Inclusive Education Policy

SGIS – INCLUSIVE EDUCATION POLICY

 THE IB DIPLOMA PROGRAMME

Revised on 2nd August -2023

Inclusion is an on-going process that aims to increase access and engagement in learning for all students by identifying and removing barriers.

School Philosophy
At SGIS, we believe that promoting inclusivity and valuing diversity is essential for making all individuals contribute to common good and world peace through/based on universal values. We value diversity to understand, accept and respect the fact that every individual is unique. The Inclusion Program at school allows students requiring learning support to access the educational programme of the school and enhance their learning. We believe that providing students with open access to curriculum fosters academic and leads to the development of selfesteem and self-advocacy skills in the student, and allows them to contribute towards development of the diverse society. 

Rationale

 SGIS provides a challenging environment for reflective learners to inquire through effective instructions, respecting individual differences and to attain academic excellence along with rigorous assessment, we prepare students to take appropriate risk and expand their horizon of knowledge by becoming lifelong learners.

SGIS is committed to develop caring, responsible, adaptable citizens through multicultural values promoting international mindedness.

School aims in providing safe and caring environment for holistic development of young minds, which ensures enrichment of communication skills, creative skills and leadership traits to become principled and balanced

 The Inclusion Policy of the school is guided by ‘The Persons with Disabilities (Equal opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995’ which requires the government to “Endeavour to promote the integration of students with disabilities in the normal schools.”

SGIS Core beliefs with regard to Programs and Services for Students with Disabilities-

• In considering the whole child before the disability
• In integrated comprehensive services in the least restrictive environment for each individual
• All children have the right to access all school opportunities and learning
• Every school community should provide a positive environment to help foster a sense of belonging, safety, a feeling of self-worth and respect for all students
• In helping each individual reach their fullest potential
• We share the responsibility for the success of all of our students
• All children deserve the opportunity to learn with their peers in their neighborhood schools and get what they need to be successful
• We can all learn from each other to build capacity as part of a diverse community
• In high expectations that hopes and dreams for the future are important  in the value of family and school relationships for the success of the child
• All children have a right to a personalized education
• Diverse populations provide valuable learning opportunities for all members of the school community

The school’s objectives for Inclusion provision:

• To identify students as early as possible who needs learning support to ensure that they are met
• To manage resources, in line with this policy, to be able to meet all students’
• To plan strategies to improve accessibility of the school’s premises (ramps and lifts for physically challenged students) and curriculum for all students

• To ensure that students requiring learning support join in with the activities of the school where appropriate.
• To ensure that all students make the best possible Recording, monitoring and reviewing the progress regularly.
• To ensure parents are informed of their student’s special needs and built effective communication between parents and school.

• To ensure that students express their views and are fully involved in decisions, whenever and wherever possible.
• To annually review Student Support Plans (SSP) and Individual Education Plans (IEP)
• To provide appropriate training for those involved in the implementation of the policy.
• To Monitoring progress and reviewing goals.

 

Learning Support Requirements

Learning Support at SGIS strives to enable some candidates, who have the aptitude to meet all curriculum and assessment requirements, reach their full potential in learning and assessment. Candidates who require inclusive assessment arrangements may have learning support requirements due to one or more of the following:

• Autism spectrum/Asperger’s syndrome
• Learning disabilities
• Medical conditions
• Mental health issues
• Multiple disabilities
• Physical and/or sensory challenges
• Social, emotional and behavioral difficulties
• Specific learning difficulties
• Speech and/or communication difficulties

Identification of Students Requiring Learning Supports

 SGIS believes that early identification of students who require leaning support is essential to allow support systems to be put in place for such students.

At the time of enrolment, the school tries to identify if students need learning support. The school follows standard guidelines for identifying and developing accommodations and adjustments for students needing special learning support.

If it is found that the student seeking enrolment in school has special educational needs or if the student requires special attention following key steps are taken:

• An initial talk with the parents of children, having special educational needs is conducted by the school authorities when they contact for

• The details of information regarding any learning concern are requested on the admission The concerns need to be well supported by Medical Certificates and reports given by certified Medical Practitioner. This information is processed by the Admission Department and forwarded to the school Psychologist and counsellor and Inclusion Manager, for their follow up actions.

• Such cases are discussed with the School Principal, Programme Coordinator, and Counselor,  to ensure that the student needs are addressed in the following areas:
• Classroom setting
• Examination setting
• Laboratory setting
• CCA (Co-Curricular Activity)
• CAS participation

• Interviews are conducted with potential students and families for enrolment for the following academic year. The school psychologist attends interview of students with special learning Due consideration is given to the prior knowledge of the students who come for admission. Such students are assessed after considering all the aspects. Based on the resources available at SGIS, discussions among inclusion manager and coordinators are held to find the schools capacity to be able to cater to these specific needs. If the school realizes it to be a very difficult case, he/she is referred to special schools for their best development.

Identification of Learning Needs in Classroom

 All students are assessed when they enter our school (Reference: Admission policy, Assessment Policy), so that we can build upon their prior learning. We use this information to provide starting points for the development of an appropriate curriculum for all our students.

If a student is found to have difficulty in learning in the classroom, teachers try to provide support to the students within the classroom by taking following steps:

• Use existing information as a starting

• Highlight areas of skills to support in
• Use baseline assessment to identify what the student knows, understands and can
• Ensure on-going observation/assessment to provide feedback so that assessment forms the basis of the next
• Involve the parents
• Involve the
• Use differentiation to scaffold
• Keep records of strategies used and their level of If these arrangements do not result in sufficient progress, and student is still found to have difficulty in learning, student is referred to the Inclusion Manager.

Teachers and support staff respond to student’s need by:

•  Providing support for students who need help with communication, language and
• Providing inclusive environment which is effective, friendly and welcoming, healthy and protective, and gender-sensitive for all

• Planning to develop student’s understanding through the use of all their

• Planning for student’s full participation in learning, physical and practical

• Helping students to manage their behaviour and to take part in learning effectively and

• Helping students to manage their emotions, particularly trauma or

• Identifying the students preferred way of thinking after considering if an optimum match is to occur at various times throughout their schooling.

• Help learners extend their learning by combining high expectations with numerous opportunities for learner-centered practice and interaction with cognitively rich materials and

• Help to extend their academic language and concepts by providing opportunities to experience the enjoyment of reading, and be made aware of a wide range of genres for writing, which are crucial to developing student

• Make use of assistive technology and software to enable learners with language issues to access material they can engage with

Classroom Instructions/Laboratories Instructions

SGIS faculty employ inclusive teaching techniques and design learning expectations that allow all students, including those who have special educational needs, to meet the rigorous standards of the IB Programmes. Students are provided with opportunities to achieve these goals by participating in carefully constructed differentiated teaching strategies designed to maximize students’ potential and also allow the student to demonstrate learning in different ways.

Assessment of Students with Learning Support Needs:

•  Continuous assessment allows for self-reflection and peer review, which enhances and supports all learners in gaining independence and becoming advocates for their own
• Assessments prepared are diverse and relevant to the learner, allowing for differentiation with different entry and exit The purposes and outcomes of the assessment process are explained explicitly to all.

• Elements of social interaction and personal growth are part of the assessment

• Where standard assessment conditions could put students requiring inclusive assessment arrangements at a disadvantage by preventing them from demonstrating their level of attainments, special arrangements are authorized. Coordinators and teachers are responsible for submitting requests for special The school ensures to achieve the special arrangements approved by IB for the special need students.

Examination:

In the examination settings, the following can be accommodated depending on the request by

the student’s doctor and decision by the School Principal and Coordinator.

• Provision of extra time in the examination
• Provision of a school laptop so that student can key in the answers instead of writing
• Provision of an extra room and invigilator
• Provision of large print of the exam paper
• Provision of coloured print of the exam paper

Classroom Learning / Laboratory Learning:

The subject teachers will be informed of the student’s condition. Thus, each teacher will be advised and be mindful of the student’s needs while teaching.

Co-Curricular Activity (CCA)

There may be certain CCAs that the student may not be able to participate in. Thus, the school provides an array of CCAs that the child can choose and participate in.

Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS):

As CAS is a core component in the IBDP, there is a requirement by the school to ensure that the student should meet the seven learning outcomes of CAS. There is a wide variety of service activities, expeditions and cultural performances that the pupil can participate in the school. If there is a need for the candidate to have a special arrangement, the IBO will need to be consulted.

Inclusive Assessment Arrangement for IB Assessment

The Programme Coordinator will inform the IBO using the appropriate procedures and providing the necessary documentation of the candidates requiring inclusive assessment arrangements. Once the Coordinator learns of the decision of the IB, the student, parents, and teachers involved will be informed.

The following is a list of accommodation arrangements that may be granted once IB0 has reviewed after going through submitted documentation by the candidate:

• Additional time: A 25% more time is allocated for the candidate during examinations. That is 15 minutes extra for every hour in

• Rest periods: Supervised rest time maybe allowed, during which time the candidate is not allowed to work on their

• Information and communication technology: A computer could be used to type the answers for the exam instead of handwritten. The student cannot use any software that would give the candidate an unfair advantage during the

• Scribes: A person who writes the answers for the candidate after his/her dictation. Scribe will not write anything less or more than what the student speaks. Neither adds his/her own words in the

• Readers: A person who reads the questions for the Only reading allowed for readers. No explanation or meaning of anything written on paper is allowed.

• Communicators: A person who is able to convey information to a candidate with a hearing impairment, through the use of lip-speaking, finger-spelling or sign

• Prompters: A person who is able to ensure that a candidate is paying attention to the examination. It cannot be a relative or a teacher in the school.

• Extensions of deadlines: This arrangement applies to cases of illness or accident when a candidate is genuinely prevented from completing work in time for the coordinator to submit the work to the

• Assistance with practical work: If a candidate has a physical disability, assistance will be given, for example, practical work in experimental science or geography fieldwork. It depends on the severity of the condition.

Internal Assessment :

The school’s policy is such that there is no need for extra help to be given to the student for Internal Assessments (IA). No assistance will be rendered to the candidate for any IA related matters. If there is a need for extra assistance, the school will need to seek authorization by the IBO with the necessary medical documents to be submitted.

The following are the guidelines for IA that the school will adopt:

• The IB Examiner cannot be informed of the condition/adverse circumstance of the candidate in any way
• The teacher marking the IA cannot make adjustments
• The teacher cannot provide any special assistance to be rendered to the candidate. However, the school can seek for an extension of deadline with the necessary medical documents to be

Confidentiality

All the students’ information are confidential and the access to them is restricted to the school

administration, pedagogical leadership team, mentors and class teachers.

Only after communication with the parents and their approval will these information be shared

with other teachers if that is beneficial for the student’s education.

Review cycle

All Policies in SGIS are reviewed every year. Steering Committee, which includes Head of School, Programme Coordinators,  Head of Departments, Librarians, Parent Representatives and Student Representatives, Administrators, share and discuss the progress of the policy implementation. The needs of the school and the past experiences are discussed in detail. Latest relevant IB publications and developments are taken into consideration. The schools Policies are then reviewed and  changes / modifications are proposed. These changes and
modifications are discussed with all the teachers, staff and parents (if applicable). Their inputs are taken into consideration and the policies are finalized. After the approval from the president the policy is finalized.

Communication of the inclusion policy

To all members of the school community: access to policy via website and copy of policy sent to parents/guardians of identified students.

Bibliography

 IBO. Diploma Programme: From Principles into Practice. Geneva: International Baccalaureate Organization, Apr. 2015. PDF.

IBO. Candidates with Assessment Access Requirements. Geneva: International Baccalaureate Organization, May 2009. PDF.

IBO. Learning Diversity and Inclusion in IB Programmes. Geneva: International Baccalaureate Organization, Jan. 2016. PDF.

IBO. Meeting Student Learning Diversity in the Classroom. Geneva: International Baccalaureate Organization, May 2013. PDF.

IBO. “The IB Guide to Inclusive Education: A Resource for Whole School Development.” The IB Guide to Inclusive Education: A Resource for Whole School Development. N. p., n.d. Web. 11 Jan. 2017