Sijtze Bergsma

ABSTARCT

“Education for all,” or inclusive education, appears to be, on the one hand, a new educational philosophy aimed at creating an educational environment conducive to all special learning needs of students in primary education but, on the other hand, in its implementation, it is also an innovative educational strategy with many consequences and implications for the existing education structure at all educational levels. This monograph explores the possibilities of the implementation of inclusive special needs education as educational philosophy and innovative strategy in the Commonwealth Caribbean. This exploration is based on prevalence data of special needs students in the primary and special education system; data on service delivery to special needs students; and the availability of teachers both for special education and for a support delivery system. On the basis of these data, it looks at the different implications for the primary and special education systems. If inclusive special needs education for all children is to be implemented, it appears that a paradigm shift in primary education from mostly curriculum-oriented education to a more pupil-oriented education is necessary
and, in special education, from a pupil-oriented education to a more support- and resource-oriented education.

The exploration leads to the conclusion that implementation of inclusive special needs education would be feasible if there was a support and resource system in place for the primary education system. The most feasible model for full implementation of inclusive special needs education is the use of the principle of placing special needs children in the least restrictive environment within the framework of a continuum of educational services; the existing special education system should be part of this continuum of educational services. Some of these services already exist in Commonwealth Caribbean countries. In order to develop and implement such a non-segregated, inclusive special needs education system, a comprehensive approach and strategy, with a great deal of ingenuity and persistence on the part of all those involved, is necessary, especially the “active agents” in this process, namely, the management of the schools, the teachers, and parents who should be part of the decisionmaking process.