A research study in the year 2003, conducted by CBR Network, Bangalore (in Chamrajnagar district), reveals the expectations of families and disabled children from Inclusive education.
* Note - The sample was a representation consisting of 100 families.
What the parents had to say?
• We want our children to go to schools like other children in the community (All parents)
• We want our children to learn and not going to school just for name sake (All parents)
• We don't want our children to be labeled and ridiculed by teachers and other children(This was very strongly felt by both parents and children)
• We want our children to participate in all the activities in the school and if they cannot participate they should not be forced to participate.
• We don't want teachers to show too much sympathy because they are disabled instead we want teachers to be strict when it comes to learning
• If children are not learning why they should go to school? They can stay at home and learn something useful, which we can teach.
• We want go to school like other children
• We want to learn like others
• We want to play like others
• It hurts us when we are identified by our disabilities by teachers (what we try to forget teachers keep reminding the same!)
• We feel hurt when teachers say you can't do this because you have disability. We want opportunity to participate. (Suggestion – why should we have won and not won in the games? Cant we just play for the joy of participation).
(Some children even suggested some changes in the rules and materials in the games is necessary).
• If we are not learning we don't want to come to school because other children laugh at us
• Our teachers teach so fast and wipe everything on the black board before even we start reading the first line. She says she can't give so much time as she has finished so many lessons. I don't understand anything properly in her class. She always says "You should go to special school that is best school for you".
• We don't have learning materials, which we can also use like Braille books, tape recorders.
• We want our teachers to help us .We don't like to be given special coaching by outside teachers inside the school. We feel we are not like other children and we are different.
• We want our teacher to be more helpful to all children not only us.
The above responses speak volumes about what kind of inclusive education we need. Interesting though when asked about ramps and toilets no child felt that it was actually a problem except girls in high school level. At the end of the study it was felt, inclusive is simple why make it complicated? All that I t requires was children friendly teachers.
The study has been conducted by CBR Network. For any further information regarding this research study, please contact:
Ms. Indumathi Rao
CBR NETWORK(South Asia)
Associate Member, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, India
134, 1st Block, 6th Main, BSK III Stage
Phone : +91-80-26724273, 26724221, 26724185.