This course aims to promote an understanding of the key principles and topics of inclusive and Additional Support Needs (ASN) education both in national and international contexts. It examines educational inclusion from three interlinked perspectives: conceptual, governmental and pedagogical. This course enables students to develop their personal and professional understanding and attitudes on theoretical foundations, values and issues related to inclusion and ASN.

3 hours per week: one x 2-hour lecture and one x 1-hour seminar

None

None

Group video presentations (25%) (LO1, LO2, LO3 & LO4) - each group (of 5 students) will prepare a presentation on educational inclusion based on a provided case study. The purpose is to identify and explain the difficulties facing the child and identify and justify ways in which the teacher might support and include the child.

Presentation date: end of term (exact date to be agreed with students)

Written assignment (35%) (LO1, LO2 & LO3) - based on the placement experiences, students will be asked to have a conversation with an individual working in the field of inclusion and student support. Based on this discussion the student will reflect on their practice and link the information gained to critical policy and practice discussed throughout the course (2000 words +/-10%).

Submission date: end of term (exact date to be agreed with students)

Written Examination (40%) (LO1, LO2 & LO3) - End of term exam diet

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. Where, exceptionally, reassessment on Honours courses is required to satisfy professional/accreditation requirements, only the overall course grade achieved at the first attempt will contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

The overall aims of this course are:

- to introduce students to the main theoretical debates in the context of inclusive education;

- to develop students' awareness of national and international policy and legislation which influence progress towards educational inclusion;

- to develop students' awareness of various developmental difficulties that are most frequently observed within the classroom

- to introduce students to research and evidence-based practices concerning various developmental difficulties

- to equip students with the skills necessary to examine a range of learning and teaching strategies that promote effective learning for all.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

LO1 -demonstrate a critical understanding of the theories of educational inclusion

LO2 - apply this theoretical knowledge to analyse policy and legislation both in national and international contexts;

LO3- demonstrate a critical understanding of the theories surrounding individual differences and developmental difficulties

LO4- reflect critically on the current practice and provision in a school and classroom environment to identify strategies for improvement leasing to more inclusive practice 

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.