Education (Special and Inclusive Education) Bangalore, India

Two year part-time study. Attendance is taught through intensive six day blocks of time followed by one day support sessions in Bangalore and will also receive on-line support direct from The University of Northampton.

The course is suitable for teachers working in an Indian context who wish to further their understanding and skills in relation to teaching and supporting children with special educational needs and learning difficulties. It will be taught by experienced tutors from the UK who have experience of working in an Indian context alongside local Indian tutors who are experienced in addressing a range of special educational needs.

The course will provide participants with opportunities to enhance their practice by reflecting on their own personal and professional experiences and developing further skills, knowledge and understanding in relation to issues surrounding the education of pupils with a wide range of special educational needs.

The MA comprises a series of inter-related modules that draw upon international research and practice in respect of the education of children and young people with special educational needs. Each module will provide a theoretical overview of issues and will consider these through the provision of practical examples of how they may be addressed in typical Indian classrooms. Whilst drawing upon international literature and research, the course provides an opportunity to see how these can be interpreted and applied within a specific Indian context.

The modules are assessed through a series of procedures designed to enhance participants' academic interpretation of key issues whilst also applying innovation and practical solutions to commonly confronted classroom issues.

To complete the MA in Education all participants will be required to complete the following modules and the associated assessment procedures.

1. Promoting Inclusive Practice

This module examines international responses to the provision of education to pupils with a broad range of special educational needs and learning difficulties. During the module we will consider the conditions required to include pupils in schools, the development of effective teaching to address special educational needs, models of curriculum and assessment, planning for individual needs, developing supportive classroom environments and the ways in which we can engage effectively with families and communities. Examples will be drawn from practice internationally and in Indian schools.

2. Key Concepts in Inclusion and Diversity

This module will build upon the broad knowledge developed in Promoting Inclusive Practice and will enable course participants to develop specific skills and resources for working with pupils with special educational needs in Indian classrooms. Time will be devoted to developing skills in the construction and management of individual learning plans, the structuring of curriculum materials, classroom management procedures, the deployment of assessment techniques and the development and implementation of policy.

3. Perspectives of Behavioural, Emotional and Social Development

Throughout the world increasing concerns are being expressed with regards to the numbers of children who exhibit difficult behaviours. This module will critically evaluate approaches to understanding and managing behaviour in schools. Time will be given to understanding causal factors associated with emotional and behavioural difficulties and course participants will develop their ideas and understanding in relation to behaviour and its impact on learning in Indian classrooms. Course participants will be encouraged to develop management skills in relation to behaviour and will examine assessment and planning procedures for pupils with diverse needs.

4. Research Methods in Children's Services

This module will be used to prepare participants for undertaking a small scale empirical study to be reported through a dissertation. Participants will develop data collection and analysis skills and will be assisted to develop a research proposal for the final part of their studies - the dissertation. The module will contextualise the conducting of research in relation to working with children with special educational needs in India.

5. The dissertation

Course participants will be supported in conducting a small scale research study in the area of special and inclusive education in Indian schools. This dissertation will provide participants with an opportunity to explore in depth one aspect of their work with children and to produce a research report that will have practical and theoretical value to their work situation.

Course tutors

This course will be led by Professor Richard Rose from The University of Northampton. He is an experienced teacher and researcher who began his career as a teacher in English schools. He is widely published in the area of special and inclusive education. He has worked closely with colleagues in India for the past twelve years delivering training and professional development for teachers and parents alongside colleagues from Indian schools and NGOs. In addition he has worked with teachers in several other Asian countries including China, Singapore, Malaysia, Armenia and Hong Kong.

Other tutors teaching on the course will include Jayashree Amarnath Rajanahally who is an experienced teacher working with the Brindavan Education Trust in Bangalore. Jayashree has taught on many training courses and has delivered professional sessions at the University of Mysore and has worked closely on projects with Professor Rose for the past ten years. Professor John Visser from The University Northampton who is a leading expert in the field of social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and was previously tutor at the University of Birmingham. John has worked internationally for many years and his work has been published in a wide range of books and academic journals. Dr Johnson Jament has taught in a number of schools in Kerala and England, and has also worked as a post doctoral research assistant in the UK where he completed his PhD into attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in schools in South India.

There are no examinations. The course has a mixture of assessments involving essays, portfolios, presentations and small-scale research projects. Participants will complete a final project/dissertation on a topic negotiated with a tutor for the MA Education.

The MA Education has provided a platform for promotion to leadership positions in schools and other educational establishments for many of our former students. Students completing the course are provided with these skills knowledge and understanding that will enable them to play significant roles in the education of children with a range of special educational needs. Many students from India have completed studies for the MA Education by studying at The University of Northampton in England and now hold key posts in education in India.