Chapter 8: Inclusivity or Exclusivity: An Educational Leadership Perspective

In the 1990s, the Government of Barbados through the White Paper on Education Reform (1995), with the theme “Each One Matters,” signalled its intention to pursue a policy of inclusion or mainstreaming. The policy, grounded in the principle of the least restrictive educational environment—consistent with the 1975 authorization of the law that in 2004 became known in the United States as the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)—sought to promote the integration of those students who were mentally and physically challenged. To this end, Special Education was legally defined as education suitable to the requirements of persons who were mute, deaf, blind or otherwise physically or psychologically disabled or intellectually impaired; and included education suitable to the requirements of pupils who were gifted or had exceptional ability (White Paper on Education Reform, 1995). The intention of the Government of Barbados found expression in two inclusionary models, the pull-out programme and the full inclusion programme. In the case of the former, students identified as experiencing special education needs, spent part of their time in general education and part of their time in the resource centre engaged in small group instruction, focused on their particular needs (Browne, 2007). In the case of the latter, students with special needs remained in their classrooms all of the time. They participated either with adaptations or modifications to the curriculum (Browne, 2007). The Government of Barbados also facilitated the training of more than 105 teachers at the Masters and Bachelors level in inclusionary practices, Special Education and Educational Psychology, to the tune of two million dollars. It must be noted; however, that the Barbadian concept of inclusive education targeted four categories of students: category 1, those who were not benefiting from the delivery of education; category 2, those who were “at risk” for grade retention and dropout; category 3, mild to moderately mentally challenged students, who previously would have been removed from the general education classes and assigned to a special education unit; and category 4, students with physical and mobility challenges (Browne, 2007).