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UNIVERSITY OF KARACHI
CRITICAL ANALYSIS ON INCLUSIVE
EDUCATION AND IMPORTANCE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING
SUBMITTED TO
Dr. ANILA AMBER
TESTING THEORY
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
BY
TOOBA ZAIDI
(B- 0776050)
INDUSTRIAL / ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Inclusive education deals with the complete acceptance of all students and leads to
a sense of belonging within the classroom community. The proportion of students
with disabilities who are included differ by place and by type of disability, but it is
relatively common for students with milder disabilities and less common with certain
kinds of severe disabilities. Researches have shown both negative and positive effects of
inclusion. One of the most important domain in inclusive education is Psychological
testing which is done by educational psychologists. Educational psychologists apply
scientific principles of teaching, learning and behavior to help maximize the social,
emotional and educational growth and development of children. A wide range of
psychological tests have been developed for children. In order to make inclusive
education more effective; changes in course content, teaching strategies, standards, test
presentation, location, timing, scheduling, expectations, student responses, environmental
structuring and appropriate use of psychological testing with the help of educational
psychologists should be given importance.
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INTRODUCTION
Inclusive education can be defined as providing an equal opportunity to the challenged
children with special attention, support and especially designed instructions along with
the other children in normal schools. Inclusive education is simply an attempt to
eliminate or reduce the differences in education for children.
“Inclusion” is a philosophy that exerts classrooms and communities are not complete
unless children with all needs and gifts are welcome to it. Inclusive schools are those
schools in which students with disabilities attend the school and the classroom that he or
she would attend without having had a disability.1
Moving on, it is often said that children who learn together, learn to live together. This
happens because children become friends with their school mates and develop close ties
with them. Also, it has been observed that most of the childhood friendships are strong
and last forever. In this view, inclusive education can be a helpful aid in making the
children learn and realize that disabled children are one of them, their disability does not
set them apart and they have a right to be treated as every other normal child. On the
other hand, it may also work for the disabled children as it will help them realize that
their disability has not impaired their lives, they are capable of studying with their
1
? Dr. Shagufta Shahzadi, “Inclusive Education: Perspective of Services,” Think Pakistan, n.d.
http://thinkpakistan.wordpress.com/inclusive-education-perspective-of-services/ (4 October ,2011)
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friends, neighbors or cousins and that they are not discriminated in any way. Thus,
inclusive education can be the one of the best ways to prevent ostracism of the disabled.
The proportion of students with disabilities who are included varies by place and by type
of disability, but it is relatively common for students with milder disabilities and less
common with certain kinds of severe disabilities. In Denmark, 99% of students with
learning disabilities like dyslexia are placed in general education classrooms.2 Similarly
in many schools of Pakistan, students with disabilities learn in the normal schools. For
instance, in Beaconhouse School System, children with hearing, physical or visual
impairment are being taught in the general education class rooms.
Furthermore, it is also important that the schools facilitating inclusive education should
take special care of the management, teacher’s expertise in teaching and handling of
special children, courses, activities, hence everything. If they fail to do so, negative
effects of inclusive education may be seen. One of the most important considerations in
this domain is the importance of psychological testing and the role of Educational
Psychologists. Psychological tests are written, visual, or verbal evaluations administered
to assess the cognitive and emotional functioning of children and adults and Educational
Psychology is a field of psychology that deals with the psychological aspects of teaching
and formal learning processes.
2 Robert Holland. "Vouchers Help the Learning Disabled: Lesson from 22 countries: Special-education students thrive in private schools". The Heartland Institute. (06/01/2002). 14.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inclusion_%28education%29#cite_note-13. (4 October ,2011)
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CRITICAL ANALYSIS ON INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AND IMPORTANCE OF
PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING:
With time, people’s thinking and perspectives are changing. Now more people are in
favor of EFA (Equal Education for all). Inclusive education is getting popular world wide
since it supports the fact that all children can learn and develop. Although there are many
advantages of inclusive education, its disadvantages can’t be overlooked.
Each child has a right to attain quality education in his or her school. Now the question is
how will we determine that special schools provide better learning environment or are
more appropriate for special children or the normal schools and inclusive education is
more suitable for them.
In inclusive education, working alongside with peers with diverse skills and abilities
helps all children learn and develop the skills necessary to live and work in the existent
world. Each and every child has a right to belong and to share normal experiences with
family, neighbors and peers. On the other hand, inclusive education has been criticized
for neglecting to acknowledge the fact that most students with significant special needs
require individualized instruction or highly controlled environments. Thus, teachers in
general education classroom often are teaching a curriculum while the special education
teachers remediate instructions at the same time.
5
Similarly, a child with serious inattention difficulties may be unable to focus in a
classroom that contains twenty or more active children. Although with the increase in
frequency of disabilities in the student population, this is a circumstance all teachers must
contend with, and is not a direct result of inclusion as a concept.3 Also. Espin (1998) in
his study examined the lack of individualized services provided for students with IEPs
(Individualized Education programs) when placed in an inclusive rather than
mainstreamed environment.4 A mainstreamed environment is the one in which students
attend some general education classes, usually for less than half the day, and often for
less academically or mentally rigorous classes. For instance, a young student with
considerable intellectual disabilities might be mainstreamed for physical education
classes, art classes and storybook time, but spend reading and mathematics classes with
other students that have similar disabilities.
Another criticism on inclusive education is that it is impractical because special children
are not given special attention to the required extent. Some people criticize that
specialized instructions are not enough for special children. They need to be taught in a
complete different manner as compared to the normal school children.
Moreover, parents of disabled students may be cautious about admitting their children in
an inclusive education program because of the fears that the children will be ridiculed by
3 Barkley, R.A. “Attention deficit hyperactivity disorders: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment” (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford. (1998). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inclusion_%28education%29#cite_note-27. (6 October, 2011).4
? Espin, C.A.”Individualized Education Programs in Resource and Inclusive Settings.” The Journal of Special Education, Vol. 32, No. 3, 164-174 (1998)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inclusion_%28education%29#cite_note-27. (6 October, 2011).
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other students, or be unable to develop regular life skills in an academic classroom.
Similarly parents of the normal children may be worried about placing their children in
such a school where inclusive education is provided because every parent wants best for
their child. They may find such school as incompetent or they may feel that their children
will be neglected because students with disabilities require more attention so the teachers
might not pay complete attention to their child.
On the contrary, Research has shown positive effects for children with disabilities in
areas such as reading individualized education program (IEP) goal, improving
communication and social skills, increasing positive peer interactions, many educational
outcomes, and post school adjustments. Positive effects on children without disabilities
include the development of positive attitudes and perceptions of persons with disabilities
and the enhancement of social status with non disabled peers.5
Moving on, to gain more insight about parent’s opinions about the matter; few parents
were interviewed. After interviewing the parents it was found out that they appreciate the
fact that concept of inclusive education is getting popular in Pakistan and is being
implemented but there is a strong need of improvement. According to the parents;
courses and activities should be modified, more qualified and trained teachers should be
hired by the school management. Modifications refer to the changes in course content,
teaching strategies, standards, test presentation, location, timing, scheduling,
5
? Bennett, T., Deluca, D., & Bruns, D. “Putting inclusion into practice: perspectives of teachers and parents. Exceptional Children”, 64. (1997).http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inclusion_%28education%29#cite_note-27. (6 October, 2011).
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expectations, student responses, environmental structuring and/or other attributes which
provide access for a student with a disability to participate in a course or a test, which do
fundamentally alter or lower its standard or expectations.
One of the couple stressed on the importance of psychologists and psychological testing
in schools especially in those schools which offer inclusive education. Educational
psychologists apply scientific principles of teaching, learning and behavior to help
maximize the social, emotional and educational growth and development of children and
young people. In other words educational psychologists are applied psychologists in the
field of education. As such they are better placed to offer advice and/or consultation on
special educational needs in children and young people. They use the data collected by
schools as part of their assessment process, which includes the use of observational
techniques, questionnaires and psychometric testing and clinical interviews. Thereafter,
educational psychologists analyze and interpret the outcomes by giving the impressions
about assessment, which impression or opinion can now be used to inform work in school
or the world of work. In short educational psychologists contribute to raising standards in
the learner and school performance in order to improve and promote inclusion in
classroom settings and by extension, social inclusion.6
6
? Matthews, Adera. Okumbe. “Role of educational psychologists in identification, recommendations to assist teachers”. ACCOMMODATING LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS IN BOTSWANA: A CHALLENGE TO EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS AND SPECIAL EDUCATORS. University of Botswana. N.d.http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:cGV5kCSo1tcJ:www.iaea.info/documents/paper_1162a16ab4.pdf+psychological+assessment+in+inclusive+and+special+education&hl=en&gl=pk. (7 October, 2011).
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Depending on the disability, special educators can use various techniques in order to
promote learning in an inclusive setting. Individualized instruction, problem-solving
assignments, and small group work are some of the teaching methods that special
educators may apply given the magnitude of the disability. Educational psychologist’s
most important tool is psychological testing. There is a wide range of tests developed for
different purposes. Separate tests for disabled or special children have also been
established. Psychologists are well trained in conducting psychological tests, scoring and
interpreting results and thereby assessing children, both normal and disabled or special.
Some of the psychological tests and techniques used for children of different ages are
Stanford – Binet Intelligence Scales, Wechsler Intelligence scale for children, Wechsler
preschool and primary scale of intelligence, SOMPA, Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test,
Adaptive Behavior Inventory for children (ABIC), Kaufman assessment battery for
children, McCarthy scales of children’s abilities, Piagetian scales, The Oseretsky Tests of
motor proficiency, Brujpinks – Oseretsky scales, Vineland social maturity scales, Pintner
– Paterson performance scale, Arthur performance scale, Hiskey – Nebraska test of
learning, The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, The Culture Fair Intelligence Test,
Raven’s Progessive Matrices (RPM), The Colored Progessive Matrices, Goodenough –
Harris Drawing Test, Human Figure Drawing (HFD), Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
etc.
Out of many of the psychological tests, educational psychologists use a test that is most
appropriate for children in given circumstances. Whether it’s a normal child or a special
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child, testing has an equal significance. In both cases psychological testing proves to be
helpful in analyzing children’s functioning and conflicts. Then accordingly children are
assessed by the psychologists and their conflicts and problems are resolved.
CONCLUSION:
Educational psychologists, with their knowledge and skills can enable effective
accommodation modes for learners with special needs in an inclusive education setting.
Moreover, Psychological testing for children whether disabled or not is a helpful aid
which predicts children capabilities and functioning in various aspects. Thus, in order to
make the inclusive education system effective; school managements should benefit from
educational psychologists and psychological / educational testing along with the other
trained professionals.
LIMITATIONS:
Note the fact that being the imperfect human, I was not able to cover all the important
aspects related to the topic. Implication of different psychological tests on special and
normal children could have been discussed. Name of the schools providing inclusive
education in Pakistan could have been enlisted after conducting a research on it. A short
Interview has been conducted from parents, teachers, children and management staffs
could also have been interviewed for more detailed and accurate knowledge.
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RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Inclusive education should be introduced in the education systems in Pakistan to
ensure best educational facilities for special children.
2. Psychological testing should be used for children under the supervision of
Psychologists.
3. Special children should work alongside with peers with diverse skills and abilities, it
will help them learn and develop the skills necessary to work in real life.
4. Each school should put in effort for promoting the concept of inclusive education
because they have a vital contribution to make the society better.
5. Workshops should be conducted to bring awareness and acceptance for the people
belonging to different professions, especially teachers and parents.
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REFERENCES
1. Dr. Shagufta Shahzadi, “Inclusive Education: Perspective of Services,” Think Pakistan, n.d.
http://thinkpakistan.wordpress.com/inclusive-education-perspective-of-services/ (4 October ,2011)
2. Robert Holland. "Vouchers Help the Learning Disabled: Lesson from 22 countries: Special-education students thrive in private schools". The Heartland Institute. (06/01/2002). 14.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inclusion_%28education%29#cite_note-13. (4 October,2011)
3. Barkley, R.A. “Attention deficit hyperactivity disorders: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment” (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford. (1998). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inclusion_%28education%29#cite_note-27. (6 October, 2011).
4. Espin, C.A.”Individualized Education Programs in Resource and Inclusive Settings.” The Journal of Special Education, Vol. 32, No. 3, 164-174 (1998)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inclusion_%28education%29#cite_note-27. (6 October, 2011).
5. Bennett, T., Deluca, D., & Bruns, D. “Putting inclusion into practice: perspectives of teachers and parents. Exceptional Children”, 64. (1997).http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inclusion_%28education%29#cite_note-27. (6 October, 2011).
6. Matthews, Adera. Okumbe. “Role of educational psychologists in identification, recommendations to assist teachers”. ACCOMMODATING LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS IN BOTSWANA: A CHALLENGE TO EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS AND SPECIAL EDUCATORS. University of Botswana. N.d.http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:cGV5kCSo1tcJ:www.iaea.info/documents/paper_1162a16ab4.pdf+psychological+assessment+in+inclusive+and+special+education&hl=en&gl=pk. (7 October, 2011).
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