INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN INDIA: THE PERCEPTIONS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

Education

Inclusion is an effort to make sure that diverse learners those with disabilities and normal children get education together under a roof in the same compound and same class room irrespective of their strengths and weaknesses. It is clear that education policy in India has gradually increased the focus on children with special needs, and that inclusive education in regular schools has become a primary policy objective. In almost every country, inclusive education has emerged as one of the most the dominant issues in education system. With the release of the Salamanca Statement in 1994 (UNESCO), a large number of developing countries started reformulating their policies to promote the inclusion of students with disabilities into mainstream schools. The idea of inclusion is further supported by the United Nation’s Standard Rules on Equalization of Opportunities for Person with Disability Proclaiming Participation and Equality for all. At the Jometin World Conference (1990) in Thailand, the goals for 'Education for All' were set and it was proclaimed that every person (child, youth and adult) shall be able to benefit from educational opportunities which would meet their basic learning needs. The researches show that teachers in inclusive settings collaborate more and spend more time planning, learn new techniques from one another, participate in more professional development activities, show a greater willingness to change, and use a wider range of creative strategies to meet students' needs. All school going children, whether they are disabled or not, have the right to get education as they are the future citizens of the country. Today it is widely accepted that inclusion maximizes the potential of the vast majority of students, ensures their rights, and is the preferred educational approach for the 21st century.

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