Inclusion

Our Own Indian School promotes inclusion by welcoming all children. School has come up with an effective model of inclusive education which not only benefit students with difficulties, but also create an environment in which every student, including those who do not have difficulty, has the opportunity to flourish.

Using individual need-based educational techniques, strategies, tools and accommodations CONNEXION Department help students of determination to overcome learning challenges as a detour rather than a road-block.

The School provides, a plethora of opportunities for students with determination as we believe “Embrace, Engage, Empower”

Our aim is to educate and empower students of Determination and provide them high quality education.

Objectives:

• To help children Academically, Socially, and Emotionally.
• To improve learning opportunities and raise the achievements of students of Determination.
• To provide facilitators and students with strategies and activities with instructional support tools that foster academic competence.
• To identify, intervene and provide appropriate provisions to students.
• To formulate the Individual Education Plan (IEP) and initiate the remediation process to bridge the learning gap.
• To support the students and promote inclusion, reduce the gap and enable all students to reach their full potential.
• To provide a differentiated curriculum appropriate to individual needs and ability and wherever possible to meet those needs in the mainstream classroom.
• To work co-operatively with parents in order to help understand the child’s need and the learning process.

Entry-Assessment and Admission Procedures

The school has an entry assessment process for students of determination and focus on identifying strengths and challenges to learning as well as the strategies that will contribute to the student’s success.

The function of the entry assessment process for students of determination is to inform the school’s provision planning and enable them to be enrolled in the school. It is not a ‘pass or fail’ process or a ‘hurdle’ that a student must overcome to be admitted to the school.

In exceptional circumstances, where the school denies a student of determination admission, the criteria and rationale for the decision will be clearly described through the completion of KHDA’s non-admission notification procedure for students of determination.

GEMS Our Own Indian School Practice

1. The method and tools used for the entry assessment process are age-appropriate and reflect the student’s stage of development.
2. Information arising from the entry assessment process informs school-based provision planning processes in preparation for the admission of students of determination.
3. The completion of a medical assessment or a medical diagnosis is not identified as a condition for the student’s participation in the entry assessment process or for enrollment into the school.
4. Priority admission is provided for a student of determination with a sibling already on roll in the school.
5. When a school denies a student of determination enrollment or re-enrollment, the KHDA’s non-admission notification procedure is followed. This takes place whether the student is identified as a student of determination prior to the application or is identified as a result of the entry assessment procedure.

Students of Determination

A student of determination is a student with a long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment which, in interaction with various barriers, restricts the student’s full and effective participation in education on an equal basis with peers of the same age. Students of determination are identified through one or both of the procedures listed below:

• Through the work of a specialist and/or a knowledgeable school team, as displaying almost all of the characteristics of a particular category of impairment, delay or disorder
• Formally diagnosed by a qualified and licensed medical professional as having a long term difficulty, impairment or disorder.

Learning opportunities for students of determination will be restricted if they are exposed to attitudinal, social and environmental barriers. Schools have a duty to take action to reduce or remove these barriers to ensure that all students of determination can access education on an equitable basis with their mainstream peers.

Categories of disability and barriers to learning

The following framework is based upon the UAE unified categorisation of disability. It provides schools with an important structure to support the identification of students of determination.

Key Staff

• SEND Head/Counsellor
• Special Educators
• SEND Coordinators
• Learning Support Assistance
• Parent Volunteers

Click here to view the Dr. C.B. Binu's profile.

Inclusion Support Team

Inclusion Development Team

• Parent
• Student
• Teacher
• Leader of provision for students of determination
• Other professionals

Identification

Student with a long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment which, in interaction with various barriers, restricts the student’s full and effective participation in education on an equal basis with peers of the same age, are referred to the department by parents/teachers/supervisors. The inclusion team follows the series of procedures to assess the barriers that restricts the student’s full potential.

Support

1. The CONNEXION Team along with the Teacher, Student and Parent formulate an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)/ Individualized Behavioral Plan (IBP) Individualized Accommodation Plan (IAP) for reducing barriers that restricts the student’s full and effective participation in education on an equal basis with peers of the same age.  The Team provides guidance for the student to overcome the barriers by providing strategies and activities to support holistic development. The students’ overall performance are reviewed at the end of the each term to determine the progress by the Inclusion Development Team.
2. Remedial program is initiated keeping the (IEP/IBP/IAP) in focus. Sessions are held as per the requirement of the students’ in the CONEXXION department. The focus is on adopting a child-centered approach, which provides individualized learning and teaching programs based on the assessed needs and strengths of each child. Apart from catering to the academic skills the remedial program also fosters the development of appropriate social skills, communication skills, emotional skills, motor skills and etc. When the students’ overcomes their barriers they are gradually mainstreamed and they are OIS Rising Stars.
3. Provision - The students’ are received provisions from CBSE and KHDA. These provisions are given after formal diagnosis and procedure from CBSE and KHDA. They are extend timing in examinations, exemption from additional language, scribe, oral exams, modification of syllabus & examination (grade 5-7), computer and calculator for examination.
4. Provision for an Alternative Pathway - ASDAN (Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network) is an initiative by the British education and awarding organization that help young people develop life skills. It is an alternative pathway that helps learners develop a wide range of skills and abilities that provide meaningful outcomes and prepare them for holistic adult life. ASDAN qualifications can contribute towards school/college performance measures. ASDAN short courses are flexible, portfolio based programs designed to accredit up to 60 hours of activity and skills across a range of topics and curriculum areas.
   
   GEMS Our Own Indian School has registered as an ASDAN Centre for short courses and we would like your ward to benefit from this opportunity.
   
   The flexibility of ASDAN's Short Courses means they can be undertaken in a variety of settings, over a time period to suit the individual or coordinating centre. Challenge descriptions can be interpreted and adapted to meet the learners' needs.
5. Joint Working with External Agencies - The school is providing an enhanced level of provision through an individualized service agreement with professionals such as Therapist or specialist who are licensed to deliver such programs.
6. Coffee Mornings - In an academic year we meet with parents frequently to discuss their child’s progress, after every term coffee mornings are arranged to discuss the IEPs, and also organize parent meetings to: 

• Discuss alternative pathways that helps learners develop a wide range of skills and abilities that provide meaningful outcomes and prepare them for holistic adult life.
• Discuss their participation in extracurricular activities that the children excel in.

Follow up

We value the support of parents and work in partnership with them at all stages of intervention. A regular feedback of student’s progress or changes in intervention is intimated to the parents placed in the CONNEXION Department. Parental counseling is also an integral ongoing component, which looks at consultation, sensitization and providing updates.