Inclusive learning

In clusive Learning at Ambassador School.

As an education provider, Ambassador School’s commitment to the society is to build learning communities and deliver quality education. Aligned to Dubai’s vision to become a fully inclusive (Disability Friendly) city by 2020, the school’s initiative towards integrating children who are differently-abled, provides the base for this ‘Social Innovation; Helping Hand Programme’. The innovation was launched in 2016 and focuses on inclusive learning by “Creating Shared Value” for ‘Students of Determination’.

A few explicit challenges that the ‘social innovation’ sought to address are:

- Indifference and lack of awareness amongst those who are not associated with special needs or differently-abled individuals.

- Combating discriminatory attitudes takes a lot of time and energy in convincing and providing constant validation.

- Lack of empathy due to arrogance and self-centered mindset.

- Misunderstandings of inclusion lead to macro or micro exclusion, which is sometimes mistaken for – or misappropriated as inclusion.

- Less career options for the determined individuals. Professional world would prove to be further challenging for the determined children if in the preparatory stage they are not equipped with social, intra-personal and inter-personal skills.

Based on the concept of ‘holistic learning’ that each person finds identity, meaning, and purpose in life, a framework was created to incorporate experiential learning through ‘Parrainage’ method. The base- approach was that of ‘peer-to-peer learning’ or a ‘buddy system’. Peer support is a strategy that involves placing students in pairs or in small groups along with ‘Students of Determination’, to participate in learning activities that support academic instruction and social skills.

The students of general schooling are involved in counseling, collaborative projects in different sized (cascading) groups and community activities. The models were based on: 1) problem-solving within realistic situations, 2) learning in multiple contexts, 3) content derived from diverse work and life situations and 4) authentic assessments. These models required upfront planning that included selecting the exact strategy, utilizing it at the right time with both individualized and collective outcomes aligned with the lesson goals.

The core members for leading the innovation consisted of the Leadership Team, Special Education Needs & Disabilities (SEND) Department members comprising Special Educators / Counselling Psychologists /Therapists/ Student Lead for Inclusion /Support Assistants. The ideas that are shortlisted by the core team are then mapped to curriculum and the development process starts with a broad range of inputs and gradually each idea is refined based on historical evidence and feasibility and the best ones are selected from them, creating a handful of formal development projects that can be pushed to rapid completion and introduction in the next academic term. The neuro-typical students are taken through a training process by professionals to master the necessary skill-sets required to be a buddy to a child of determination. They develop skills in organizing and planning learning activities, giving and receiving feedback and evaluating their own learning. Mentors worked with the buddies on social and academic goals which forms the base of achievement. This student-led program helps to spread awareness and delivers a strong message about the inclusion to the community of parents and be the best role model for the peers.

Academic Goals

Writing, reading, asking for help were the parameters. The ‘Students of Determination’ at times take time for processing information, understanding of language and require settlement period for anxiety and panic attacks. The buddies shadow them and help them to break down the task and facilitate reinforcement of a lesson that was being led by the teacher.  This teaching method allows time for practice, review, and opportunities for students to use higher-level thinking skills. One-to-one peer mentoring is easy for clarification, standing up and speaking in front of the class.

Social Goals

Learning for the ‘Students of Determination’ are not simply based on test results of academic subjects but also through an ‘integrated learning approach’ of practical and hands-on-learning modules. The role of the buddies was to support their friends on a one-to-one basis; helping in understanding of the concept, introduction of topic, encouraging the buddy to build on the model and eventually celebrate the completion of the task. The class teacher uses peers to assist with instruction, clarifying directions and give social reminders with little or no disruption to the lesson cycle.  It was an excellent way for peers to provide appropriate behavioural models for students who needed to improve their softer skills like communication, social, inter-personal and intra-personal skills which are better achieved through encouragement and participation of the buddies. Children feel loved and accepted. Learning therefore, happens beyond academic curriculum.

The presence and mentoring of his or her peer does not seem to be a formal instruction, and they learn through play-way method and self-paced learning. The student of determination can independently move through the sequence by either his or her buddy’s prompts or a visual schedule that facilitates discovery of the core subject matter.

It is a research-based methodology that yields positive results related to student achievement and a sense of belonging:

- Individualizes and contextualizes people’s learning experiences- Diverse instructional strategies designed to more seamlessly link the learning of foundational skills and academic content by focusing teaching and learning squarely on concrete applications in a specific context that is of interest.

- Focuses on building knowledge; not reproduction of facts- the repetition of the job completed by the child is again introduced with slight difference and observed whether the child is able to apply the newly gained knowledge  and skill to the second task. The child is able to develop and apply understanding.

- Learners reflect on their knowledge – every time the child moves to the next level, through recapitulation the concept is retained, helping in forming a disciplined approach in the learner. This is more effective than rote learning.

- Using authentic tasks- to engage learners which facilitates relevant, problem-based thinking and develops processes, skills and attitudes. Children are more prepared with practical knowledge.

Together, for a Just World

It is an ongoing initiative where the learnings are being used on various groups of individuals of different abilities and age-group is not a concern. This is a revolutionary approach where young school-goers are contributing to peer group. Workshops and sessions were conducted for parents and adults who are not familiar with the needs of the determined children were inducted and made aware of their role in the society as facilitators. It is this cohesive approach which is the base of the Helping Hand Programme that allows all students to benefit from the instructional approaches, including small group learning and use of visual aids. The most successful initiative has been the integration of students of determination into the main stream by way of dance, art, music and sports therapy.

My Buddy

A subset of the ‘Helping Hand Programme’; My Buddy that started as a campaign for sensitizing all stake-holders and the society at large, and then each milestone was defined and taken as a replication model. My Buddy; the project is all about partnering with a ‘Student of Determination’ to create a more inclusive learning space where physical or mental differences do not hinder their participation in the world. A visual identity for ‘My Buddy’ has been created by designing a logo and complimented with literature comprising e-mailers, posters, buddy bench and other collaterals like a teaser video (meet my buddy) to spread awareness.  

Creating Social Value

Saving a child from lifelong of branding: When children of the same age-group align to a just cause and help a determined friend get recognition in the society, the child is accepted easily by adults who may have been insensitive and nurtured a whole lot of reasons for not accepting these students in mainstream activities. The determined children are able to make their mark in their areas of interest and in many cases achieve a level of professional specialization.

Understanding the needs of a determined child:  Autism, Asperger Syndrome , Cerebral palsy, wheelchair bound etc. are conditions that can be handled in school and these students can do exceptionally well in their areas of interest when offered a common platform with their peers. This knowledge is easily spread through My Buddy initiative which is not just for the young students but even adults can choose to participate.

Integrating the child in the society: the students participate in various activities other than academics and become a part of the process. Their buddies from general schooling help them understand the curriculum better, grasping information, boosts self-confidence and integrates them in social setting.

The Helping Hand Programme is original in approach and inspires people with innovative ideas to turn ideas into reality, and know and show how to replicate their success. Over time, they create a dedicated group of friends, fans and followers to help them replicate and scale their ideas into sustainable change not just in one social group but across education industry, niche or across an entire ecosystem; handling the world in meaningful ways and engage others to join their efforts. The buddies create evolutionary and even revolutionary advancements in the field of inter-dependency and peer-to-peer learning not just by urging others to be open to new ways of thinking, but when they create a blueprint for people to follow – they provide a method, process, guidelines or a set of best practices. As thought leaders who codify the steps necessary to follow in their footsteps assure that others will align with and build on their success. This guarantees that they are not confined to making small tweaks around the edges, but instead create a foundation for others to build on or a movement for others to join in.