Under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Germany has committed itself to granting all students, including those with mental and physical disabilities, access to all general educational institutions. This thesis wants to show which chances but also difficulties, limits and problems inclusion represents.
In order to create a better understanding, inclusion is defined and described how it differs from integration. The chapter concludes with an outline of inclusion in school education in Germany.
In the next chapter, the opportunities of inclusion are presented. It is divided into the categories of "opportunities for students," "opportunities for the institution school," and "opportunities for society" to provide a better overview and a more nuanced view. Afterwards, the limitations, risks and difficulties of inclusion will be highlighted. Finally, possibilities will be shown how inclusion can succeed.
Table of contents
1 Introduction
2 What is inclusion
2.1 Definition of exclusion
2.2 Definition of integration
2.3 Definition of inclusion
2.4 Differences in inclusion/integration
2.5 Inclusion in school education
3 Opportunities for inclusion
3.1 Opportunities for pupils
3.2 Opportunities for the institution of schools
3.3 Opportunities for society
4 Limits, risks and difficulties of inclusion
4.1 Limits, risks and difficulties for pupils
4.2 Limits, risks and difficulties for the institution school
4.3 Limits, risks and difficulties for society
5 How can inclusion succeed?
6 Final consideration
7 Bibliography
List of figures
Figure 1: "Exclusion – Integration – Inclusion"
1 Introduction
Within the framework of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Germany has committed itself to granting all pupils, including those with mental and physical disabilities, access to all general education institutions.
This work aims to show which opportunities but also difficulties, limits and problems this situation represents.
In order to create a better understanding, inclusion is first defined and then described how it differs from integration. Integrative school forms can be regarded as the forerunner of inclusion in Germany. At the end of the chapter (Chapter 2), inclusion in school education in Germany is outlined.
The next chapter (Chapter 3) presents the opportunities of inclusion. This is divided into the categories "Opportunities for pupils", "Opportunities for the institution of school" and "Opportunities for society" in order to ensure a better overview and to enable a more differentiated view.
Chapter 4 highlights the limitations, risks and difficulties of inclusion. Here, the same division into categories is made as in Chapter 3.
In the 5th chapter, possibilities are to be shown how inclusion can succeed. This is particularly due to the fact that Germany has committed itself to establishing an inclusive education system with the ratification of the UN CRPD.
In the final analysis, particularly important points are worked out and a final conclusion is drawn.
2 What is inclusion
In December 2006, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was adopted by the UN General Assembly. A little over two years later (March 2009), the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) also came into force in Germany. The CRPD clarifies the existing human rights for the living conditions of disabled people. Disabled people and their associations were already involved in the negotiations at the time of its creation; such involvement of civil society in the drafting of a human rights convention is unique to date. Key concepts of the CRPD are dignity, inclusion, participation, self-determination, empowerment, equal opportunities and accessibility. With these terms, the Convention promotes nothing more than a change of perspective in which disability policy is consistently viewed from a human rights perspective: Disabled people are no longer objects of social care, but citizens (cf. Wernstedt, 2010, 11).
But how exactly is inclusion defined, what does exclusion mean and how does inclusion differ from integration in terms of content? This will be clarified below.
2.1 Definition of exclusion
The term exclusion comes from the Latin "excludere" and means "exclude" or "prevent". In sociology and pedagogy, it is understood as "social exclusion or social exclusion" (cf. Terfloth, 2013). People are affected by exclusion if they are deprived of participation in society or a fair qualification opportunity for the labour market. This can happen, for.B example, when people with disabilities are accommodated in "special facilities" such as special schools or workshops for people with disabilities.
2.2 Definition of integration
The term integration is derived from the Latin word "integratio", which means "restoration of a whole". In the context of people with disabilities, the concept of integration means that they should be accepted into society. They should no longer live in separate institutions and receive education, but should be included in society. However, the concept of integration is divided into "people with disabilities" and "people without disabilities" (cf. Heimlich & Behr, 2011, 817). The concept of integration, like the concept of inclusion, aims to abolish separation and exclusion in order to reintegre the affected people into society.
2.3 Definition of inclusion
The concept of inclusion was launched in the USA in the 1970s. It stands for full participation in social life and includes all areas of our society such as family, work and education. Inclusion literally means "belonging", i.e. the opposite of exclusion. If people, with or without disabilities, can participate everywhere, then this is successful inclusion. Every human being is to be regarded as a full member of this society and should be fully accepted by it with all its peculiarities. In an inclusive society, it is normal to be different. Everyone is welcome. In contrast to the concept of integration, people are not divided into different categories, but are regarded as a group of people who have different and special needs (cf. Heimlich & Behr, 2011, 817f).
Abbildung in dieser Leseprobe nicht enthalten
Figure 1: "Exclusion – Integration – Inclusion" (www.aktion-mensch.de/dafuer-stehen-wir/foerderprojekte-aktionen/kampagnen/service/downloads.html)
In the following, some central components are outlined which are important for inclusive concepts:
- Heterogeneity of people is understood as enriching diversity and an attempt is made to actively use it.
- Inclusion understands diversity and variety holistically and opposes two-group categorisations such as "disabled" and "non-disabled". These categories reduce the complexity of human diversity and thus do not do justice to individuals.
- Inclusion is intended to guarantee the human right of individuals to participate in all areas of society.
- Inclusion is against exclusion and wants to prevent people from being marginalized. It wants to create opportunities for participation in order to take into account the ideas of an inclusive society.
- Inclusion is an ongoing process and not a result of negotiations. It is a guiding principle on which we consistently orient ourselves and constantly try to get closer.
- Inclusion treats each individual with respect, fairness, solidarity and appreciation.
- Each person is recognized in inclusion in his uniqueness. The group is considered an indivisible spectrum of individuals.
- Inclusion wants to convey the competence and awareness to recognize the various forms of discrimination and to eliminate them sustainably (cf. Montag Stiftung Jugend und Gesellschaft, 2012, 2 f.).
2.4 Differences in inclusion/integration
The terms integration and inclusion are often used interchangeably. However, there are large differences between the meanings of these terms. Two differences are particularly noteworthy:
1. Integrative concepts are geared to the individual and his special needs while inclusive approaches pursue a systemic perspective in order to invest existing resources in the entire system in order to meet all requirements (cf. Schattenmann, 2014, 25).
2. In integrative practice, people with disabilities should be adapted to social structures. Inclusion, on the other hand, tries to adapt the framework conditions to the needs of people with disabilities.
2.5 Inclusion in school education
Since the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which was ratified in 2009, Germany has made a legal commitment to establish an inclusive education system. This means that, in principle, education in the regular school system must be made available to everyone with their individual requirements.. "All people, whether disabled or not disabled, must have access to the general school system – and thus also to general education schools" (cf. Hirschberg, 2010). The realization of an inclusive education system is not only a state task, but a task for society as a whole. The aim here must be to implement the UN CRPD in a meaningful and high-quality manner in order to realize the right to education for each individual (cf. ibid.). Inclusion focuses on the different needs of all learners. Diversity is seen as an opportunity and resource for educational processes. The cornerstones of inclusive development in education include individual support and learning in heterogeneous groups (cf. German UNESCO Commission e.V., 2014, 9).
In Germany, the concept of inclusive education meets a structurally selective school system in which the homogeneous learning group is the normal case (cf. Tillmann, 2007, 32). Therefore, inclusive schooling represents a particular challenge here, as not only a restructuring must take place in the highly differentiated special school system, but also in the regular school system. Inclusion calls in particular for an integration function of the school that is in tension with its allocation function (cf. Lütje-Klose, 2013, 34).
In an international comparison, Germany lags significantly behind: About 500,000 children have special needs, learning and behavioural problems and are physically and/or mentally disabled. Only a quarter of these pupils attend a regular school (cf. Löhmann, 2014, 1).
3 Opportunities for inclusion
After defining and describing inclusion in more detail in the previous chapter, the following section will outline the opportunities and possibilities of inclusion in education.
3.1 Opportunities for pupils
The present section of the thesis is intended to shed light on opportunities and positive aspects of inclusion for pupils. What possible advantages and opportunities can result from joint inclusive schooling? In addition, it will be shown which factors speak for an inclusive schooling of pupils (with and without special needs) and why these should not be dispensed with.
A very frequently mentioned advantage of inclusive schooling is the acquisition of social skills. Learning together promotes social skills such as helpfulness and tolerance, which can be explained, among other things, by the cooperative forms of learning that are often used in inclusive teaching. Through joint learning at stations, project work and other methods of inclusive didactics, the students learn not only specialist knowledge, but also consideration and cooperation (cf. Reimann, 2014). The sense of responsibility of stronger pupils towards lower-performing pupils is also strengthened (cf. Tovar, 2017). These acquired social skills have a positive effect on the climate in the learning group and thus enable better learning.
The academic performance, both of pupils with special needs and without special needs, is also to be improved through inclusion. Brain researcher Gerald Hüther even claims that inclusion makes you smart. He justifies this with the more complex social situations and the associated more diverse development and learning opportunities (cf. Hüther, 2008). Various studies also show that the performance of students in inclusive settings does not deteriorate or even improve. Many parents, school administrators and teachers fear that non-disabled pupils would be hindered in their cognitive development by pupils with special needs and that this would have a negative impact on their performance development. This has been proven not to be the case, as several studies have shown. Non-disabled students in inclusive settings are just as good as students in non-inclusive classes. In some cases, their performance is even better (cf. Preuss-Lausitz, 2009, 9 ff.; Wocken, 1999). Even gifted children (IQ > 117) are not slowed down in their cognitive development and learning growth.
[...]
- Quote paper
- Bachelor of Science Björn Arne Schnurr (Author), 2017, Inclusion in school education. Opportunities, limits and difficulties, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1176823
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