RONO HILLS, Jun 27: The 19th Biennial Conference of the International Association of Special Education (IASE), hosted in collaboration with Royal Thimphu College (RTC), Bhutan, was held at the RTC campus from June 21 to 26, witnessing two professors from Arunachal Pradesh presenting their papers.
The conference, which marked the 40th anniversary of IASE, brought together academicians, practitioners, healthcare providers, social workers, clinicians, policymakers, psychologists, family members, and administrators from around the world to discuss innovations in special education for cultivating inclusive futures.
Delegates from 28 countries shared their experiences and models of inclusive education at the conference, which provided an excellent platform for academic exchange as well as cultural interaction.
Participants also gained valuable insights into Bhutan's inclusive education system, its curriculum and practices, while experiencing the country's traditional cuisine, culture, and attire.
Attending the event, Prof Anga Padu, Department of Education, Rajiv Gandhi University, delivered a presentation titled ‘Inclusive Practices at Elementary Stage in Arunachal Pradesh’.
In her presentation, Prof Padu highlighted nine inclusive practices adopted by elementary school teachers in the State. She emphasized that small yet meaningful changes in teachers’ day-to-day classroom and school practices can significantly promote inclusion and support the holistic development of all learners.
The identified inclusive practices include: assigning students the responsibility of leading the National Anthem, the daily pledge, news reading, and the Thought for the Day during the morning assembly; adopting mixed-gender seating arrangements in classrooms; directing questions openly and providing equal opportunities for all students to respond, with particular encouragement to backbenchers during and at the end of lessons; appointing class captains based on students’ leadership qualities, academic sincerity, regular attendance, and obedience rather than their socio-economic background or intelligence; organizing remedial classes and peer tutoring; engaging students in school kitchen gardening activities; encouraging them to wear traditional attire on the 15th of every month; and providing counselling on academic as well as personal issues.
Prof Padu concluded her paper by stating that these simple yet effective practices contribute to creating an inclusive learning environment that enables the full potential development of all elementary students, including those with disabilities and those from diverse socio-economic, cultural, religious, and regional backgrounds.
Dr Minu Sono, Associate Professor, Dept of Education, Binni Yanga Govt Women’s College, presented a paper titled ‘Attitude of College Teachers towards Inclusive Education in Arunachal Pradesh’.
She discussed the awareness and attitudes of college teachers towards inclusive education and identified factors contributing to their moderately positive attitudes despite their awareness. She concluded by emphasizing the need for collective efforts to strengthen positive attitudes towards inclusive education, noting that teachers play a crucial role in building an inclusive society.