Understanding the value of inclusive education and its
implementation: A review of the literature
Anthoula Kefallinou1 · Simoni Symeonidou1,2 · Cor J. W. Meijer1
© UNESCO IBE 2020
Abstract
European countries are increasingly committed to human rights and inclusive
education. However, persistent educational and social inequalities indicate uneven imple-
mentation of inclusive education. This article reviews scholarly evidence on inclusion and
its implementation, to show how inclusive education helps ensure both quality education
and later social inclusion. Structurally, the article first establishes a conceptual frame-
work for inclusive education, next evaluates previous research methodologies, and then
reviews the academic and social benefits of inclusion. The fourth section identifies success-
ful implementation strategies. The article concludes with suggestions on bridging the gap
between inclusive education research, policy, and practice.
International perspectives and trends in research on inclusive
education: a systematic review
Antonio M. Amor a, Mayumi Hagiwarab, Karrie A. Shogrenb, James R. Thompsonb,
Miguel Ángel Verdugoa, Kathryn M. Burkeb and Virginia Aguayo a
Abstract
Inclusive education of students with disabilities in general education
contexts has been a global movement for at least 30 years. We
completed a systematic review of articles published in English-
and Spanish-language peer-reviewed journals to obtain an
international perspective on the status of inclusive education
research and practice regarding students with disabilities, as
reflected in the literature from 2002 through 2016. Our literature
search, which involved two parallel searches to compare and
contrast articles published in the English and Spanish professional
literature, yielded 2380 articles which were categorised into seven
categories: theory, descriptive, attitudinal, literature review,
intervention, and non-inclusive. For both the English and Spanish
literature, the most two common article types were theory and
descriptive. The number of intervention articles, with findings on
the efficacy of interventions to promote inclusive practices, was
drastically lower in the Spanish literature. Implications for
advancing future research and practice are discussed.
The Development of Inclusive Education Practice: A Review of Literature
Abstract
The idea of inclusive education has become a very important element of educational
thinking internationally and has been widely advocated by international organisations
such as UNESCO. This paper gives a historical and philosophical review of the concept
of inclusive education. The review looks first to the definition of inclusive education, the
global movement towards educational inclusion, and the shift in terminology from inte-
gration to inclusion. It then discusses some issues raised in the literature about inclusive
education and later details the influence of the ideological framework. This paper also
identifies two main factors that should be considered to ensure the better implementation
of inclusive education. This article concludes that, despite the general agreement on the
principle of inclusion, some elements have been widely contested, such as what it means
in practice and what should be considered inclusion.
Effective inclusive education: Equipping education professionals with
necessary skills and knowledge
Deborah Deutsch Smith • Naomi Chowdhuri Tyler
Abstract As a result of educational reforms, students with disabilities are educated in inclusive
settings to a greater degree than ever before. Regrettably, many teachers report that they feel
unprepared to work effectively with these students. Because teacher effectiveness is strongly
linked to student outcomes, these perceptions of inadequacy are clearly problematic. Improved
teacher preparation is a necessity. Yet, teacher educators face their own challenges when trying to
keep up with current literature and a rapidly expanding knowledge base. Web-based technology
offers solutions to some of these challenges, yet not all Web-based resources are valid or reliable.
The IRIS Center for Training Enhancements, funded by the U.S. Department of Education,
provides free online resources for those working with struggling learners and students with
disabilities. The resources are developed in collaboration with leading educational researchers,
are highly rated, and are heavily used in multiple countries to improve the quality of teacher
education.
Inclusive Education and Education for All
Merajul Hasan1, Dr. Ujjwal Kumar Halder2* & [Link] Debnath
Abstract
The Education for All (EFA) movement is a global commitment to provide quality basic
education for all children, youth and adults. Inclusive education is also a new approach towards
educating the children with diverse abilities and learning difficulties with that of normal ones
within the same manner. It seeks to address the learning needs of all children with a specific
focus on those who are vulnerable to marginalization and exclusion. The focus of this
paper is to explore the theoretical interrelation between the Inclusive education and Education
for all and conclude them with various UNESCO documents and other published articles. The
entire documentary analysis in the paper shows the relation between inclusive education and
Education for All with various perspectives. The paper also shows various implications of
inclusive Education as a strategy. The theoretical analysis indicates that inclusive education as
an integral part of Education for all.