What is Inclusion?
Inclusion is an approach to education that focuses on benefiting all students by ensuring clear participation from everyone. It is often considered as “education for all.” In this approach, the school changes to accommodate the needs of all students, embracing diversity and using various techniques to benefit every individual. Inclusion is now seen as the best option in modern education systems, as it eliminates labels and barriers that hold back students and encourages full participation.
What is Integration?
Integration is the process where students with special needs are absorbed into mainstream education. This approach emphasizes fitting into mainstream education and, although it aims to cater to the needs of students with special needs, it can increase labeling due to pre-existing structures and attitudes, potentially hindering a child’s educational development. Integration uses various techniques, services, and adaptation methods, mostly through formal structures, to help students adapt or fit into mainstream education. Experts now believe that the benefits of inclusion in education are much greater than those of integration.
Key Takeaways
- Inclusion focuses on benefiting all students and encourages clear participation, while integration is the process where students with special needs are absorbed into mainstream education.
- Integration emphasizes fitting into mainstream education, while inclusion focuses on improving overall participation in classroom activities.
- Inclusion involves the school system undergoing change, while integration involves changing subject matter according to the needs of students with special needs.
