live as
Full Participation) Act, 1995, has come independently and as fully as
into enforcement on February 7, 1996. possible within and as close to the
This law is an important landmark and is a community to which they belong
significant step in the direction to ensure  To strengthen facilities to provide
equal opportunities for people with support to persons with disability
disabilities and their full participation in to live within their own families
the nation building. The Act provides for  To facilitate the realization of equal
both preventive and promotional aspects of opportunities, protection of rights
rehabilitation like education, employment and full participation of persons
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and vocational training, reservation, with disability.

research and manpower development, World Education Forum in Dakar,
creation of barrier-free environment, Senegal (2000):
rehabilitation of persons with disability,
 The conference was held at Dakar,  inadequate specialist support staff
Senegal, (West Africa) in 2000. It was to assist teachers of special and
emphasized in the conference that regular classes,
Education for all must take account of the  Lack of appropriate teaching
need of the poor and most disadvantaged equipment and devices.
including working children, remote rural These barriers can be overcome through
dwellers, nomads, ethnic and linguistic policy, planning, implementation of
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minority children, young people and adults strategies and allocation of resources
affected by conflicts, HIV-AIDS, hunger (BMF-UNESCAP, 2002).
and poor health and those with special
Besides, the frame work recommends
learning needs.
Ministries of Education should formulate
Biwako Millennium Framework for educational policy and planning in
Action (2002) consultation with families and
organizations of persons with disabilities
Biwako Millennium Framework (BMF)
and develop programmes of education
was made by United Nations Economic
which enable children with disabilities to
and Social Commission for Asia and the
attend their local primary schools. Policy
Pacific (UNESCAP) in 2002 at its at its
implementation needs to prepare the
fifty-eighth session at Shiga, Japan. The
school system for inclusive education,
framework envisages that major barriers to
where appropriate, with the clear
the provision of quality education for
understanding that all children have the
children with disabilities
right to attend school and that it is the
 lack of early identification and responsibility of the school to
intervention services, accommodate differences in learners.
 negative attitudes,
The National Action Plan for Inclusion
 exclusionary policies and practices,
in Education of Children and Youth with
 inadequate teacher training,
Disabilities (IECYD)-2005:
 particularly training of all regular
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teachers to teach children with The National Action Plan for Inclusion in
diverse abilities, inflexible Education of Children and Youth with
curriculum and assessment Disabilities (IECYD) made by the MHRD
procedures, (November-2005) emphasizes the
 inclusion of children and young persons to create an environment that provides
with disability in all general educational those equal opportunities, protection of
settings from Early Childhood to Higher their rights and full participation in
Education. society. It is in consonance with the basic
principles of equality, freedom, justice and
The goal of the Action Plan is –“to ensure
dignity of all individuals that are enshrined
the inclusion of children and youth with
in the Constitution of India and implicitly
disabilities in all available general
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mandate an inclusive society for all,

educational settings, by providing them
including persons with disabilities. The
with a learning environment that is
National Policy recognizes the fact that a
available, accessible, affordable and
majority of persons with disabilities can
appropriate.
lead a better quality of life if they have
National Curriculum Framework-2005: equal opportunities and effective access to
rehabilitation measures.
The NCF, 2005 recommends that a policy
of inclusion needs to be implemented in all The salient features of the National
schools and throughout our education Policy are:
system. The participation of all children
a. Physical Rehabilitation, which
needs to be ensured in all spheres of their
includes early detection and
life in and outside the school. Schools
intervention, counseling and
need to become centres that prepare
medical interventions and
children for life and ensure that all
provision of aids and appliances. It
children, especially the differently abled,
also includes the development of
children from marginalized sections, and
rehabilitation professionals;
children in difficult circumstances get the
b. Educational Rehabilitation which
maximum benefit of this critical area of
includes vocational training; and
education. (NCF, 2005, p.85)
c. Economic Rehabilitation, for a
National Policy for Persons with dignified life in society.
Disabilities, 2006: Inclusive Education of the Disabled at
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Secondary Stage (IEDSS, 2009-10):

The National Policy recognizes that
Persons with Disabilities are valuable The scheme replaces the earlier scheme of
human resources for the country and seeks integrated education for disabled children
 (IEDC) and provides assistance for the  Children with special needs need to
inclusive education for the disabled be facilitated to acquire certain
children in the class IX & XII. The skills that will enable them to
scheme aims at enabling all students with access elementary education
disabilities, after completing eight years of Education through Inclusion
elementary schooling, to pursue further
 Flexible teaching and learning
four years of secondary schooling in an
methods adopted to different needs
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inclusive and enabling environment.

and Learning styles with
RTE- SSA’s Policy on Inclusion (2001 & innovative approaches to teaching
2012): aids and equipments as well as the
use of ICT and collaborative
SSA ensures that every child with special
approach
needs, irrespective of the kind, category
 Reorienting teacher education
and degree of disability, is provided
 Flexible curriculum responsive to
meaningful and quality education. SSA
diversify needs and not overloaded
has adopted a zero rejection policy. This
with academic content.
means that no child having special needs
should be deprived of the right to  Initial training to the teachers on

education and taught in an environment, physical disability, multilingual

which is best, suited to his/her learning and multicultural teaching

needs (MHRD,GoI,2011).  Creating child friendly

environments
 Every child with special needs  Qualitative assessment of learning
should be placed in the
 Involvement of parents and the
neighborhood schools, with needed
community
support services
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 Inclusive Education vs. Traditional Education

Inclusive Education Traditional Education

Education for all Education for some

Flexible Static or rigid

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Individualized teaching Collective teaching

Learning in integrated settings Learning in segregated setting

Emphasis on learning Emphasis on teaching

Child centred Subject centred

Holistic approach Diagnostic

Equalization of opportunities Opportunity limited by exclusion

Curricular view Disability view

Planning is made on ability Disability wise

Label free Labels children

Source: UNDP, 1995

Inclusive Education and Curriculum  It adopts multilingual approaches

in education in which language is
 An inclusive curriculum addresses
recognized as an integral part of a
the child’s holistic development.
student’s cultural identity.
 It is based on the four pillars of
 It crates democratic atmosphere.
education for the 21 century-
 It laid stress on mother tongue
learning to know, learning to do,
instructions in the initial years of
learning to live together and
schooling.
learning to be.
Inclusive education and the teacher
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 It breaks the stereotype textbook &

changes the attitudes and  Teachers should know that each
expectation of the teacher. pupil whether understands the
 instructions and their reactions which They feel they ‘own’ and are
towards teachings learning process. likely to support

 Explore new methodology and  Give teachers and other specialists

rapid feedback on the effectiveness
stagey to make the classroom
of their work with the student.
inclusive
Conclusion and Suggestions
 Adopt child centred curriculum
giving much stress on hands-on,  The government should be aware
of the nature of the problem &
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experience based, active and

committed to solve it.
cooperative learning.
 The government should undertake
 Teacher’s positive attitudes an in-depth analysis of the size &
towards inclusion depend strongly character of the out-of-school
on their experience with learners population & ensure their
who are perceived as ‘challenging’. integration into quality School,
quality education & inovative
 To focus on creating an optimum
training programe.
learning environment so that all
 Appropriate monitoring &
children can learn well & achieve
evaluation mechanisms need to be
their potential. put in place to evalute the impact
Parents and Students of inclusive education policies
 A coordinated action plan of
 Parents and students are key
holistic approach is needed to bring
contributors to assessment,
out a change in the entire education
bringing insights and experiences
system
which teachers and other
 It needs a collaborative effort & a
professionals cannot access in other
lot of coparation of different stake
ways. They can, for instance:
holders
 provide information on how the
 Conduct awareness campaign via,
student behaves outside the school,
media,posters,conference &
identifying strengths and
training
difficulties that may not be
 Special involvement of
apparent in the classroom;
communities and local leaders
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 describe the student’s early

 Allow flexible use of funds to
childhood development
support activities for inclusive
 become involved in setting targets
schools, education and training
and planning programmes of work
programmes.
  An holistic system of education from www. ssa.nic.in / inclusive-
need to be evolved. education
 Distance learning education should Ministry of Law and Justice (2009). The
be provided for enhancement of Right of Children to Free and
curriculum reformation with Compulsory Education Act, 2009 in
adaptation of flexible teaching
the Extraordinary Gazette of India.
learning method.
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Paper received: March 04th, 2013

Revision received: March 16th, 2013
Paper accepted: April 08th, 2013

Paper received: February 14th, 2013

Revision received: March 04th, 2013
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Paper accepted: April 18th, 2013