A Study Report
A Principal's Purview of Learning Disabilities in Contemporary Schools
As the world has expanded beyond geographical borders and traditional realms, globalisation has grown from being a mere word to a phenomenon that has straddled the world with its outreach and has introduced the ease of working, learning and growth in ways, nothing else could.
In this rapidly globalising world, the number of students, with learning or other difficulties, has increased. Or rather, the number of cases to be reported, has shown an increase. This coupled with students who have started travelling across geographical borders, be it within the region or country or even outside the country, to get educated. Such a situation creates a mixed environment, with students having migrated from different learning systems and backgrounds.
In a classroom that caters to such a varied set of learners, inclusion becomes mandatory to facilitate an even learning experience in quality and understanding. The students might come from circumstances or backgrounds which make learning difficult. Apart from the physical implications of the same, the mental state, might also, present barriers which might make learning, particularly difficult, for the child. Thus, it would be imperative that teachers dealing with such students, atleast have a basic knowledge & understanding of what they would be facing, in their regular classrooms.
A study was thus conducted, by the authors, to understand the present level of awareness, challenges and training programmes that exist, on Inclusion amongst the trainee teachers, in educational colleges. Contrasting this with an overview of the School Principal’s understanding of Inclusion, we have come to a conclusion that would reflect the same results across the nation in times to come. The study covered was done in Pune, which is gradually morphing itself into an educational hub of the modern day Maharashtra.
This paper reveals the findings of the study with a special emphasis on the administrative perspective of school principals, as well as the gap that the trainee teachers feel, the system lacks. The fact that they both feel a foundation course on Inclusion should be a part of the teacher training programme at education colleges, is one of the few key insights gained by the authors. It also gives an analytical insight into the specific levels of preparedness and counter measures to deal with Inclusive Education in contemporary school education system.
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Dr. Smita Phatak is a professor at the Tilak College of Education, Pune and has an illustrious career as an educator & a facilitator for education.
Ms. Pinaze Dubash has completed her B.Ed from H. G. M. Azam College, in 2009, M.Ed from Tilak College of Education in 2010 and is, at present, pursuing her Ph.D from Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, Pune under the guidance of Dr. Smita Phatak.
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