Abstract
As special schools were not able to provide education to the vast majority of children with disabilities in India, integrated education emerged in the 20th century. In existing integrated education programmes, the specialist teachers provide most of the essential as well as support services whereas the general classroom teachers provide additional assistance to children with disabilities in the classroom. Experiences have revealed that integration too is not able to improve the coverage, and therefore, the inclusion concept is promoted as the viable alternative to make education of all children with disabilities a reality in India. In inclusive setting, education of children with disabilities should be treated as an Integral part of general education and therefore, the essential services have to be provided by the general classroom teachers themselves and the support services only are to be provided by the specialist teachers.
Realising the need for education for all children with disabilities, Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, a leading educational institute in India and the CBM International, Germany are promoting the concept of inclusion for the past decade. Training programmes are being organised for parents, medical practitioners, volunteers, self-help groups from villages, community organisations, non-disabled peers, and general classroom teachers to provide peripheral, essential, and support services in the inclusive setting. As a result, more than 5000 children with disabilities at present are enjoying inclusion. Our efforts are geared up to bring more and more children with special needs under the umbrella of educational and rehabilitation services.
Inclusion of children with disabilities is possible and the need of the hour is to facilitate its expansion. The inclusion concept acknowledges the diversity present among the children in the general classrooms and addresses the fact that every child is a special child. In addressing the challenges of educating these children, the schools become effective schools and the teachers become effective teachers.
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