Tips For Teachers, The Right Way To Teach Inclusion For Crew Students

Illustration Of Children With Special Needs (Photo: Pexels)

JAKARTA - Data from the Ministry of Education and Research and Technology as of August 2021 shows that the number of students on the Extraordinary and Inclusive School (SLB) route is 269,398 children. With this data, the percentage of children with disabilities who studied new formal education was 12.26%.

This means that there are still very few children with disabilities or children with special needs (ABK) in Indonesia who should get access to inclusive education, even though from year to year the number continues to increase.

ABK also has the same rights of education services as children in general. In inclusion education, there are various challenges that become obstacles in its implementation. One of them is the lack of skills and understanding of educators in dealing with crew members, while teachers or educators are an important element in education.

Likewise with the role of parents, the involvement of parents in children's education is a driving and determining factor in the development of inclusive education. Starting from decision making regarding school placement, to collaboration between schools and parents who have special needs.

Based on this, KGSB (Sharing Satkaara Teacher Community) and RGBK held a Webinar Conseling for Families and Children with Special Needs', Saturday, March 4, 2023. By presenting lecturers at the Department of Psychology lecturer Universitas Brawijaya, Unita Werdi Rahajeng, S.Psi., M.Psi. Psychologists and Founders of BK Teacher's House and Widyaiswara West Java Province Mobilizing Teacher Center at the Ministry of Education and Culture, Research and Technology RI, Anati, M.Pd. CEP, CHt.

This webinar activity was attended by hundreds of teachers from the PAUD to Higher Education levels in Indonesia and Timor Leste and parents of students who have crew members. One of the main discussions about 'Recognizing Students of Children with Special Needs and Practice Good Teaching Inclusion.'

"KGSB seeks to facilitate educators and parents in improving understanding related to crew members. The positive role of parents affects the implementation of inclusion schools. In addition to children with special needs, families of children with special needs also need the right counseling assistance so that they can support their children optimally," said KGSB Founder, Ruth Andriani.

"Hopefully this webinar can inspire educators and parents to be able to apply inclusion teaching for students with the right method. Because counseling services for crew members aim to ensure optimal adjustments and developments according to their abilities, talents, and values. Given that each child has its own advantages and uniqueness," Ruth said when contacted Wednesday, March 8.

The founder of the BK Teacher's House, Ana Susanti M.Pd. CEP, CHt explained in his presentation that inclusive educational services are a new paradigm that demands that the system in schools be adjusted to the conditions and needs of students' learning. However, one of the obstacles for regular schools that have just organized inclusive education is to identify or introduce crew members in their schools.

Introducing crew members is a way to find out a child's abnormality or deviation such as physical, intellectual, social, emotional, and or neurological sensory disorders by comparing the growth and development of children his age.

This can be started from simple recognizing the differences in ABK's growth and development with children who are like toddlers without crawling, poor emotional control often tantrums and obstacles in recognizing letters, objects and numbers.

After the crew is recognized in a simple way, it can be continued with an assessment carried out by professionals such as doctors, psychologists, neurologs, orthopedagog, therapists and others. One of the assessments that can be applied is an assessment that explores the potential of the crew.

From the results of identifying the crew, we were able to create data to collect important information. This is very much needed to be able to recognize the potential of each crew member, so that we can determine the right teaching method. Not only teachers, I also hope that we can become empowered parents who realize our child's condition without having to be ashamed of his condition. Because in fact every child is special, "explained Ana.

The challenge that is often faced by crew members and their families is that there are often wrong views about crew members and myths that surround crew members. This happens because of the lack of literacy and public awareness about disabilities. This condition is exacerbated by the treatment of discrimination against crew members by not providing proper opportunities and fair treatment.

"The needs of crew members can be met if they are supported by accessibility and accommodation. Accessibility so that they get the opportunity and support gain equal rights to other citizens, such as Universal Design Learning (UDL). Accommodation for crew members to be able to enjoy equal opportunities even in different ways, for example, there must be an explanation in sign language so that Deaf can understand the material submitted at school," said University of Brawijaya Department of Psychology lecturer, Unita Werdi Rahajeng, S.Psi., M.Psi. Psychologist.

Schools can become family partners in the care of crew members, advocate their rights and make crew members and their families empowered. The need for collaboration from all parties to jointly be able to provide equal education services for crew members. I hope teachers can be pioneers to initiate the formation of Disability Service Units in each school," added Unita when delivering a presentation at the Webinar Counseling for Families and crew members.