IDS 400: Milestone One Critical Analysis of Diversity in Education

This report critically analyzes the concept of diversity in education, advocating for the inclusion of students with disabilities in mainstream classrooms. It highlights the historical context of special education and the importance of viewing students as "differently abled" rather than "disabled." The report connects the issue to historical and humanities lenses, citing examples like Alexander Graham Bell and Helen Keller to emphasize the benefits of integrated learning environments. It argues that inclusive education improves academic achievement, social skills, and promotes respect among diverse student populations. The analysis references key sources to support the arguments for inclusive practices and challenges societal norms that lead to discrimination. The assignment emphasizes the need to create an environment where all students feel included and have the opportunity to learn and grow.

Running head: DIVERSITY
DIVERSITY
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1DIVERSITY
Introduction
Society should be constructed in such a way where all students feels included. Every
child is equal before the society, and they have the ability to learn things, though the rate of
their learning process may differ from student to student. Therefore, it is the duty of us, the
society, to create an environment where the best possible learning process could be provided.
Our society is diverse in nature where every people is unique in their own way and there are
people with different abilities too. But this also leads to discrimination in the society, that is,
an individual with disability is often distinguished from the so called “normal persons”.
People who are not normal according to the standards of the society are described as
“deviant”. That is why, many people suggest that disabled students should be made to study
with the non- disabled students in the same class rather than prescribing them to a different
school. But one should figure out how to provide the best education for students, specially the
disabled ones. This is indeed a difficult task because what may seem best for one child may
not be best for the other. The term “disabled students” should be replaced because it is
creating a negative impact on the society, rather they should be termed as “differently abled
students” or “special students”. This process of inclusion brings the special student to all
those facilities which are enjoyed by the regular class students. It advocates the benefits of
being in the class environment and also the benefits of studying with peer groups. Proponents
of this inclusive study suggests that special students who are being mainstreamed will receive
education from regular classes as well as from resource rooms where they can get individual
attention and care from teachers. Thus, by including disabled students into mainstream
education, improves their academic achievement, their personality and social skills (Connor,
2013).

2DIVERSITY
Connection to Lenses
The focus to include special students in the mainstream education can be perceived
from two main lenses: historical and humanities. The institution for special education began
at the end of 1800s. Alexander Graham Bell said that deaf, blind should be provided
education in public schools with other students so that they can associate with each other.
Another historian during 1800s, Hellen Keller, was blind and deaf before her grade school
but she went to schools with other students. Her teacher, Anne Sullivan also supported her.
Hellen was able to learn to work and communicate with others through this process of
inclusion. Humanities, on the other hand introduces us to different kind of people and accept
them the way they are. It also helps us to face the challenges collectively and connects us to
diversity. The Humanities provides a structure by which we identify discrimination and an
individual’s cultural and social background. It recommends that while studying together,
students belonging to different gender, class, caste, race or students with special ability works
unitedly and starts to respect each other. They can understand that students with disability are
no different than them and treats them equally. They also acquire knowledge that the concept
of disability is not only related to medical profession but involves to value others and their
minds (Riddell & Weedon, 2014).

3DIVERSITY
References
Connor, D. J. (2013). Social justice in education for students with disabilities. The SAGE
Handbook of Special Education: Two Volume Set, 1, 111.
Riddell, S., & Weedon, E. (2014). Disabled students in higher education: Discourses of
disability and the negotiation of identity. International Journal of Educational
Research, 63, 38-46.