Social Capital Theory and Inclusive Education
Inclusive education always seemed to me primarily focused on accessibility, curriculum modification, and legislative compliance. Having learned about Social Capital Theory, however, I now see the deeper social implications of inclusion, i.e., the influence of relationships and networks on educational and career attainment in the long term (Coleman, 1988).
One of the most significant to me was the way in which segregation within education throughout history has served to solidify systemic inequalities. One of the modules discussed how special education programs, as well-intentioned as they’ve been, have actually translated to social exclusion rather than proper support (Florian & Black-Hawkins, 2011). This made me reflect on the way that students with diverse needs and oppressed groups are normally marginalized out of participations within inclusive education, which limits their opportunities to bridging and linking social capital.
For instance, I have observed that in schools in general, the special education students are separated from other students physically, which results in little contact and friendship building. This segregation is reinforcing stereotypes and reducing opportunities for collaborative learning (Booth & Ainscow, 2016). The course helped me to understand that the final aim of inclusive education is not merely the provision of academic adjustments but also creating environments where all students can participate in close relationships and reap the advantages of different social interactions.
I decide to design learning spaces based on the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to enable students to engage with a variety of learning materials and learn with diverse peers, in my own practice. Also offer networking and mentorship for students who would otherwise have no access to institutional and social capital.
This course has helped me understand more profoundly how social capital affects educational success, particularly within the context of inclusive education. The theory focuses on the fact that education is not just a matter of personal achievement—it is also a matter of relationships, networks, and opportunities that students gain through their schooling contexts (Coleman, 1988).
From a social capital perspective, one’s relationships, and not the lack of them, determine educational achievement. This shows that the inclusion of the integration of students from different backgrounds makes people more understanding and increases cooperation and collaboration (Fasting & Breilid, 2023; Roldán et al., 2021). At the beginning of this course, I lacked an adequate understanding of inclusion from a social perspective. Now, I realize that integration is not only about including children with disabilities in the educational mainstream but also about creating conditions for them to succeed at the university. In my future practice, I aim to provide students with operation and interaction in an environment where they develop their patronships.
Reference
Coleman, S. (1988). Social capital in the creation of human capital. American Journal of Sociology, 94(Supplement), S95–S120.
Florian, , & Black-Hawkins, K. (2011). Exploring inclusive pedagogy. British Educational Research Journal, 37(5), 813–828.
Booth, , & Ainscow, M. (2016). The Index for Inclusion: A guide to school development by inclusive values. Index for Inclusion Network.
Ainscow, M. (2020). Promoting inclusion and equity in education: Lessons from international experiences. Prospects, 49(1–2), 11–24.Roldán, S. M., Marauri, J., Aubert, A., & Flecha, R. (2021). How inclusive interactive learning environments benefit students without special needs. Frontiers in Psychology, 12(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.661427
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