Inclusivity in the Classroom: The Definition and Ways to Create It Using Technology

For ages, education was believed to be something complicated and challenging. Indeed, research findings reveal that nearly all students struggle academically in one way or another.
52% of learners have difficulties with completing coursework. 40% of students are struggling to attend their classes. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Apart from these challenges, there are many others. Namely, three-quarters of students also struggle with academic writing and find it hard to write an essay even on the easiest topic. Thus, they often have to look for a professional essay writing service to write papers for me just to cope with their tasks.
While all these challenges could be explained by an insufficient commitment to studying, the problem typically lies much deeper. Experts believe that a big part of the problem is the lack of inclusion in the classroom. Conventional segregated classrooms cause stigmatization and social isolation of struggling and disabled learners. However, if we promote inclusivity, this can significantly improve academic achievement, and technology gives us plenty of opportunities to make this real.

What Is an Inclusive Learning Environment?

If you look at a traditional classroom, you can clearly see that the biggest emphasis there is made on a teacher and formal instruction. Such learning environments don’t embrace differences in students and provide the same type of materials and instruction to everyone, regardless of their strengths and weaknesses. As a result, students in such classrooms struggle when they are given instruction that doesn’t match their abilities. They start reading writing services reviews and looking for professional dissertation writing services like https://dissertation-service.com/.
Or they just can’t access education in such environments. Inclusive classrooms are much different. They are more focused on the students themselves and the learning that is taking place. Such classrooms are open to all types of students, regardless of their skills, knowledge, and abilities. First of all, this means that such classrooms differentiate instruction to match the unique needs of every student. However, inclusivity works on many other levels too. Namely, it’s there to provide equal learning opportunities to disabled students, as well as students of various economic and ethnic backgrounds.

5 Ways to Create an Inclusive Classroom With Technology

Virtual Access

First of all, inclusivity means that everyone should be able to access education. This should include students who physically can’t be in the class due to any physical or mental issues. To create an inclusive environment for them, we can leverage educational technologies and provide virtual classrooms where they can study along with other students.

Anonymity

Recent surveys revealed that 72% of university students feel more confident and comfortable participating in anonymous classroom discussions. Indeed, speaking out your thoughts and opinions in front of dozens of other students can be quite intimidating, especially when the topics are difficult or a student is an introvert. Technology helps solve this problem with the help of anonymous engagement platforms. Such tools enable educators to create a more open and inclusive environment where everyone’s voice is heard and where there is no intimidation or judgment related to expressing one’s ideas and opinions.

Closed Captioning for Language and Hearing Barriers

Whether listening to an online lecture or watching a video or movie in a physical classroom, such activities might not be very inclusive to students with hearing difficulties or those who have English as their second language. These learners might not be able to gain the same benefits from watching or listening to academic materials like this. However, technology can help. Featuring closed captioning for videos, movies, lectures, and other media materials can create more accessibility and inclusivity in the classroom.

Smartboards

Numerous studies have confirmed that smartboards help to promote both inclusivity and interactivity in classrooms. First of all, this kind of technology enables educators to experiment with different teaching strategies and find approaches that match different learning styles and abilities better. On top of that, research finds that students are typically more engaged in the lesson when there is an interactive smartboard in the classroom. So this is one more opportunity to use technology for inclusivity.

Personalization

All students are different and learn differently. For example, when someone lacks writing proficiency and has to deal with plenty of essay writing, you simply can’t expect this student to do as well as the others who have better writing proficiency. Unless, of course, they always use the best research paper writing service to make up for their struggles with academic writing.
What this really means is that a classroom that allows this isn’t truly inclusive, as it doesn’t adjust the learning experience to different needs. The problem can be solved through learning personalization. According to a study by Monash University, personalized learning promotes inclusivity and improves academic achievement in all students, regardless of their background or abilities. Needless to say, technology now plays the biggest role in learning personalization, so that’s another way it can help us build an inclusive learning environment.

The Bottom Line

Inclusivity in the classroom has many perks for students. It enables equal and productive learning experiences for everyone. As a result, it allows better academic achievements regardless of any personal characteristics, abilities, or skills. And the best part is that creating such environments is easy today, thanks to technology.
By making education more personalized, accessible, and interactive, technology can help us build truly inclusive learning environments, and now you know how!