Foundations of Special and Inclusive Education

MODULE I: UNDERSTANDING DIVERSITY

Overview

Every person is unique. As an educator, it is a must that you have full understanding of
the many ways how a certain individual differs from others in order to effectively handle learners
coming from different cultures and with different talents and behaviors. In this module, you will
gain understanding of diversity and how it contributes to progress and productivity.

At the end of this module, you should be able to:

 explain the meaning and significance of diversity;

 identify the use of Loden’s Wheel of Diversity;
 demonstrate support to diversity as a positive component of relationships, education and
organization.

LESSON 1: THE MEANING OF DIVERSITY

Diversity rooted from the uniqueness of each individual. It is from the Latin word
divertere which means to turn away, separate and oppose (Latin Dictionary n.d). It is the state
or quality of being different or varied; a variety or assortment; a point of difference; the inclusion
of people from different races, genders, religions, etc. in a group; the relations that holds
between two entities when and only when they are not identical; the property of being
numerically distinct (Collins Dictionary). According to UNESCO (2017), it is the peoples’
differences which may relate to their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, language,
culture, religion, mental and physical ability, class, and immigration status.

LESSON 2: LODEN’S DIVERSITY WHEEL

In 1990, Marilyn Loden, an American writer, and Judy Rosener, a professor at the
graduate school in the University of California, Irvine developed a framework to respond to the
flourishing divergence in America’s labor force. Their goal was to capacitate people to make
their voices heard by pointing to their diversity and its impact on their person, their rights, and
their freedom (Lou and Dean 1991). Loden and Rosener published the book “Workforce
America! Managing Diversity as a Vital Resource” (Irwin Publishing 1991) where the original
version of the Diversity Wheel model was introduced. The model was revised in 1996 to cover
additional aspects of group differences that were implied in the first model to recognize the
experiences of people who identified these aspects as most important to their personhood.

The Diversity Wheel pointed to the significance of our social characters and the ways
which people develop their identity when they are able to establish a connection with a specific
group of people. It is consist of primary or core and secondary dimensions of diversity.

 Primary or core dimensions. These are the inner circles and the stronger ones. These
are the characteristics we were born with or established by significant experiences we
had or people we interacted with. These core elements age, ethnicity, gender, physical
abilities, race, income, sexual orientation, class and spiritual beliefs.
 Secondary dimensions. These are the outer circles. These include characteristics that
are also part of our social identity, but they can change or be discarded as our life
experiences impact us. These are composed of geographical location, marital status,
religious beliefs, parental status, income, education, work experience, military
experience, first language, family status, and work and communication styles.

Both dimensions affect our experiences, viewpoints, and principles, giving us an

exclusive mind- set of the world around us, making each one of us distinct individuals.

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Work Experience
Communication
Family Status Style

Spiritual Belief

Class Gender Cognitiie

First Language
Style

Physical Abilities Characteristics

Political Beliefs
Work Style Age Ethnicity

Race Income Education

Military
Experience Sexuality
Geographic
Location

Organizational Role Leiel

Figure 1. Loden and Rosener’s Diversity Wheel

LESSON 3: ABILITY (AND DISABILITY) AS A DIMENSION OF DIVERSITY

 Ability refers to the possession of qualities required to do something; necessary skill or

competence, or power (Collins Dictionary).
 Disability is defined by the WHO as the umbrella term for impairments, activity
limitations, and participation restrictions, referring to the negative aspects of the
interaction between an individual (with a health condition) and that individual’s contextual
factors (environmental and personal factors).

Disability is not only a health issue but also an issue that affects a person’s state in life
and the environment he/ she is in.

A person’s self- identity and his/ her perspectives of the world around him/ her are
affected by both ability and disability.

The American Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) defines a person with disability as a person
who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity.
This includes people who have a record of such impairment, even if they do not currently have a
disability. It also includes individuals who do not have a disability but are regarded as having a
disability.

Disabilities may affect one’s senses or one’s mobility; they maybe static or progressive,
congenital or acquired, formal (affecting the shape of the body) or functional, visible or invisible
(Couser, 2005).

A person’s disability makes him/ her unique (individual who is, at times, shunned from
places and activities) and therefore needs to be:

 acknowledged as part of the spectrum of diversity;

 recognized as human beings who should not be discriminated against, but rather
understood, accepted, and tolerated;
 accorded their rights;
 perceived and accepted as people with distinct abilities.

Disabilities have to be seen as a natural part of life and a natural part of diversity. People
with disability have to identify themselves as having disabilities so that the world can accept
them and create avenues for them to live in.

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LESSON 4: THE DILEMMA OF DIVERSITY

There are challenges that confront a lot of people who have been identified as
“different”, some are listed below.
 In some workplaces, women and people of color are still discriminated against and not
given position in management or administration.
 People of a certain race are stereotyped to be a specific character.
 A number of times, Muslims have been taken aside in immigration and interrogated.
 Non- married and same- sex couples are still not accepted in some parts of the world.
 In some schools, children with special needs are shunned with the reason that they are
not ready for school yet or are not suited for the school.
 Children from the indigenous groups have to go through an educational system that
does not consider their ethnic background, needs, and values.

Though there is still so much effort that needs to be put in so that diversity is accepted,
respected, and tolerated, there has been progress in a lot of areas. Some are written below.
 In more workplaces, there are systems and processes put into place to intentionally
promote diversity.
 Diverse ways of thinking and doing things bring in creativity and productivity.
 Innovative thinking and collaboration are encouraged when different people work to
come up with solutions to problems or challenges.
 In schools, diversity is the best way to teach what it means to be tolerant and respectful
of each other’s differences.
 In government, the acknowledgement that diversity is an integral component of
community equates to laws and policies being passed to look out for the welfare of
people of diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Diversity is an integral component of life and living.