Disability Inclusion and Teacher Education : A Holistic Perspective

Contents: Foreword. Preface. 1. Understanding Disability and Inclusion/Sailaja Chennat. 2. Rethinking Autism: Challenges and Strategies for Inclusion/Supriya Singh. 3. Rethinking Hearing Impairment: Issues, Concerns and Inclusive Practice/Sangeeta Singh. 4. Intellectual Disability and Inclusionary Practice: The Way Forward/Kavita Ghosh. 5. Locomotor Impairment: Perspectives and Concerns about Inclusion/Sailaja Chennat. 6. Specific Learning Disabilities: Issues and Solutions for Inclusion/Sumita Bhangu. 7. Visual Impairment and Inclusive Classrooms: Issues and Possibilities/Sangeeta Singh. 8. Teacher Education within the Ambit of Disability and Inclusion: A Reflection/Alka Behari. Index. The book Disability, Inclusion and Teacher Education knits together disability, inclusive education and teacher education, all the three components, to present a holistic understanding of disability inclusion. The clearly stated perspective that disability is not a monolith and that inclusive education is not the option for all categories and degrees of disabilities contextualise the contents and ensure clear understanding. Inclusive classroom is envisaged to have children with mild to moderate degrees of disabilities duly recognising the significance of special schools in the continuum of educational settings for children with disabilities. Six categories of disability are discussed individually, presenting a deep conceptual understanding, classroom transaction strategies and useful assistive devices under each. Both the academic and the psycho social needs of children and the corresponding classroom adaptations are presented to give a comprehensive picture of inclusive classrooms. Case narrations from the Indian context presented along with each category of disability illuminate the field realities and enhance the richness of the presentation. Implications for teacher education in accordance to the needs of children and roles of the teachers in an inclusive classroom are discussed. The book is an innovative resource as it takes the reader on a reflective journey aimed at building a holistic perspective among teachers, students, teacher-educators and the practitioners in the field. (jacket).…