Designing Integrative and Collaborative Learning for Students with Special Needs and Learning Disabilities in an Inclusive Classroom

Abstract

The “World Conference on Special Needs Education: Access and Quality” recognized the notion of inclusive education and was finally confirmed at the World Education Forum. It recommends all the states to implement the policy of inclusion in their education systems. The United Nations’ Standard Rules on Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Proclaiming Participation and Equality for All also supports the concept of inclusion. In India, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) collaborated with UNICEF to develop Project Integrated Education for Disabled Children (PIED) in 1987. It aims at improving the integration of disabled students into regular classrooms. During the course of time, the concept of inclusive education has been expanded to include all students who may be disadvantaged, not just those with disabilities. Inclusive learning environment as an approach towards educating all learners covering full range of learning diversity in a common learning setting aims to impart knowledge to all the students together under one roof, no matter what their strengths or weaknesses are, and it targets at honing the potential of every student. Traditional Indian educational setup should be changed as per the needs and demands of a changing culture in which smart technologies are used that promotes teaching and learning. In order to contribute to this demand, an integrative and collaborative learning design framework based on awareness, compassion and partnership is suggested to connect right technologies that advances classic educational scenario and works to reconstruct inclusive educational setup. Inclusive and smart learning environments can create flexible learning overcoming barriers to learning and catering to each learner’s needs with experiential use of technology. Technology is able to renovate, enhance, and select alternative academic resources to fit individual needs for an inclusive learning. The objective of this study is to address different technology-based teaching strategies that educators can use to create an inclusive learning environment in their classrooms. Co-teaching, differentiated instruction, peer-mediated instruction and interventions are some of the approaches that are implemented in inclusive classrooms in order to support students with learning disabilities. We need to increase attention to our professional development that can contribute to a healthy society.