The integration of innovative pedagogies to promote inclusiveness in primary schools

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Inclusive education is seen as a major process which facilitates successful education.

Several researchers pointed that if all children with special educational needs (SEN) are given the proper means and support such as magnifiers, braille displays, talking devices for instance a talking thermostat, screen reading software, text-to-speech systems using Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and tablets with large tactile b**tons, they will be able to develop to their full potential.

An inclusive educational system, starting in the early years of development, and aimed at responding to the educational needs of each student through the use of innovative pedagogies which promotes child-centered pedagogical approach.

A flexible and adapted Curriculum emphasizing the use of technologies has been implemented for each child of Mauritius to develop to his full potential.

In order to create an inclusive educational system, the government, through its Ministry of Education embraced the following specific policy guidelines for an action plan outlined below:
 Access to education and recognition to all children with special educational needs having the same right and enjoying equality of education opportunities as their counterparts by providing them the appropriate digital tools.

 Relevance and Quality through the setting-up of structured systems aimed at meeting each child’s needs.

 Achievement in terms of teaching and learning as well as provision of support services in terms of technologies within the classroom and the school through the collaboration of all school personnel and the multi-disciplinary team.

There are various changes which took place for an inclusive education to cater for pupils with learning difficulties. The Ministry’s positive approach to creating an inclusive culture in schools was a milestone.

Inclusive education challenges the traditional models of schools, offering a paradigm shift needed for the sharing of the common vision that all children must be able to reach their potential in inclusive educational settings whatever their abilities and learning needs.

The inclusive school gives access to all children who learn together, regardless of any difficulties or differences they may have. The inclusive school recognizes and responds to the diverse needs of the students by integrating assisted technology in the teaching and learning process.

Assisted technology can greatly enhance the school curriculum experience for SEN learners and those requiring alternative pedagogies. Learners need such technology to assist them in their learning and to support their communication, interaction, mobility, and general participation within the classroom.

Before the implemention of the National Policy Documents and the Strategy Plan in Mauritius, no such facility was made available to SEN learners. Assistive technology refers to a range of technological devices or systems designed to improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities and enhance their quality of life.

Learners may have learning difficulties caused by a physical disability; a problem with their sight, hearing or speech; emotional or behavioural problems; or difficulties with reading, writing, speaking or numeracy.

Accordingly, use of assistive technology is an effective and essential enabler for learners, serving to augment their potential and create wider learning opportunities. The Curriculum was structured and resourced to enable it to welcome and accommodate all children regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic or other abilities and needs.

@Housna

In Puerto Rico Assistive technology is a transformative and indispensable element in modern education, particularly for students with special educational needs. The positive results inspired me to have a second master's degree in Assistive Technology, because it provides the necessary tools to bridge the gap between potential and achievement for these learners, ensuring they have equal opportunities to succeed.

Technologies such as screen readers, text-to-speech systems, and adaptive devices not only enhance learning but also foster independence and confidence. By integrating these tools into the educational framework, schools can create a more inclusive and supportive environment that recognizes and addresses the diverse needs of all students. Assistive technology is not merely an addition to education; it is a crucial enabler that helps level the playing field, ensuring every child can reach their full potential. I love it, and my students too.

Best,
Mr. Bryan

Hello,
Education is a means to empower children to become responsible citizens in the transformation of society. It is important for the educator to cater for the needs of each child irrespective of his capabilities. Nowadays there are children of different learning needs in a classroom such as students having visual impairment, mild autism and attention-deficit also known hyperactivity disorder. It is the prime responsibility of an educator to focus on inclusive education approach so as to address the learning needs of children who are prone to isolation and exclusion.
Firstly the educator should ensure that all children feel welcome and their unique needs and learning styles are attended to and valued in the classroom. As per the study of Wade (2000), cooperative learning is an important teaching strategy that educators can implement in an inclusive classroom. It enables children to work together in small groups. Indeed it is an effective strategy that the educator can integrate in his lesson for students having visual impairments. The visually impaired children will take help of their fellow sighted peers to help them find pages for instance and follow teacher’s instructions (UNESCO, 2001).

The educator can also make use of different sensory stimulations such as sounds so as to create a picture of the world which the visually impaired students might perceive a picture of the world. Therefore they will feel included and valued in the classroom and will not lag behind.

In fact the students with visual impairments depend heavily on the teacher’s voice to understand instructions. The educator should make ensure they call their students names in a pleasant way. When educator calls their visually impaired students by their names, they feel integrated in the lesson. It implies that special attention should be given to these students. Moreover simple instructions should be given which reduces complexity because language used by educators hampers the academic performance of visually impaired students.

The use of assisted technology in the teaching and learning process can effectively integrate learners with learning difficulties caused by a problem with their sight, speech, or behaviours.

Assisted technology means a set of technological devices such as tablets, computers or Sankoré Project to develop the functional capabilities of students having disabilities. The integration of technology in the classroom will assist students with mild autism, visual impairment and hyperactive disorder in their learning and improve their communication, interaction, and general participation in the classroom.

For instance the educator will make use of portable device available at school to enable the autism child to create electronic speech. While magnifying software or a screen reader can be encouraged among visual impairment students to enhance their learning experience. Indeed the educator should ensure the inclusion of assisted technology in the teaching and learning process as it is an effective and essential enabler for learners having difficulties which will further enhance their potential; and promote wider learning opportunities.

The educator can implement adapted reading activities to improve the literacy skills of autism students. The learners will engage in the interaction through questions and discussion (Muchetti, 2010). The shared reading activities will be modified accordingly so as to cater for the individualized needs of the autism learners. The educators, who are committed to integrate differentiated instructional strategies, can easily adapt to the different characteristics of Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) students.

Peer tutoring and peer coaching can be used as effective tools to motivate ADHD students. The ADHD students will feel supported in the classroom and will participate equally. Hence the educator will create a more inclusive classroom community. Parent involvement is also considered as an essential component for supporting students with ADHD.

When a differentiated instruction is embedded in the classroom, the educator can easily meet the learning needs of all students having disabilities. A differentiated instruction is an approach to instruction that incorporates a variety of strategies.

All the teaching strategies such as collaboration learning, peer tutoring and others mentioned above can effectively be integrated in the classroom to promote inclusivity and diversity.

@Housna

In my opinion, education empowers children to become responsible citizens and transform society, making it crucial for educators to address the diverse needs of every student. In our today's classrooms, in Puerto Rico and in the rest of the world, children with various learning needs, such as visual impairments, autism, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, require an inclusive approach to prevent isolation and exclusion.

As a Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist I consider sensory stimulation, such as sounds, can help visually impaired students perceive their surroundings, while calling them by name fosters inclusion. Assisted technology, including tablets, computers, and screen readers, enhances learning for students with disabilities by improving communication and participation.

Also, adapted reading activities and shared reading sessions cater to the individualized needs of autism learners, while peer tutoring and coaching motivate ADHD students, creating a supportive classroom environment. By embedding differentiated instruction, which incorporates various strategies, we can meet the diverse needs of all students, promoting inclusivity and diversity in the classroom. It means a lot of work, but at the end it worth it.

Knowledge is key for us as teachers.

Best,
Mr. Bryan

@BRYANb8875625e5

Hello,
I completely agree with your statements, inclusiveness and diversity are key for the success of children having learning difficulties. All the strategies highlighted such as differentiation approach and peer tutoring are indeed crucial to ensure an effective teaching and learning environment in a SEN school.

@Housna

Hi Housna,
Hope everything is going well. Thank you for your kind words Housna. I'm glad to see that we are agree on the importance of inclusiveness and diversity in supporting children with learning difficulties. Some parents do not accept that their kids have challenges to overcome and that becomes an issue for us also. We share a belief in the value of strategies like differentiation and peer tutoring, that is awesome. These approaches are indeed essential for creating an effective and supportive learning environment in SEN schools. By continuing to focus on these key elements, we can help ensure every child has the opportunity to succeed and thrive.

Best,
Mr. Bryan

@BRYANb8875625e5

Hello,
Hope you are doing well too Bryan. Educators are fully equipped to determine whether a child needs special attention and should be referred to a SEN school, of course with the consent of school administrators and Educational Psychologist.

But unfortunately parents are unwilling to accept their wards have certain challenges to overcome as you highlighted.
They perceive SEN as being a stigmatized institution and do not favour the decision of the administrators.

It is in the best interest of the child to be transferred in a SEN school as educators are more qualified there to cater for their needs.

@Housna

Hi Housna,
Hope everything is going well.

I appreciate your well wishes. As educators, we indeed have the expertise to identify when a child requires special attention and should be referred to a SEN school or a specialized program at the same school. In Puerto Rico we avoid sending students to SPED schools and instead of that each school has 3 specialized classrooms to fulfill their needs and at the same time participate in the rest of the activities with students with no disability.

Best,
Mr. Bryan

Moorning Brayan
In Tunisia, students with special educational needs (SEN) benefit from inclusive education policies outlined in legislation like the Law of Integration and Support for People with Disabilities. Integration into mainstream schools is prioritized, supported by specialized services such as adapted learning materials and teacher training in inclusive practices. For instance, a student with visual impairment may receive Braille materials and assistance from trained educators within a mainstream classroom. Collaboration between schools, families, and communities is emphasized to develop personalized education plans. Despite progress, challenges like resource limitations persist, highlighting the ongoing need for advocacy and awareness initiatives to ensure equitable access to education for all students.!

Best Reagards from Tunisia 

Yes, the World is now finding strength through education to build capacity, promote equity and inclusion. Only EDUCATION can help all the states to provide social cohesion. Higher the quality, broader the scale.

Diversity is increasing due to major global trends and of course, is a special topic in todays educational landscape.
In this regard, I'd like to share with one useful reference with you.
I'm thankful to OECD for "Equity and Inclusion in education" published in 2023 which contains:

1. a holistic framework for studying DEI in education;
2. offers advice on how to promote more inclusive education systems;
3. offers clear conceptualization and key elements of DEI;
4. capacity building to foster E&I
5. monitor and evaluate E&I
   and importance of training external evaluators in this vulnerable area.

In other words, the authors of the report put dots over all the "I"s concerning varied definitions of DEI in education systems around the world.

@Bilim

I agree with you colleague. I always say to parents with students with special needs that Education still being the cure for the best life project for their children. Inclusion born in a classroom, and that's transformative for our students, their families, and communities, and for sure our countries.

Best,
Mr. Bryan

@BRYANb8875625e5
@Bilim
Dear colleagues,
Indeed EDUCATION is the most powerful mean for SEN students to position themselves in the society. They feel included and welcomed irrespective to their disabilities.

Hello everyone,

By integrating innovative pedagogies and assistive technologies such as magnifiers, braille displays, talking devices, screen reading software, and tablets with large tactile b**tons, we can create a supportive learning environment. These tools help cater to the diverse needs of students, promoting equality and access to education.

Best regards,
Marija Krstic Radojkovic
marijakrstic016@homail.com