Abstract
This chapter provides a variety of different perspectives regarding inclusive education practice in higher education settings. It provides an introduction into learning in the field of higher education. Then, the background information about the field of inclusive education practice follows. Furthermore, it emphasizes the needs that should be met and suggests some ways for inclusion practice to better provide students with different approaches and methods. The chapter also provides a wide explanation in terms of building an appropriate curriculum in higher education for both students with and without disabilities. Finally, it points out the necessary acts to be taken and provides implications in terms of e-learning and inclusion for those to succeed in the field. The chapter will provide insight for educators in the field of inclusive education.
TopBackground
Regarding inclusive practices, education systems and schools undertake the responsibility of arranging and teaching the curriculum for various student groups in accordance with all these characteristics of students. Teachers who are eager to understand the resources their students bring to the classroom environment are able to tailor their teaching to meet their needs (Jackson, Ryndak, & Wehmeyer, 2008; Meijer, Soriano, & Watkins, 2007). At this point, the teachers are considered to be flexible, loyal to her/his students, to be sensitive to students’ needs, to use various teaching approaches that provide students with more opportunities, to offer an effective education to various student groups in terms of resources they bring into the classroom.
Considering a teacher who accumulates detailed information about each of her/his students, it could clearly be stated that s/he can regulate how s/he may differentiate learning among her/his students effectively. Inclusive practices differ in the way teachers respond to diversity, the decisions they make about group work, and the way they use their expertise (Alexander, Sperl, Buehl, Fives, & Chiu, 2004; Florian, & Linklater, 2010; Galkiene, & Monkoviciene, 2021). Considering the important features of teaching approaches that allow all students to be successful, it is seen that these teaching approaches focus on comprehensive and systematic ways of collecting information about students, what connections exist between learning and students' lives, and how flexible and open-ended the curriculum can be (Rose, & Parsons, 1998). A flexible curriculum with alternatives allows teachers to support differences in each classroom. In this way the classroom and teaching can offer students alternative ways of learning, ways of working, multiple opportunities for success, and teaching for mixed abilities (Galkiene, & Monkoviciene, 2021).
A teacher who wants to respond to the diversity of her/his students and supports them organizes their teaching from the very beginning of planning, uses flexible and alternative approaches, and creates an environment that provides students with plenty of different learning opportunities. In doing so, the teacher elaborates the instruction according to the depth of each student's knowledge, co-creates challenging and enjoyable learning activities, distinguishes students in integrated curricula and programs, uses the physical and social environment to support learning, and supports students to develop an increased sense of responsibility for their own responsibilities, learning, works collaboratively with students to monitor, evaluate, and adapt teaching (Gudjonsdottir, 2003).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Inclusive Education: Inclusive education is of great importance for a quality education system, it is the design of schools, classrooms, programs, and activities in such a way that all students can learn by participating, according to the diversity of their needs.
E-Learning: E-learning, known as online or electronic learning, obtains information by accessing information through digital technologies and media.
Cooperative Teaching: Cooperative or co-learning is an educational approach that general and special educators use to teach heterogeneous student groups, both academically and behaviorally.
Higher Education: Higher education is learning that takes place at a university, college, or institute after completion of the upper secondary level.
Cooperative Learning: Cooperative learning aims to enable students to work together to maximize learning, both among themselves and among each other. It is used for educational and instructive purposes by forming small groups within the scope of students working together.
Diversity: Diversity is a dimension that makes people different and at the same time unique within the scope of these characteristics such as age, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, education, and nationality.
Inclusion: Inclusion is a practice in which different groups and individuals are accepted without any discrimination in the cultural and social context because of their different backgrounds.
Special Education: Special education is education specially designed to meet the unique needs of the individual who differ socially, mentally, or physically from the average.
Digital Technologies: Digital technologies are the technologies that are used to support teaching and learning such as laptops, tablets, mobile phones, online resources, digital tools, systems devices, and resources. Digital tools can produce, reserve, and operate the data.
Information and Communication Technologies: Information and communication technologies are various technological tools and resources. Through these technological tools and resources, information can be created, transmitted, shared, and stored and used again.
Education System: The education system refers to state education, which consists of programs that include everything aimed at educating the population from kindergarten to high school.