Issues in Inclusive Education

Module aims

• To enable students to develop historical awareness and understanding of the development of theory, policy and practice within so-called inclusive education within the context of social justice, equal opportunities and learning.
• To enable students to confidently engage in contemporary debates about inclusive education.

• To enable students to draw on their knowledge to develop new practices, policies and theories of inclusion.
Learning outcomes

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

1. Deconstruct critical, historical and reflective approaches to ‘inclusive' education
2. Discuss and critique debates and theories specifically related to ‘inclusive' education
3. Make critical judgements about comparative experiences in Britain, and elsewhere
4. Theorise the ‘micro' aspects of ‘inclusive' education (in relation to teachers, pupils and parents)
5. Critique research findings on the key areas of social inclusion and exclusion and apply their arguments to topical questions raised by the module
6. Critically reflect upon the broader key contemporary debates and theoretical perspectives on inclusion and exclusion

Assessment Summary
There is one assessment for this module, which is a 3,500-word essay which will count for 100% of your mark. The passing mark is 50. You will be required to critically analyse two newspaper articles in relation to marginalised groups and their implications for inclusive education (see Annex at the end of this document for details on the two newspaper articles).

An optional draft essay plan can be submitted (up to 1,000 words)

WEEK 1
Module Introduction: What is inclusive education?
This week asks students to begin to explore what is meant when we hear the terms ‘inclusion' and ‘inclusive education'. Students are introduced to the six typologies commonly understood when thinking about ‘Inclusive Education' (Ainscow, Booth and Dyson: 2006) which is used as a framework to structure the module.

WEEK 2
The policy environment of inclusive education
This week, students will be invited to critically evaluate the role and use of policies as instruments that have impacted the provision of inclusive education in the UK and abroad. What influences the formulation of such policies, in relation to the wider political environment, as well as societal norms and discourses?

WEEK 3
Theorising inclusive education
This session will provide the opportunity for students to gain knowledge and understanding of the different theories that are relevant in explaining and addressing social exclusion, social control and social justice. Drawing on broader learning, particularly around issues of power, students will further critically explore the role of schooling in the (re)production of social inequalities.

WEEK 4
Inclusive education and advocacy

This week, we focus on the various stakeholders championing and advocating for inclusive education. Students are asked to consider the role of parents, teachers, and other social actors who aim to advance the discourse of inclusion. Whose voices get heard, and what are the challenges and tensions in advocacy when it comes to inclusive education?

WEEK 5
Inclusive education in a global perspective
This week, students are introduced to the "Education for All" movement, largely led by UNESCO for global educational inclusion. Students are asked to explore barriers to education globally and consider the complexities and challenges in implementing global goals or agendas, at a local level. What are the tensions between ‘universal' and ‘particular' questions when it comes to inclusive education across the world?

WEEK 6
Study Skills / Essay Workshop
While undertaking a revision of the topics already covered so far, this session will give students the opportunity to review and evaluate their progress towards meeting the learning outcomes. Students will be facilitated to raise any concerns and make clarifications relating to their assignment.

WEEK 7
Who gets an (inclusive) education? Questions of exclusion and alternatives
This week students will critically explore the challenges and barriers to creating inclusive educational practice within education systems and asks why do we see groups of students overrepresented in the school exclusion data? Situating the complexities of inclusive education within a social, political, and economic context, students are asked to examine barriers and challenges to the implementation of a system that is inclusive for all and offer creative solutions to develop inclusive educational practice. Students will also consider alternatives outside of mainstream schooling, and its implication of young people's life trajectories.

WEEK 8
Inclusion in higher education: Decolonising the curriculum
Shifting to the higher education context, this week students will engage in a contemporary question of inclusive education, associated with the curriculum and questions of ‘decolonisation' that permeate the academy. What does a ‘decolonised' curriculum look like, and what are its implications for students' learning?

WEEK 9
Inclusive education for social justice and development
This week, by bringing together the various intersecting identities considered in the question of inclusion throughout this module, students will critically engage with issues of identity, equality, diversity, and social justice. How can education be marshalled as a tool for social mobility, inclusion, empowerment, and development?

WEEK 10
The personal and the professional: Reflecting on inclusive education

In concluding this module, students are invited to reflect on their personal and professional identities and commitments. As researchers, policymakers and practitioners, how do we attempt to provide experiences and insights in education that is inclusive for all?
The seminars will be dedicated to questions/feedback about the assignment.

Assessment question:

Critically examine the two newspaper articles below related to marginalised groups and their implications for the provision of inclusive education. Draw upon relevant theory, policy, and academic literature to support your argument.

Article 1: Race report boss wanted schools to teach ‘the truth' about modern Britain by Michael Savage & Nosheen Iqbal (The Guardian, 4 April 2021).

Article 2: Conscious effort being made promote inclusive education using technology: minister by The Newspaper's Staff Reporter (Dawn, 29 July 2020).