, PLEASE USE THIS DOCUMENT AS A GUIDE ONLY
TABLE OF CONTENT
Topic 1 - The gap between policy and practice in training teachers for inclusive Page 3
classrooms in mainstream secondary schools.
Topic 2 - The role of assistive technology in promoting social participation of Page 12
learners with severe intellectual disabilities in inclusive primary schools.
Topic 3 - Barriers to curriculum accessibility for learners with specific learning Page 21
disabilities (e.g., dyslexia) in post-COVID-19 blended learning environments.
, Topic 1 - The gap between policy and practice in training teachers for inclusive classrooms in
mainstream secondary schools.
1) Title
Bridging Policy and Practice in Teacher Training
2) Background to the Problem Statement
2.1 The Global Mandate for Inclusive Education
Inclusive education has emerged over the past three decades as a dominant paradigm within
educational policy discourse worldwide. The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action
(UNESCO, 1994) marked a watershed moment, proclaiming that regular schools with an inclusive
orientation are the most effective means of combating discriminatory attitudes, building inclusive
societies, and achieving education for all. This document asserted that every child has a fundamental
right to education, and that schools should accommodate all children regardless of their physical,
intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic or other conditions. Since Salamanca, subsequent
international frameworks, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4), have reinforced
the commitment to inclusive and equitable quality education (United Nations, 2015). SDG Target 4.5
explicitly calls for eliminating disparities in education and ensuring access for vulnerable groups,
including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and children in vulnerable situations.
The philosophical foundation of inclusive education rests on human rights principles, social justice,
and the recognition of diversity as a strength rather than a deficit. The United Nations Convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), ratified by over 180 countries, legally obligates
signatory states to ensure an inclusive education system at all levels and lifelong learning (United
Nations, 2006). Article 24 of the Convention moves beyond mere integration—where learners with
disabilities are placed in mainstream settings without systemic change—to genuine inclusion, which
requires systemic restructuring of curricula, pedagogies, physical environments, and attitudes.
Consequently, nations across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas have enacted national inclusive
education policies, legislation, and strategic plans.
2.2 National Policy Responses and Implementation Gaps
In response to these international instruments, many countries have developed comprehensive policy
frameworks for inclusive education. For example, South Africa’s Education White Paper 6: Special
Needs Education (Department of Education, 2001) articulated a vision for an inclusive education
system that recognises diverse learning needs and removes barriers to learning. Similarly, the United
Kingdom’s Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice (Department for Education,
2015) mandates mainstream schools to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ and provide support for
learners with special educational needs. India’s Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (Government
of India, 2016) and the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (Integrated Education Scheme) embed inclusive
education as a legal entitlement. Australia’s Disability Standards for Education (Australian
Government, 2005) requires education providers to consult with students with disabilities and make
necessary adjustments.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Topic 1 - The gap between policy and practice in training teachers for inclusive Page 3
classrooms in mainstream secondary schools.
Topic 2 - The role of assistive technology in promoting social participation of Page 12
learners with severe intellectual disabilities in inclusive primary schools.
Topic 3 - Barriers to curriculum accessibility for learners with specific learning Page 21
disabilities (e.g., dyslexia) in post-COVID-19 blended learning environments.
, Topic 1 - The gap between policy and practice in training teachers for inclusive classrooms in
mainstream secondary schools.
1) Title
Bridging Policy and Practice in Teacher Training
2) Background to the Problem Statement
2.1 The Global Mandate for Inclusive Education
Inclusive education has emerged over the past three decades as a dominant paradigm within
educational policy discourse worldwide. The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action
(UNESCO, 1994) marked a watershed moment, proclaiming that regular schools with an inclusive
orientation are the most effective means of combating discriminatory attitudes, building inclusive
societies, and achieving education for all. This document asserted that every child has a fundamental
right to education, and that schools should accommodate all children regardless of their physical,
intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic or other conditions. Since Salamanca, subsequent
international frameworks, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4), have reinforced
the commitment to inclusive and equitable quality education (United Nations, 2015). SDG Target 4.5
explicitly calls for eliminating disparities in education and ensuring access for vulnerable groups,
including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and children in vulnerable situations.
The philosophical foundation of inclusive education rests on human rights principles, social justice,
and the recognition of diversity as a strength rather than a deficit. The United Nations Convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), ratified by over 180 countries, legally obligates
signatory states to ensure an inclusive education system at all levels and lifelong learning (United
Nations, 2006). Article 24 of the Convention moves beyond mere integration—where learners with
disabilities are placed in mainstream settings without systemic change—to genuine inclusion, which
requires systemic restructuring of curricula, pedagogies, physical environments, and attitudes.
Consequently, nations across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas have enacted national inclusive
education policies, legislation, and strategic plans.
2.2 National Policy Responses and Implementation Gaps
In response to these international instruments, many countries have developed comprehensive policy
frameworks for inclusive education. For example, South Africa’s Education White Paper 6: Special
Needs Education (Department of Education, 2001) articulated a vision for an inclusive education
system that recognises diverse learning needs and removes barriers to learning. Similarly, the United
Kingdom’s Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice (Department for Education,
2015) mandates mainstream schools to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ and provide support for
learners with special educational needs. India’s Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (Government
of India, 2016) and the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (Integrated Education Scheme) embed inclusive
education as a legal entitlement. Australia’s Disability Standards for Education (Australian
Government, 2005) requires education providers to consult with students with disabilities and make
necessary adjustments.
