Creating an Inclusive Classroom for ASD Pupils: Readiness of special educators in the Primary School

Abstract

To attain Sustainable Development Goals, it is important to ensure education for all (SDG4). In India, 1 in 500 or 0.20% or more than 2, 160, 000 people have autism. Inclusion of ASD children in normal classroom is the need of the hour. Assistance of the special educator and a trained teacher facilitates the students with ASD in knowledge transmission. Therefore, the availability of the special educators signifies the quality of inclusion in general classroom. To examine the availability of special educators in normal classroom, the researcher conducted the research. Data from the schools were collected by purposive sampling method. Scheduled interview and survey methods were observed as tool for collecting data.30 Students, 20 teachers and parents of 30 autistic children of three private and Four Government schools of Kolkata were selected for the study. The findings of the descriptive research show that 2% students have ASD at primary level and only 36% trained teachers are available at primary level in general classroom. It is surprising to know that no special educator (0%) is available to cater the service to the students with special needs, especially to ASD pupil at primary level. 40% parents of autistic children reported that they received support from special educators from rehabilitation centre referred by school. The finding shows that inclusion of special educators in general classroom is still not in practice which makes difficult to ensure ‘education for all’ with special reference to NEP 2020.