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Postgraduate Diploma in Education — Inclusive Education

Working with children with diverse learning needs in the classroom

The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 of India proposes full participation of children with diverse learning needs in the regular schooling process. 

Children with disabilities educated in regular schools outperform those educated in segregated settings. Inclusive school environment benefits all children, not just those with disabilities. This necessitates teachers in these classrooms to develop capabilities to support the requirements of all children.

The Postgraduate Diploma Programme in Inclusive Education aims to empower educators within the school system to create inclusive classroom environments that maximise the learning capabilities of all children. By nurturing the potential of teachers and other educators, this programme not only seeks to enable them to effectively address the diverse learning needs present in their classrooms but also provide them with the essential knowledge and skill sets to advance in their careers.

Who should join us?

This programme will be beneficial to all teachers in the primary and middle schools, and to educators in administrative roles such as school heads, principals, special educators, and counsellors belonging to the public and private school systems.

What does the programme offer?

The PG Diploma Programme offers school teachers with an understanding of inclusion, current policy provisions and the benefits and barriers of inclusive education in the Indian school system.

Some important features of the programme are 

  • This programme is aligned to the credit structure as defined by the National Credit Framework (NCrF) issued by UGC in April 2023 and aims to fulfil the need for professional development in the field of inclusive education. 

  • It prepares teachers with skills to identify and support diversity in the classroom.

  • There are ample opportunities where teachers are equipped with capabilities to modify the curriculum, instruction, pedagogy and assessment to support the needs of children with learning differences in regular classrooms.

  • The teachers are, through the courses of the programme, enabled with knowledge and skills to set up inclusive practices in their own contexts.

  • It provides opportunities for teachers to network with professionals from their field through the University Alumni team.

  • Participants have the flexibility of joining the PG Diploma Programme or taking one or more Certificate Programmes. If they choose only one Certificate Programme they could do so based on the calendar.

Whom do we collaborate with?

This programme has been developed in collaboration with Ummeed Child Development Centre and Spastics Society of Karnataka.

Spastics Society of Karnataka is a non-governmental organisation that has done 15 years and more of dedicated service towards conducting various pre-service and in-service teacher training programmes for inclusive education, autism spectrum disorder, learning disability, early childhood education, and cerebral palsy.

Ummeed Child Development Centre is a not-for-profit organisation with a vision of helping children with developmental disabilities reach their full potential to be included in society. In 19 years, with a transdisciplinary team of developmental pediatricians, occupational therapists, mental health professionals, autism intervention specialists, special educators, speech therapists and social workers have directly worked with over 10,000 children and their families, providing support through over 75,000 sessions.

Programme Structure

The 40 credits, 12 months PG Diploma Programme is offered in a blended mode, with online and on-campus interaction. It comprises of four Certificate Programmes (12 weeks duration, 10 credits each) covering key aspects of Inclusive Education.

Participants have the flexibility of joining the PG Diploma Programme or taking one or more Certificate Programmes

Successful completion of the four Certificate Programmes leads to award of the PG Diploma. This can be completed within a maximum period of 2 years.

  • Course 1: Inclusive Education- Introduction
  • Course 2: Inclusive Education- Policies and Principles
  • Course 3: Project-based Course
  • Course 1: Learning Differences in the Classroom
  • Course 2: Speech and Communication Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Locomotor and Intellectual Disability
  • Course 3: Project-based Course
  • Course 1: Differentiated Assessment and Individualised Education Plan (IEP)
  • Course 2: Differentiated Teaching and Learning
  • Course 3: Project-based course
  • Course 1: Leadership and School Culture
  • Course 2: Multi-tiered Support; Family and Community Engagement
  • Course 3: Project-based course

Programme Calendar (Tentative)*

Certificate ProgrammeProgramme cycleFace to face interaction*
Inclusive Education: Concept, Policies and Principles01 Feb — 30 Apr, 202411 Mar — 16 Mar, 2024 
Embracing Learning Differences in the classroom – identification and support 01 May — 31 Jul, 202408 Jul — 12 Jul, 2024 
Creating Inclusive Classrooms – pedagogy and practice 01 Aug — 31 Oct, 2024 09 Sep — 14 Sep, 2024 
Setting up Inclusive Practices01 Nov, 2024 — 31 Jan, 202509 Dec — 14 Dec, 2024 

*Above dates are indicative and may change. Dates will be re-confirmed one month in advance of each Certificate.

Programme Pedagogy

The programme will be offered in blended mode:

  1. Online — This will be conducted through lectures, group work, workshops, presentations, readings, participation in discussion forums on Learning Management Systems, audio/​video material and regular assessment.

  2. On-campus/face-to-face interaction — Each of the four Certificate Programmes of the PG Diploma Programme has a face-to-face component that involves one week of on-campus engagement, providing opportunities for sharing of learning through intensive group work and interaction with experts and practitioners from the field.

    • The on-campus components will be held at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru.

    • Registering for individual Certificate Programmes, would entail mandatory attendance in the face-to-face component for the respective certificate.

    • Registering for the entire PG Diploma Programme would entail mandatory attendance in the face-to-face component in minimum of the two Certificate Programmes. The participant will have the flexibility of choosing to attend the face-to-face session or completing an alternate portfolio for the remaining two Certificate Programmes.

Resources

Webinars

  • Supporting teachers to develop inclusive classrooms

Open to teachers, educators, principals, special educators and counsellors from public and private schools with minimum 2 years of relevant work experience. The eligibility criteria are:

  • Undergraduate in any discipline (Preferred)

  • Working knowledge of English (reading, writing, and speaking)

Faculty

All Programme faculty →

Admissions