Nowadays inclusion is given a lot of importance, especially within the education sector.
The main aim of inclusion is to embrace all individuals irrespective of their gender, colour, race, religion, disability or any other need. Apart from this, educators need to support students within various aspects, such as physical, intellectual, social and linguistic conditions.
Hence nowadays all students should be freely, openly accommodated and actively participate without any restrictions or limitations. This is being stipulated as a human right.
Therefore, since segregation is constantly being decreased students are attending mainstream schools. In fact, Malta has one of the lowest segregation rates within the European Union countries. This is resulting in an effective way to prevent discrimination and intolerance; thus, this helps build up an inclusive society.
Malta is giving equal opportunities to all students. However, inclusion brings several challenges within the education sector because these systems must be constantly adjusted to meet the various needs of the different children. Therefore equality is important, but we also need to focus on how to promote quality and equity education, because there is no one-size-fits-all!
There are times where equality is also hindering the abilities of the students. These diverse needs are not often met due to lack of time and human resources. In a class you might have low-ability students who require a lot of help and attention, while at the same time the educator must cater for all the other different abilities present in class. The same thing happens to the gifted students who sometimes are not challenged enough. A possible solution to face this problem might be reducing the number of children in a classroom, so that each student can be given the right attention from the teacher, and everyone would have the opportunity to succeed at his/her own best.
It is also necessary to have all the adequate resources to accommodate children with special needs so that the number of barriers they face is minimised, and they are supported so that they are able to continue to progress in their daily tasks. For instance, educators, especially learning support educators, should be given the appropriate training. Hence, they will be able to better support students with special needs that require daily therapy. Such sessions can be carried out in multisensory rooms.
Unfortunately, very few schools have multisensory rooms. This would be of a great benefit, where every individual can experience a variety of calming effects, stimulation, socialization, improved focus, motor skills development, cognitive development and sensory development. All these rooms must be well equipped to respond to the different challenging needs of the students. That way, children with special needs would have all the required resources and care while attending mainstream schools.
In my opinion, another important factor for inclusion is the environment, which of course one must ensure is inclusive. Meaning that public places like schools must meet the diverse needs of people who attend. Such systems and accessibilities may include elevators, ramps, signage, directions and adapted toilet facilities. Moreover, one needs to ensure that the correct set up and adequate spacing is taken into consideration when having students with a mobility impairment who make use of a wheelchair, crutches or any other assistive technology. By doing this we will continue to create a fair society and a sustainable future with the correct environment.
Therefore, the main aim of educators is to prepare all children to become lifelong learners, confident, successful, creative, connected, and engaged in the community and the world around them, and the most important thing is that they become independent.
Therefore, education is essential to help them attain the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes so that they can succeed further in their lives with nothing to obstruct them.
Dorcas Camilleri
LEAD Participant