The notion of online learning and teaching has brought in a major change as well as development in the Education sector. With the increase of courses available online the opportunities for every individual have widened eventually resulting in enhancement and broadening of the majority’s horizon and knowledge. When we say that Online Education is for everyone we can also include individuals with special needs as it in a way caters to the concept of Inclusive Education. Inclusive Education refers to a form of imparting knowledge specifically considering the needs of all the students enrolled for a course. It is usually related to students who require extra attention and have some disability. Inclusivity of a classroom can also be related to accepting every individual irrespective of their gender, age, caste, abilities, or category. A teacher to enhance the individual experience and make their online class a safe space for all should follow inclusive methods to teach which further provide a space for all to learn better. A lot of success quotes and motivational quotes do tell us that all are the same and there’s nothing that is impossible. This is true and inclusive education helps promote this idea further.
Below is a list of benefits that Online teaching puts forth in Inclusive Education:
Dependency Over Caregivers Reduces
In a developing country like India wherein most of the Infrastructure is yet not accessible for all, Online Learning has surely proven to be a boon. People who require assistance for moving and going to places can now simply learn from either the comfort of their home or an accessible place. They do not have to depend on anyone to take them to places and then bring them back home.
Increase of Enrollment in Educational Courses
The online courses as mentioned earlier are accessible to all. Therefore the applicants for every course have increased twofold as it caters to almost everyone’s needs. Also as it provides an individual to learn from wherever they are situated currently, people who require assistance with their everyday routine can also consider taking up any course as per their aptitude and interest.
More Options to Select From
Usually, there is a conception where people prefer to believe that an individual with special needs does not have many options and is restricted to very few options. With multiple courses available online it entirely depends on the individual whether they wish to be a part of a course or not. The wide range of online courses also includes basic skill-based activities in which an individual can indulge and start their own small business. This will eventually result in creating more job opportunities for people.
New Technologies Provide New Methods to Teach
In a traditional classroom, it used to become difficult for students with disabilities to learn quickly and efficiently but now with the growing and ever-changing technology the needs of every student are looked after. For example: If a student is blind and can not read books or watch the online modules then a teacher can produce a recorded book for them with extra sound effects and self-descriptive audio to give them a better clarification of the course. In the case of a child with a hearing impairment, a teacher can create self-explanatory visual modules with text or subtitles to cater to them.
Familiar Environment Reduces Distress
When an individual learns from a familiar and controlled environment their concentration and learning of the topic being taught enhance. They worry less about their surroundings and focus more on what is being taught. This eventually results in the overall productivity of the class and helps the individual learn the concepts better with much more clarity and lesser problems.
Sensitises Everyone Towards Each Other
This is something that usually used to take a lot of time in conventional classrooms. Now that everyone is meeting one another through a virtual platform that aims at bringing everyone closer, simultaneously provides a sense of comfort and security to everyone making prominent demarcation for personal space. In an inclusive virtual classroom that provides a sense of safe space and privacy to all, it becomes easier to connect with another and understand the other person’s needs. When a learner is provided with space, time and method to be accepting of everyone around them they eventually learn to be considerate of all. This can be considered as a socially prominent point as it aims at creating woke and socially accepting citizens.
Inclusive education aims at providing equal opportunities to every individual irrespective of who and what they are. With the prominence of online teaching apps, this notion to reach out to mass and give everyone a chance to learn has increased drastically. The role of Online Learning in Inclusive education is not only limited to providing opportunities to all but in a way, we can say that also helps in producing more citizens in the asset sector rather than the liability sector. It aims to make everyone self-dependent to whatever extent possible and simultaneously aims at sensitizing every individual of the society towards one another.
