DifferenceBetween.com

For Clear, Concise, and Complete Comparisons

Home / Education / Difference Between Inclusion and Integration

Difference Between Inclusion and Integration

December 8, 2015 Posted by Nedha

Key Difference – Inclusion vs Integration
 

You may have heard of the two terms inclusion and integration being used in the education system concerning the classroom.  What exactly do we mean by inclusion and integration? Are these interchangeable or do they differ from one another? These are some of the myriads of questions that we face as we hear the two terms being used in educational discourses. First let us define these words. Inclusion is the process of educating children in such a way so that it benefits all students and entails a clear participation. Integration is the process in which students with special needs are absorbed into the mainstream education. The key difference between inclusion and integration is that, in integration, the special need child is absorbed into the mainstream education but, in inclusion, this does not take place.

What is Inclusion?

Inclusion is the process of educating children in such a way so that it benefits all students and entails a clear participation as well. Hence, it focuses not only on students with special needs but others as well. This is why the inclusive approach is considered as ‘education for all’. In this approach, the students are not encouraged to fit into the mainstream education. On the contrary, the school changes to accommodate the needs of all. It accepts the diversity of students and use different techniques to benefit every student. Now in the modern education system, inclusion is considered as the best option as it discards labels and barriers that hold back students and encourage full participation.

Difference Between Inclusion and Integration

What is Integration?

Integration is the process in which students with special needs are absorbed into the mainstream education. In this approach to education, the emphasis is on fitting into the mainstream education. Although the approach aims at catering to the needs of the students with special needs, this can increase labeling of students due to pre-existing structures and attitudes. This can hinder the development of the child’s education.

In integration, different techniques, services and adaptation methods are used. Mostly these are very formal structures that aim to assist the student to adapt or fit into the mainstream education. As you can see, integration is very much different from inclusion. Now in the education discourse, experts believe that the benefits of inclusion in education are much greater in comparison to integration in education.

Key Difference - Inclusion vs Integration

What is the difference between Inclusion and Integration?

Definitions of Inclusion and Integration:

Inclusion: Inclusion is the process of educating children in such a way so that it benefits all students and entails a clear participation.

Integration: Integration is the process in which students with special needs are absorbed into the mainstream education.

Characteristics of Inclusion and Integration:

Mainstream Education:

Inclusion: In inclusion, the focus is not on fitting into the mainstream education, but improving participation of all students.

Integration: Through an integrated approach, the students with special needs have to fit into mainstream education.

Focus:

Inclusion: Inclusion focuses on all students.

Integration: Integration focuses on students with special needs.

Change:

Inclusion: To accommodate student needs the school undergoes change.

Integration: The accommodate the child the subject is changed.

 

Image Courtesy:

1. “Schoolgirls in Bamozai” by Capt. John Severns, U.S. Air Force – Own work. [Public Domain] via Commons

2. “Harmony Day (5475651018)” by DIAC images – Harmony DayUploaded by russavia. [CC BY 2.0] via Commons

Related posts:

Difference Between Mainstreaming and Inclusion Difference Between Information and KnowledgeDifference Between Information and Knowledge Difference Between Preschool and KindergartenDifference Between Preschool and Kindergarten Difference Between Government and Private SchoolDifference Between Government and Private School Difference Between Hypothesis and Assumption

Filed Under: Education Tagged With: in education, Inclusion, Inclusion and Integration compare, Inclusion definition, Inclusion vs Integration, integration, Integration definition, Integration in education

About the Author: Nedha

Comments

  1. Johnpeter MULIMANYI says

    September 19, 2017 at 8:07 am

    Very useful differenciation between inclusion and integration in education. How to cite from the article?

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Request Article

Featured Posts

Difference Between Functional and Non Functional Requirements

Difference Between Functional and Non Functional Requirements

Difference Between HPLC and HPTLC

Difference Between HPLC and HPTLC

Difference Between Allogamy and Xenogamy

Difference Between Allogamy and Xenogamy

You May Like

Difference Between HTC Rezound and HTC Vivid

Difference Between Metabolism and Anabolism

Difference Between LG Optimus L5 II and L7 II

Difference Between ibeats and Tour

Difference Between Animism and Animatism

Difference Between Animism and Animatism

Latest Posts

  • Difference Between Nematodes and Cestodes
  • Difference Between Chasmogamous and Cleistogamous
  • Difference Between UV and Visible Spectrophotometer
  • Difference Between Acetic Acid and Acetate
  • Difference Between Kd and Km
  • Difference Between Joomla and WordPress
  • Home
  • Vacancies
  • About
  • Request Article
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2010-2018 Difference Between. All rights reserved. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy: Legal.