Inclusive education policy and learning assessment practices : A sociological perspective on equity for children with special needs
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55749/sdes.v1i1.196Keywords:
Children with special needs, Educational sociology, Inclusive assessment, Inclusive education Policy, Learning evaluationAbstract
Inclusive education policy aims to ensure that all children, including children with special needs, have equal access to meaningful and appropriate learning opportunities. However, the implementation of inclusive education is not only determined by school access, curriculum flexibility, or classroom participation, but also by how learning assessment is designed and practiced. Conventional assessment systems that rely on uniform standards may fail to represent the diverse abilities, developmental progress, and learning barriers experienced by children with special needs. This article examines the impact of inclusive education policy on learning assessment practices from the perspective of educational sociology. Using a literature-based conceptual approach, this study analyzes how assessment functions not only as a pedagogical instrument but also as a social practice shaped by school culture, teacher expectations, institutional structures, and perceptions of diversity. The discussion shows that inclusive policy encourages a shift from standardized and result-oriented assessment toward more flexible, individualized, authentic, and development-oriented evaluation. However, this shift faces several challenges, including limited teacher competence in adaptive assessment, lack of technical guidelines, administrative burden, weak collaboration among teachers and specialists, and school cultures that still prioritize academic uniformity. From a sociological perspective, assessment may either reproduce inequality and stigma or become a tool for educational justice, depending on how schools interpret and implement inclusive values. This study highlights the need to develop inclusive assessment practices that recognize student diversity, support individual growth, and promote equity in regular school settings.
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