‘Inclusion is about mental access and emotional access to spaces’
S. Gokul, an official in Mayiladuthurai, emphasizes that true inclusion in educational spaces requires both mental and emotional access, not just physical accessibility. The discussion took place at an international conference focused on empowerment and innovation in education.
Why it matters
This highlights the shift in public policy from basic clinical accessibility to holistic, inclusive environments for students with disabilities.
Inclusion is not just physical access but also having mental access and emotional access to spaces, said S. Gokul, Mayiladuthurai Additional Collector (development) and DRDA Project Officer at a conference in Chennai on Saturday.
He was speaking at the valedictory ceremony of the third edition of the International Conference on ‘Empowerment Beyond Barrier: Global Perspectives on Education, Development and Innovation’ jointly organised by the Patrician College of Arts and Science and Adelphi University, New York, U.S.
Pointing out that inclusion means truly being part of whatever happens, he said, “Accessibility is a clinical sterile thing, but inclusivity is chaotic…”
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in