A paradigm shift from special to shared learning

A Paradigm Shift from Special to Shared Learning

Transforming Special Education into Inclusive Education

Brighty Bulah

This article is written based on the personal experience of Ms. Brighty Bulah, a passionate educator.

India is renowned for its spirit of unity in diversity, where countless languages, cultures, and communities come together to form the very essence of the nation. In the same way, the inclusion of children with special needs must be approached with care and commitment, ensuring that India continues to uphold its culture and ethos of inclusivity. Education stands as one of the most vital foundations for achieving this vision, and it is through inclusive education that true synergy can be created—bringing every child into the shared journey of learning and nation-building.

Education is the cornerstone of a just and equitable society. Hence the attitude of doing a favour due to their disability or doing sympathetic activity of educating them should be unlearnt. With the recent RTE provisions it’s even their fundamental right to get admissions into schools and be educated. It was very satisfying to me as special educator to see many special children enrolling into schools.

Special education has historically provided individualized support to children with disabilities, often in separate environments. While valuable, this approach can unintentionally reinforce segregation. Inclusive education, by contrast, integrates learners of all abilities into mainstream classrooms, ensuring equal opportunities, dignity, and empowerment. Transforming special education subjects into inclusive formats, enriched with arts, crafts, vocational training, politics, Science, Math and debates, to prepare all learners as active citizens and leaders is the need of the hour.

There were recent notifications for Special Educator posts in Kendriya Vidyalayas, which brought me immense happiness. In an interaction with a Special Educator at one of these prestigious institutions, I was deeply concerned by the attitudes encountered. The very role of the Special Educator was viewed with suspicion, and although the educator had carefully identified children with special needs through proper screening, the school leadership abruptly declared that these children were not suitable for the high-profile learning environment of a Kendriya Vidyalaya.

I have observed that within inclusive classrooms they gradually grow freer, more self-confident, and begin to aspire to the same heights as other children. -Brighty Bulah

They might have felt sympathy for these children that they may not be able to cope with this high profile school and its curriculum. It was shocking to realize that both the leadership and many teachers lacked even a basic understanding of inclusive education. Their implication was clear: these children should be sent to separate special schools rather than being troubled to be educated alongside their peers in an inclusive setting.

What is Inclusive Education

1. Integration: Ensures that children with disabilities learn alongside peers in mainstream classrooms.
2. Accessibility: Provides accessible schools and classrooms, adaptive tools, teaching strategies, and assistive technologies.
3. Empowerment: Fosters creativity, vocational skills, and civic participation.
4. Equity: Celebrates diverse abilities and ensure equal recognition in academic and extracurricular domains.
5. Leadership: Prepares learners with disabilities to engage in politics, debates, and community leadership.

As a Special Educator, I have witnessed over the years how children with special needs flourish when placed in an inclusive setup. In such environments, their peers often extend simple yet profound gestures of kindness—carrying a school bag, assisting with writing, or offering a helping hand. These acts of support create bonds of understanding and compassion. While many special children initially feel anxious or fearful about being among their peers, I have observed that within inclusive classrooms they gradually grow freer, more self-confident, and begin to aspire to the same heights as other children. For me, the classroom itself becomes more than a place of learning—it transforms into the very foundation of an inclusive society, a space where these children are empowered to move forward with dignity and hope in their lives while building an equitable society.

When children with disabilities are meaningfully included in mainstream education, their participation enriches the entire learning environment. This inclusive approach not only nurtures their academic growth but also enhances creativity, vocational readiness, and civic engagement among all learners, as diverse perspectives inspire innovation and collaboration. Such integration fosters greater social cohesion and strengthens respect for diversity, ensuring that schools become true reflections of society’s pluralism. Ultimately, inclusive education paves the way for the emergence of empowered leaders from marginalized groups, individuals who carry forward the values of equity, resilience, and shared responsibility into the broader fabric of the nation.

Inclusive education is not only an educational reform—it is a societal transformation. -Brighty Bulah

Transformation of Special Education into Inclusive Education

Strategies for Transformation

Academic Subjects

• Language and Communication: Introduce sign language basics, visual supports, and communication devices in mainstream classrooms.
• Mathematics: Apply Universal Design for Learning (UDL) with manipulatives, peer tutoring, and multiple problem-solving methods, Digital and Tactile tools for reading and writing.
• Science: Adapt experiments with tactile models, screen reader supported writing and reading through computers and smartphones, Alternative text descriptions for the images and collaborative group projects.
• Social Studies: Use storytelling, role-play, and inclusive field trips to build civic awareness.
• Life Skills: Embed daily living skills into mainstream lessons, supported by peer mentoring.
• Physical Education: Modify sports and games to ensure participation, emphasizing cooperation.
• Arts and Music: Encourage collaborative projects and inclusive performances with adaptive instruments.
• Arts and Crafts: Provide multi-sensory materials and collaborative projects, ensuring equal representation in exhibitions.
• Vocational Training: Introduce practical skills such as event management, gardening, and trades, preparing students for independent living and employment.
• Politics and Debates: Establish inclusive debate clubs, mock parliaments, and civic engagement activities, supported by assistive technologies.
• Social Participation: Encourage involvement in student councils, community service, and leadership opportunities, recognizing diverse leadership qualities.

Implementation process:

• Teacher Training: Equip educators with inclusive pedagogy and adaptive strategies. Sensitize and educate all the teachers both in Government and in private sector to understand the need of inclusive education and to welcome the same in their areas of work.
• Curriculum Reform: Integrate inclusive practices across subjects and extracurricular activities.
• Infrastructure Development: Ensure accessible classrooms, laboratories, and sports facilities. Many of the facilities are not updated from time to time. The need is that infrastructure that suits the special children should be developed in all places.
• Coaching and Awareness to Immediate Family and the Extended Family Members: This is to be handled wisely as I have noticed many families cannot afford to lose a day’s wages and thus cannot attend the Awareness or such gatherings. I highly recommend that the Below Poverty Line parents should be given a seminar allowance equivalent to their daily wages in a locality, thus giving scope for all to attend.
• Community Engagement: Involve local communities, NGOs, and local leaders in promoting inclusive practices.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Establish measurable indicators of inclusion, participation, and achievement. Discuss and publicize the findings for a better implementation and positive reform in the future.
• State and Central Governments Commitments: The present India is very concerned about the care of their children with special needs and many new policies are made by the Central Governments and State Governments recently. Samagra Shiksha at the Department of School Education (GOI) has created unlimited budget for the States to submit their project based funding proposals to make their schools accessible, brining paradigm shift in their conventional education to inclusive education. My State, the Andhra Pradesh is one such State trying to make use of these opportunities and made and making reforms for the welfare of the Children with Special Needs. But many States are ignorant in this matter and it is time to wakeup.

Inclusive education is not only an educational reform—it is a societal transformation. It needs to be understood by all teachers and heads of institutions and not just by the Special Educators who are already knowledgeable in this subject. The society at large be it parents, community and others should all be aware of the necessity and benefits of inclusive education. By reshaping special education subjects into inclusive formats and expanding opportunities in arts, crafts, vocational training, politics, and debates, the inclusive education envisions schools as spaces where diversity is celebrated and every learner is empowered. Such a paradigm shift from special to shared learning ensures that children with disabilities are not only academically supported but also socially, creatively, and civically engaged, preparing them to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s progress.

Ms. Brighty Bulah is a registered professional with the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI).
She has been serving Children with Special Needs (CwSN) in the states of Telangana and is currently working in Andhra Pradesh.
She continuously engages with children with special needs and their families, while also motivating and guiding the teaching community and society at large to understand and respond to the unique educational and developmental needs of CwSN.
At present, she is working as a School Assistant – Inclusive Education in the School Education Department of Andhra Pradesh.