Today in class we discussed Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) and its implication in regards to its increasing role in global governance as well as the disparities of technological access between the Global North and Global South.
Inclusive Education
During the seventh session of our class we discussed Inclusive Education in regards to people with disabilities. The class discussion touched upon the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCRPD), Model Policy for Inclusive Education for Persons with Disabilities, as well as the importance of an inclusive education. Continue reading
ICTs and Inclusive Sustainable Development
Can you imagine living in a world without access to a telephone or the internet? Neither can I. We live in a completely interconnected, globalized world where communication across boundaries is a key aspect of development. However, not everyone has equal access to the tools needed to allow this communication to happen. Reports such as The International Telecommunication Union’s, “The Missing Link”and the NTIA’s “Falling through the Net” shed light on this issue of limited ICT availability in rural and poor communities. Continue reading
ICTs and Sustainable Development
ICTs play such a critical role globally that economies, human health and safety, and social welfare are tied to them inseparably. Conversely, lacking access to ICTs can jeopardize the quality of issues that are tied to, isolating and confining individuals to limited options. While the innovations in technology have made ICTs more adaptable to different environments and have a diverse enough number of operators that their reach has spread even to sparsely populated and rural areas, there are still swaths of people in developed and developing countries alike that don’t have sufficient access to ICTs. Continue reading
Inclusive Education
Education is perhaps one of the most complementary fields to target for inclusivity. Due to the nature of learning, the various ways that individuals of all backgrounds learn best, and the importance of education in sustainable development, inclusive education is essential to achieving the SDGs and their commitments to persons with disabilities. Continue reading
Inclusive Education and ICTs
Education plays an incredibly vital role in social and economic development. Human capital, one of the key components of economic growth, is created and strengthened through education and provides almost endless opportunities. As movements to include persons of disability are gaining traction and popularity around the world, it is essential to look to the root of human development in education to strengthen inclusivity.
Inclusive Education
This week, we discussed disability-inclusive education. In this post, I define what that is, what it looks like in the classroom, and the benefits it has for social and economic development. I also discuss the role ICTs play. I finish my post by discussing how inclusive education is integrated into the CRPD and the UN SDGs. Continue reading
Inclusive Education
Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities outlines the international legal framework regarding disability education. This article on the right to education emphasizes the rights to inclusive education and importantly prohibits any forms of disability-based discrimination in the education system. As discussed in class, students with disabilities are some of the most vulnerable individuals and have been historically excluded from educational opportunities at all levels. Continue reading
Inclusive Education
The 2011 Report on World Disability estimated that there are 93-150 million school-aged children with disabilities around the world, most of whom will not complete primary education. Inclusive education works to provide all people, especially persons with disabilities, the same choices and freedom to pursue their education. Inclusive education is an aspect of development that cannot be overlooked. Doing so would allow inequities to flourish in the community, hindering development. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) can be used in inclusive education to help bridge the gap in accessibility by providing a learning environment that caters to the specific needs of the learner. Continue reading
Inclusive Education: Classrooms for All
As every person has valuable skills, experiences, and ideas to contribute to society, it is important to provide every person with equal access to education resources. Education not only valuable for a person’s development as an individual, it is a necessary key to access opportunities and jobs in a society. The World Report on Disability estimates that there are “between 93 and 150 million school-aged children with disabilities globally” (UNESCO 9). Children with physical or mental disabilities are being excluded from classrooms around the world, limiting their opportunities and putting them behind the starting line from a young age.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development estimates that “up to 35 percent of students in OECD countries require some form of special support to meet their individual learning needs during their school careers” (UNESCO 10). As many teachers around the world do not have training on how to identify students with disabilities, the students are often left out classroom lessons or sometimes even punished if teachers do not understand the disability. We need more worldwide trainings on ways to identify and include children with disabilities in the classroom, so that everyone has the opportunity to learn on a level playing field. Each learner should be able to maximize their full potential and celebrate their own special gifts.
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) will be an essential element to developing inclusive education systems. ICTs allow all students to learn based on their individual learning needs. ICTs include online classrooms and digital learning environments, communication aids such as screen readers and alternative keyboards, and accessible media formats (UNESCO 11). A “one size fits all” teaching method does not work because we do not have just one kind of student – every person has methods that work better for them. Inclusive technologies account for different learning needs, give students the tools they need to succeed, and remove the barriers put into place by only having one teaching method.
To incorporate ICTs in classrooms around the world, there needs to be a greater emphasis on policy changes and increased funding for inclusive education. Policy objectives include the learner level, organization level, and system level. At the learner level, ICTs should be included not only in traditional educational settings, but also in lifelong learning and social spaces (UNESCO 22). At the organization level, educational organizations should be working with ICTs to increase participation learning opportunities (UNESCO 22). At the system level, ICT stakeholders must agree that technology is effective in creating more inclusive learning spaces, active dialogue must be present, and effective data must be present to continue policy support (UNESCO 22). Funding should be secured from a variety of budgets, including health, education, social affairs, and information society sectors (UNESCO 42).
The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares education as a human right for all. Inclusive education is the cornerstone to the human right to education, as every person has the right to have their education meet their learning needs. As we strive to make education inclusive for all learning needs, we will see learners growing both inside and outside of the classroom. If all learners are able to grow to their full potential, the world will grow too, as we will see the full impact of combining every person’s skills and ideas.
Resources:
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0022/002272/227229e.pdf#page=11
Disability Inclusive Development 
You must be logged in to post a comment.