How the Metaverse will Enable Inclusivity in Education

It has been observed that disabilities and special needs children face the biggest barriers to education. Inclusive education will enable all kids to access fair education and develop life and professional skills.

– UNICEF cites that around 240 mn children are enduring some form of disability.

– UNICEF says that if these children can avail themselves of appropriate education, they can realize their potential to lead fulfilling lives.

In this post, we take a deeper look into inclusivity in education and how the education metaverse can offer solutions to address the concerns.

What is Inclusivity in Education?

Inclusive education means that all students attend and are welcomed by their neighborhood schools in age-appropriate, regular classes and are supported to learn, contribute and participate in all aspects of the life of the school.

Inclusive education offers every child, irrespective of special needs, the opportunity to study in regular classes and be involved in all academic and extracurricular activities. It takes into aspects school infrastructure, building designs, washroom accessibility, etc.

Inclusive education considers that the mindset and pedagogies revolve around making every learner welcome. Educational delivery is more student-focused and allows every learner to self-pace without being segregated or judged.

All learners, irrespective of special needs, have access to quality education in a positive learning environment.

Common Learning Environments

Inclusivity in Education revolves around the tenets of responsible, responsive and supportive education for all children. A common learning environment is a space where children with varying needs and different backgrounds can converge to learn together. The focus is on learning and involving everyone in the process of learning in a positive and uplifting environment.

The basic principles of common learning environments include

– Every student is treated equally and given equal access to learning irrespective of ability and capability.

– The goal should be to offer a healthy environment and foster a sense of ownership and belonging

– Motivate students to achieve learning goals

– Responds to individual learning needs

Ways to Implement Inclusive Learning

Collaboration

The activities assigned should encourage participation from all students. They should be structured to form teams and work on projects and activities.

Teacher Training

Teachers should be upskilled and provided with the resources to help implement a common learning environment in the best way possible.

Curriculum Diversity

Teachers can adapt content and modes to suit the pace of the class. Different formats such as text, audio and video can be implemented to match every learner’s requirements.

Learning Aids

Learning aids such as calculators can be provided on a need basis to struggling students to help them overcome initial concerns. To demonstrate specific concepts, the use of models or diagrams can be used for better comprehension.

How Can the Metaverse Enable Inclusivity

The metaverse is a virtual 3D space that enables interactions as in the real world. The advantage is that it offers immersive real-world experiences but does away with the need to travel anywhere. Users can access it from anywhere with their internet devices or head-mounted displays.

A virtual first policy has several advantages for all kinds of learners. It allows learners of all kinds and needs to access and avail of the same classroom experience from anywhere in the world. Learners who are affected by disability and may require a wheelchair for mobility now need not worry about building design accessibility. The metaverse will allow them equal opportunity and allow them to develop and build academic and professional skills. They can be engaged and more productive members of society with access to education.

Within virtual learning spaces, the boundaries of location, gender, physical features and disabilities or special needs do not matter. Their aptitude, ideas and keenness to learn are more important. A virtual learning environment will not differentiate and is open to all. The metaverse will encourage inclusivity in education via these inclusive spaces.

VR Labs are known to offer immersive learning environments that are impacting the education sector positively. In VR-enabled metaverse learning spaces, students can experiment in safe zones. The approach becomes student-focused, and students can learn at their own pace. They can revisit concepts as many times and interact with teachers if required. This allows them to tap into their strengths and become more self-reliant and confident. Students with special needs face many issues related to time management as well. All these can be resolved with metaverse learning spaces as they can set the pace based on their requirements.

Conclusion

To wrap up, the metaverse is being hailed for its potential to democratise education. However, inclusivity in education should be considered from the outset. Learners with special needs should be empowered through safe spaces, self-paced and byte-sized learning, system requirements, and appropriate control interfaces.

Edverse is a leading education metaverse solutions provider offering metaverse learning solutions.