ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to explore and discuss the inclusion of students identified with ‘special educational needs’ within a mainstream setting, in the context of Singapore’s education system and landscape. Singapore’s Ministry of Education has taken multiple steps towards building a more inclusive education system. Allied Educators and Disability Support Office were introduced and deployed to the mainstream schools, along with new progression pathways added into the system. As more students identified with ‘special educational needs’ are entering the mainstream schools, there is a need for stakeholders to look beyond the physical and academic integration, onto the social inclusion of the students. An Action Research proposal on developing a student-partnered group programme at a local Institute of Higher Learning is presented in this chapter. The focus of the programme is to prepare and support the members in finding ways to put inclusion into action within the campus, and at the same time to foster a greater sense of belonging amongst the members. The author hopes that this proposal can serve as an example or a reagent to spur more fellow ground practitioners and specialists into employing Action Research to bring about more inclusive actions within their campus.
