Kath Botham 2010

Increasing diversity entering higher education - greater proportions of:

• disabled students• mature students • international students• non traditional entry etc.• Ethnic mix/culture

Allied with pressure on HEI’s • to fulfil student entitlement:• ensure that all students experience success and achieve their full

potential.

→ call for the adaptation of our teaching, learning, curriculum and assessment methods

“an inclusive curriculum approach will provide a positive and pro active response

to a diverse student profile and will focus on challenging exclusion”

(University of Wales).

'Inclusive teaching means recognising, accommodating and meeting the learning needs of all your students. It means acknowledging

that your students have a range of individual learning needs and are members of diverse communities: a student with a disabling

medical condition may also have English as an additional language and be a single parent. Inclusive teaching avoids pigeonholing

students into specific groups with predictable and fixed approaches to learning.' (Open University)

Tempting to consider the areas that are covered by legislation, such as: 'race'; disability; sexual orientation; religion or belief; age and gender identity.

Students have multiple identities and all students have aspects of their personal lives that will impact upon the classroom context. Eg:

• acting as a carer for a relative or partner, • having to work extra hours to earn additional money• Being a parent

Inclusive curriculum not just groups of students who are covered by legislation – much wider.

'good practice for disabled students is good practice for all',• addressing the entitlements of disabled students with a range of impairments it

may also benefit the wider student community.

Inclusive teaching takes a coherent approach which is anticipatory and proactive

Institutional strategy / Identify & challenge deep seated or historical prejudices.

Inclusive teaching is good teaching.

Review content, structure and materials of programmes to ensure inclusivity: match provision to student needs

Reassess the material you use in your teaching and the way in which it is delivered and assessed.

Place learners in the best possible learning for their needs, whatever those needs may be.

Several strategies may be required to ensure that the specific needs of an individual are met - this may become complex and is a growing challenge for providers who have to cater to an increasingly diverse population of learners.

In curriculum http://www.incurriculum.org.uk/main/the-project/what-is-an-inclusive-curriculum

HEA : Guide to inclusion http://www.psychology.heacademy.ac.uk/networks/sig/

Inclusive Teaching (Open University) http://www.open.ac.uk/inclusiveteaching/pages/inclusive-teaching/index.php