REDUCING THE RISK OF BULLYING THROUGH INCLUSIVE EDUCATION PRACTICES

Abstract

This Study examines how inclusive education practices can be used to
eliminate the risk of bullying in schools by considering a qualitative research
design with a series of case studies. A heterogeneous sample of schools was
used, which consisted of interviews with teachers, administrators, and
students, classroom observations, and document analysis. The results
indicate that cooperative learning, differentiated instruction, and peer
support are inclusive education practices that can be used to bully a student
to a large extent because of the supportive and respectful school
environment. The training and continuous guidance of teachers turned out to
be crucial elements of successful implementation of these practices.
Nevertheless, other demands like scarcity of resources and trade-offs
between inclusive practices and other educational needs were also observed.
The research finds that inclusive education practices, when well carried out,
not only lower the incidences of bullying, but also help in an optimistic
school culture which is beneficial to all students. The practice implications
are that it requires thorough training of teachers, improved resource
distribution and a school wide approach to inclusivity. The research also
identifies future research areas, such as a need to conduct longitudinal
studies and to examine the particular barriers posed by under-resourced
schools to the implementation of inclusive practices.