Background

This inclusive approach is a challenge for teachers, schools, zonal and provincial educational authorities to re-examine traditional beliefs and practices to determine to reach the goal of EFA. There is a high demand for further education in the field of Inclusive Education (IE) and available opportunities are also very limited. Therefore, this is an urgent need for teachers to be trained to successfully teach these children in the regular classroom. Taking these factors into consideration, the Department of Special Needs Education has identified the need for the development of a ‘Diploma in Inclusive Education”.

The programme for the Diploma will offer the required knowledge, skills and teaching strategies for teachers to teach primary and secondary level school children in inclusive classrooms. Some students with special needs often experience significant difficulties coping with academic content due to sensory impairments and other special needs in reading, comprehension, writing, mathematics skills, and vocabulary learning skills and also in daily living skills. After completing this programme teachers will develop their knowledge, skills and strategies to help these children address their difficulties and be educated.

Target Groups

• Those who possess G. C. E. (A/L) or equivalent qualifications and intend pursuing a career in the areas of Special Needs Education.

• Teachers in service who possess either the Diploma in Teaching from the National Colleges of Education or Trained Teachers’ Certificate and wish to upgrade their qualifications in the areas of  Inclusive Education.
  

Medium of Instruction

English, Sinhala and Tamil

Objective of the Programme

The overall objective of this programme is to facilitate the teachers and other personals who are involved or will be involved in the future in the field of inclusive education to gain relevant competencies to be an effective teacher in an inclusive school

Specific Objectives

This Diploma programme will enable the students to:

•  perform effectively as teachers in the field of Inclusive Education,  and improve the quality of special needs education in Sri Lanka.
• enhance their professional skills to facilitate the successful learning of all children in inclusive education.
• augment their skills to collaborate with parents of children in inclusive education.
• develop an understanding of the children with special educational needs in regular classrooms.
•  develop a practical understand and demonstrate a proficiency in creating and implementing teaching approaches designed to accommodate the individual needs of all students, both disabled and non-disabled.
• apply action research in their class room to improve the learning ability of selected special needs students.

Entry Qualifications

Any one of the following qualifications is required to gain admission to this programme of study:

1. At least three passes at the GCE (A/L) examination
2. Minimum of 3 credits in courses offered at any foundation levels 1 and 2 (offered by OUSL)
3. Diploma in Teaching offered by the National Colleges of Education 04 Trained Teachers’ Certificate awarded by the Govt. Teachers’ Colleges Duration of the programme: Two years

Year 1 (Level 3)

Compulsory Continuing Education courses for the candidates who have registered only with GCE. A/L qualifications

Compulsory course for exemption category 2 & 3

Each student is expected to initiate a project study in an Inclusive School where he/she would select for teaching practice. Identify one problematic situation and implement the best solution for it. Instruction will be given in a day school.

Continuing Education Course