This section introduces the key concepts underlying inclusive SciLMi learning settings – diversity, inclusion, equality and equity, and inclusive education.
\nDiversity refers to the many ways in which people differ from one another. These differences may be individual, such as personality, ways of thinking, life experiences or disability, or connected to people’s social identities and positions, such as age, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, social class, country of origin, religion, or cultural and political affiliations (Association of American Colleges and Universities 2005).
\nDiversity is not simply a list of separate characteristics. Each person represents a unique combination of identities, experiences and social circumstances. The Four Layers of Diversity model, developed by Gardenswartz & Rowe (1995, 2008), illustrates this complexity. It places personality at the centre and distinguishes between internal dimensions, such as age, gender, ethnicity or physical ability; external dimensions, such as education, family situation, income or religion; and organisational dimensions, such as a person’s role, position or level of responsibility.
\nThese dimensions interact with one another. The concept of intersectionality draws attention to the ways in which different aspects of identity and social position combine and shape people’s experiences, opportunities and possible disadvantages (Smykalla & Vinz 2011). People who share one characteristic may therefore have very different experiences because of the other dimensions of their lives.
\nThe presence of diverse people does not automatically create inclusion. Diversity describes who is present, while inclusion concerns whether everyone can participate, contribute, feel respected and experience a genuine sense of belonging.
\nAccording to the Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education, inclusion is an ongoing process in which cultures, policies and practices respond to diversity in ways that value everyone equally. It is shaped through everyday interactions, decisions, attitudes, beliefs and expectations.
\nInclusion therefore requires more than allowing people to enter an existing environment and expecting them to adapt. It involves identifying and changing the structures, practices and attitudes that create barriers to participation.
\nInclusion concerns everyone, not only people who belong to a particular group or have a specific label. It involves reducing exclusion and discrimination, supporting participation and belonging, and recognising differences as a valuable part of human society. CSIE also emphasises that inclusion in education is only one aspect of inclusion in society more broadly.
\nInclusion is closely connected to the distinction between equality and equity.
\nEquality is often understood as treating everyone in the same way. However, identical treatment may reinforce existing inequalities because people do not begin with the same opportunities, resources or barriers.
\nEquity means recognising people’s different circumstances and providing appropriate conditions and support so that everyone has a genuine opportunity to participate and pursue their own goals. It does not necessarily mean giving everyone the same support, but rather providing what each person needs to have fair access to opportunities.
\nSocial justice does not require everyone to achieve the same outcomes. Instead, it requires a fair and equitable environment in which everyone has the opportunity to develop, participate and succeed according to their abilities, interests and goals (Ryan & Rottmann 2007, cited in Markic & Abels 2016).
\nInteraction Institute for Social Change | Artist: Angus Maguire. (interactioninstitute.org, madewithangus.com)
\nInclusive education (IE) can be understood as a philosophical and value-based perspective on the purposes of education and on what “school systems, schools and classrooms should accomplish” (Göransson & Nilholm 2014: 266). Although IE has been defined in different ways, several common principles can be identified. Education is considered to play a central role in challenging social exclusion arising from societal, structural and institutional inequalities (Florian 2014), advancing social justice (Gerrard 1994; Slee 2001), and providing a “foundation for a more just society” (Ainscow & César 2006: 222).
\nFrom this perspective, inclusive education seeks to transform schools into environments in which every learner is welcomed, valued and meaningfully included. It aims to increase learners’ participation in school life, support their engagement in a wide range of activities, and enhance their learning, development and academic achievement (Artiles et al. 2006). Inclusion therefore involves more than placing diverse learners within the same classroom. It requires schools to identify and remove barriers to presence, participation and learning.
\nInclusive education is reflected in the values, cultures, policies and everyday practices of schools and of the people who form these communities. It requires teaching practices, school resources, curricula and learning environments to respond to learner diversity rather than expecting learners to adapt to a single, predetermined model of education. Individual needs should be recognised and addressed, while learners’ strengths, experiences and existing competences are also acknowledged and developed.
\nArtiles et al. (2006: 74) describe inclusion as an effort “to give access to and enhance the participation of individuals with special educational needs […] in normative contexts and practices”. These needs may be associated with physical, sensory, emotional, intellectual, linguistic or cultural factors. However, an inclusive approach extends beyond particular categories of learners. It recognises that any learner may encounter barriers resulting from the organisation of teaching, the curriculum, the physical or social environment, institutional expectations or wider inequalities.
\nInclusive education therefore adopts an equity-oriented approach. Rather than providing every learner with exactly the same conditions or support, it seeks to ensure that all learners receive what they need to participate, learn and develop their abilities. Its aim is to provide the greatest possible access to educational opportunities, relationships and activities while reducing the barriers that may disadvantage particular individuals or groups (Kozleski et al. 2014; Peters & Oliver 2009).
\nBuilding on these principles and on respect for learner diversity, the following section illustrates how inclusive values can be translated into everyday educational practice. Table 1 provides a structured overview of ways in which diverse learner needs can be addressed through inclusive teaching approaches while simultaneously recognising and building on learners’ strengths.
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