ABSTRACT
Inclusive development among children is the welcome trend of the past three decades worldwide. In India, the Right to Education Act (2009) made education a fundamental Right that gave a boost to include children in regular schools who are otherwise marginalised. The linked efforts towards teacher preparation to face the challenge of ‘appropriate’ education and to meet the diverse learning needs of children, ensuring barrier free and accessible schools were focus areas of the government. Centrally sponsored and implemented at state levels, the scheme of ‘Education for All’ made a visible change in inclusive education at elementary and secondary levels in schools by increasing enrolment, and retention of students with special educational needs. However, considering that children with certain disabling conditions such as profound intellectual disabilities and certain combination of multiple disabilities learnt better in smaller class groups with one-to-one attention, special schools too are maintained with government supports. Often times, choice of school is special school by the parents as they feel that their children are safer and learn better with individualised attention. The special schools prepare students for inclusion in the larger society as they grow up and the skills taught are focused on ‘inclusion'.
