A Commentary-Inclusive Education as it applies to the child with special needs

The Education moth 2012 theme is 'transformation the nation through Inclusive education'. As the Subject Specialist, Special Education I would like to  highlight what  this year’s theme means for the children with disabilities or with a learning needs or both? We all have some basic conception of what that term means.  It serves as a reminder to us to put the term in perspective through the provision of appropriate and effective services at varying levels specific to children with these needs. The inclusion process is more than a slogan; it is a philosophy that demands a paradigm shift in thinking where we ask and answer the question “ how can we build an inclusive education system that benefits every child?”  Since as a country we are still evolving,  it places us in an opportune position to set a task force whose goal it  is to examine the inclusive practices already in existence and to tailor them to the local structures. It also demands that we attach funding to needs.  Additionally we need to revise the communication structure throughout the layers in the Ministryof Education, a necessary task to enable us to achieve the national goal of delivering quality education to all our children. Some ways we could work to find a holistic approach to successfully meet the needs of our children with disabilities are to waiver the teacher allocation to schools with children identified as having learning needs and allow in classrooms, when it is necessary, para- professionals such as interpreters. The goal of any education system is to provide basic primary education that would grant children a future, enabling them to function within their abilities. Some economically sound executions of the inclusive process for children with learning needs are:

1. Automatic supports within the school system – the Districts’ education personnel are cognizant of a child with needs in specific schools because the communication process from placement to headteacher operates to benefit the child. 2. Inclusive education is placing the student at the centre of education and other support services. It’s emphatically supporting the children with an “eye” on their future.

Janice O’Neill a volunteer from Volunteer Services Overseas (VSO) has spent a year in Guyana coaching teachers in Primary and Special Schools. Janice has become a friend to the Special education Unit. We will fondly remember her pleasant and gregarious personality. Professionally she has contributed to building the professional acumen and confidence of trained teachers who were practicing principles of good teaching but were unsure they were on the correct path. On behalf of the students, teachers and Special Education Unit I say heartfelt thank you to Janice and wish her great achievements in her forward journey.

In the quarter Jan-March 2012 the SEN Unit

1. Welcomed a New PCRV Susan Steinberg who will be working at St Barbarnas
2. Assessed 14 children referred from mainstream school for evaluation for a disability
3. Prepared national assessment forms for mainstream primary schools
4. Carried out 15 Coaching sessions in Special Schools
5. Completed the module on Autism
6. Monitoring visited SEN schools
7. 2 Headteachers training on curriculum adaptation and teaching reading to students with learning disabilities
8.  SEN schools participated in Mash celebrations Congrats to NA Special School and Sophia Special School who won prizes

Generic materials put to educational use

The SEN Unit hosted a series of workshops in 2011. In April 2011 the unit hosted the teaching materials workshop where the participants were parents and teachers. They hailed from Regions 3, 4,6,10 and Georgetown.

The participants made teaching aids from generic materials such as rice, flour, boxes, newspapers etcetera.

Items made were:

• White board slates
• Beans/rice bag
• The hidden answer plaque
• Sewing cards
• Matching/rhythm dominoes
• Paper Mache
• Play dough

Thank you and Farewell to our PC Volunteers

In 2011 the Special Education Unit in collaboration with Peace Corps Guyana recruited two short term response volunteers. Allen Neece March - November 2011 and Jocelyn Freidman March -September 2011. Jocelyn was attached to the Sophia Special School carrying out school based intervention in behavioural management. Allen was attached to the David Rose Special School carrying out school based intervention in deaf education.

The Unit would like to thank both volunteers for the work they have done in order to boost the local special education program. We thank you and wish you well.