FOUNDATIONS OF SPECIAL AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

( Chapter 1)

I. Definition
• The English noun of difference is diversity
• Diversity - latin word divertere means turn away, separate, oppose
• Collins Dictionary - the state or quality of being different or varied, ; variety or
assortment, a point of difference; the inclusion of people of
different races, genders, religions in the group
• UNESCO - United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organizations
Defined as people differences which may relate to their race,
ethnicity, gender , sexual orientation, language, culture, religion,
mental and physical ability, class and immigration status.
• Collaboration and communication – are skills that needed to develop and succeed.

II. Loden’s Diversity Wheel

• Marilyn Loden and Judy Rosener – 1990 an American writer and a professor at the graduate school
University of California .They published “workforce americal
managing employee diversity as a vital resource “
- Revised at year 1996
• Irvine – developed a framework that respond to the flourishing divergence in Americas labor
force.Their
Goal was to capacitate people to make their voices heard by pointing to their diversity and its
impact on their person, their rights and their freedom.
• Diversity Wheel – pointed the significance of our social characters and the ways in which people
develop their identity when they are able to establish a connection with specific group f people.

1. Primary or core – are in the inner core.These are the stronger ones.Establish by
significant experiences. Establishing who we are our principles, our sense of self, our
image , our perceptions, and how we think about others.
Core elements – are age, ethnicity, gender, physical abilities/ qualities, race , income ,
2. Secondary dimension of diversity- outer circle.These characteristics are also part of our
social identity, but they can change or be disregarded as our life experiences impact. It is
composed of ; geographical location, marital status, religious beliefs, parental status
,income , education, work experience , military experience, first language and work and
communication styles
⚫ The four Principles
1. Respect- treating others the way they wish to be treated
2. Inclusion- making certain everyone on a team is truly part of decission making
3. Cooperation- actively helping others succeed rather than competing
4. Responsibility -managing personal behavior
 III. Ability (and disability) as a dimension of diversity

⚫ Collins Dictionary
➢ Ability - refers to the possession of the qualities required to do something, necessary
skills, or competence or power
➢ Disability - defined by WHO as the umbrella term for impairments , activity limitation
, and participation restrictions, referring to the negative aspects of the interaction
between an individual and that individual contextual factors.

⚫ The American Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) - defines a person with a disability as a person who has a
physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity.

IV. The dilemma of diversity

⚫ Discrimination - issues around race, gender, age, and intellect still abound inspite of charters, laws and
policies that uphold diversity.

⚫ Innovative thinking and collaboration - are encouraged when different people work to come up with
solutions to problems or challenges
 FOUNDATIONS OF SPECIAL AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

( Chapter 2)

I. Models of Diversity
⚫ Inclusive Education - is an inevitable direction to take and must be properly understood,
appreciated, and prepared for within the context of society being of individual differences .

⚫ Sociology - reminds us that human behavior must always be studied in relation to cultural, historical
and socio- structural context

⚫ Smart’s study in 2004 - emphasizes that models of disability are important as they serve several
purposes

1. They provide definition of disability

2. They offer explanations of causal and responsibility attributions

3. They are based on perceived needs

4. They inform policy

5. They are not value neutral

6. They define the academic disciples that focus on disability

7. They shape the self-identify of PWD’s

8. They can provide insight on how prejudices and discrimination's occur.

II. Models of Disability

1. The Moral / Religious Model - Medieval age is said to have from AD 476, the year the Western
Roman Empire

✓ which sees disability as either a blessing or a curse

✓ Disability is equated with the sin, evilness or spiritual ineptness of either the PWD or of a PW
D's family member.

2. The Biomedical / Individual Model - Copernican Revolution - discovery of Nicolaus copernicus that
the center of the universe was the sun and not the earth.

✓ What was not as apparent was how it paved the way for people to also shift mind -sets from a
religious perspectives to a more evidence-based model of disability. Pwd’s are seen as persons
who are ill and meant to be treated or “ made more normal “

✓ Moral/ religious Perspectives - sees disability as something permanent

✓ Biomedical (medical) model- considers disability as a “glitch “ the PWD is born into, which
needs assessment and fixing.

✓ 15th century , PWD’s started to emerge in Europe . First School, were built by private “
PHILANTHROPIC INSTITUTIONS “
3. The Functional/ Rehabilitation Model - is quite similar to the biomedical model in that it sees the
PWD as having deficits. . It needs to undergo rehabilitative intervention such as therapies, counseling
and the like in the aim of reintegrating the disabled into society.

The main difference between the models is in the concept of habilitation and rehabilitation.

✓ BIomedical model often suggest habilitation - refers to help given to those whose disabilities
are congenital or manifested very early in life in order to maximize function.

✓ Functional/ rehabilitation - refers to the assistance given by professionals to those who have
an acquired disability in the hope of gaining back ones functionality.

4. The Social Model

✓ Social ( sociological ) model - became society reaction to how the biomedical perspective
viewed disability.

✓ Mike Oliver, a lecturer in the 1980’s who coined the term “ social model “and is considered one
of its main proponents, wrote a position paper directly reacting against how the medical field
has been reinforcing a disabling view of PWDs.

✓ Sociological response - disability occurs as a result of society’s lack of understanding of

individual differences.

✓ Professor David Pfeiffer challenges the concept of norms

✓ Principle of the social model of disability - is that disability is a social construct , where
standards and limitations that society places on specific groups of people are what disable a
person.

✓ WHO- differentiate disability & impairements

1. Impairement - is seen as any loss or abnormality of psychological or anatomical structure

or function

2. Disability - refers to any restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity

5. Rights- Based Model and Twin Track Approach -

✓ Rights-based model of disability - is a framework that bears similarities with the social
model.It is offering a theoritical framework for disailiity policy that emphasizes the human
dignity of PWD’s.

✓ 4 key actors directly involved in such model

1. The government as duty-bearers

2. The child as the rights-holder

3. The parents not only as duty-bearers but also as representatives of child

4. The teachers, both as right -holders and duty bearers.

✓ Lobbyist and practitioners - who now develop twin track approach , which combines social
model and right-based model.
III. Special needs of Education, Why inclusion?

⚫ Education - the action or process of teaching someone especially in a school, college or university.
⚫ Special Education- as an “ an attempt to increase the fairnes of universal public education for exceptional
learners””those with special difficulties or extraordinary abilities in learning
⚫ Inclusive Education - is an educational practice that places students with disabilities in the general
education classroom along with typically developing children under the supervision and guidance of a
general educ. teacher
⚫ CHED 4 pillars of education
1. Learning in order to know
2. Learning in order to do
3. Learning so we can live harmoniously with, others
4. Learning in order to be
⚫ Clough (pathology of difference ) - people possess different aptitude and skills levels depending on
standards or expectations that society ultimately dictates and holds as true.
⚫ Universal Declaration of human Rights 1948 -declarations on children and their right to be educated
⚫ UN standard rules on the equalization of Opportunities for Persons with disabilities 1993- standard set
of rules that each child right to educ. Was affirmed
⚫ Salamanca statement and framework for Action on Speacial needs Educ. - which reiterated that schools
should accommodate all childresn, either gifted, disabled and marginalized
⚫ Inclusion in Education Involves
1. Valuing all students and staff equally
2. Acknwoledging the right of students to an educ. In their locality
3. Improving schools for staff as well as for students