Understanding Integration and Inclusion in Education: Principles and Practices
Understanding Integration and Inclusion in Education
The integration process starts with basic principles, aiming to provide each student with an educational environment that is as unrestricted as possible. This involves three core principles:
Individualization
This principle emphasizes individualized teaching methods, adapting instruction to each student’s unique characteristics to achieve successful integration within the school environment.
School Sectorization
This refers to providing necessary support services, such as nurse aid, for children with disabilities, often within specialized education classrooms.
Standardization
Based on the philosophy of integration, standardization acknowledges that the concept of ‘normal’ is relative. It recognizes and values the differences among individuals, aiming not to eliminate these differences but to accept them and maximize each individual’s potential.
Differences, Integration, and Inclusion
Establishing integration within schools initially aimed to reject the segregation and isolation of individuals with disabilities in specialized centers. This led to the creation of specialized classrooms within mainstream schools. Further advancements provided part-time assistance within regular classrooms.
Inclusion ensures that every student is a valued member of the regular classroom, regardless of their characteristics. All students, including those with disabilities, have the right to be included in ordinary classrooms. We all have rights.
However, the initial assumptions of integration faced criticism, with some considering certain integration practices as a subtle form of segregation.
Inclusive education aims to integrate students into comprehensive and effective schools, reforming curricula, educational practices, and teacher training to provide quality education for all students, regardless of their characteristics.
Educational Needs (Warnock, 1979)
Transient Needs:
- Learning disorders
- Behavioral problems
Permanent Needs:
- Intellectual: Mild, moderate, and profound mental deficiencies, giftedness
- Sensory: Blindness, amblyopia, hearing impairment, hypoacusis
- Physical/Motor: Paraplegia, tetraplegia, motor deficiencies
- Affective-Emotional: Psychotic disorders, autism, other syndromes
- Sociocultural: Marginalized cultural groups, sociocultural deficits
Causes of Educational Needs
Personal:
- Mental deficiency
- Neurological alterations
- Physical deficiencies
- Sensory deficiencies
- Affective-emotional imbalances
Educational:
- Poor teacher-student communication
- Lack of understanding of student needs
- Inadequate objectives
- Inappropriate methods
- Poor organization of activities
- Excessive number of students per classroom
- Insufficient material and personal resources
- Inadequate individualized attention
Social:
- Low sociocultural level
- Family issues
- Affective-emotional imbalances
- Lack of personal and social habits
If a teacher suspects a problem, they should use the “Index of Suspicion (Gofman)” questionnaire to identify potential learning difficulties based on the following variables:
- Sex: Learning disorders are more prevalent in males.
- Family History: Disorders of reading, writing, and language.
- Pregnancy: Maternal complications during pregnancy.
- Birth Complications: Perinatal complications (prolonged births).
- Neonatal Difficulties: Difficulties in sucking.
- Language and Motor Skills: Difficulties in language development and motor skills.
- Accidents: Any accidents causing damage or injury.
- Hyperkinetic Syndrome: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
- Chronic Illness or Disability: Factors increasing the likelihood of learning difficulties.
- Unrecognized Attacks: Cultural factors.
- Disturbed Family Environment.