Applying Universal Design for Learning to Inclusive Classrooms in Essay

Applying Universal Design for Learning to Inclusive Classrooms in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example As the report declares the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia attempts to upgrade education to advanced levels to keep pace with advances in science and technology and human knowledge. It has paid increasing attention to special needs, especially in the last decade. The educational system for students with disabilities has improved dramatically since it began several years ago. The Kingdom also has not separated special education for public education at the level of attention. According to the paper findings the laws and regulations in Saudi Arabia has supported the implementation of student with disabilities in general education and has successfully included services for students with disabilities in the public school, these improvements was not followed by effective strategies to implement these programs effectively. The teachers are still unprepared to use appropriate teaching methods to teach students with disabilities alongside with their peers. This paper aims to provide a solution for them by addressing the strategy of Universal Design for Learning as a potential approach to ensure the equal opportunity for all students to participate in the general curriculum. Universal design of learning has not been addressed in my country, Saudi Arabia. It is an emerging topic that being discussed, but, there is no research conducted in this topic yet. With the introduction of inclusive classrooms in Saudi Arabia, there have been an increasing number of diverse students in classrooms.

The Human Development Index (HDI) for China and India Essay

The Human Development Index (HDI) for China and India - Essay Example The four input dimension indices for calculating HDI are, therefore, the life expectancy index, mean years of schooling index, expected years of schooling index, and income index (HDRO 1). Minimum value for life expectancy is set at 20 years, 0 years for both of the education variables, and $100 for the income variable measured in per capita gross national income (GNI). General formula for calculating dimension index is: Dimension index = Actual value – Minimum value Maximum value – Minimum value The HDI is the geometric mean of the normalised indices measuring achievements in each dimension. It is calculated as HDI =  Where; Ilife – life expectancy index2 Ieducation - Education index Iincome – Income index Case study: China and India Table 1: Computed HDIs and input variables for China and India INDIA: HDI Indicators HDI Indicator Value Goalposts for HDI 2011 Dimension Indices Maximum value Minimum value Life anticipation (years) 65.4 65.9 20.0 0.716 0. 546 Schooling mean years (years)3 4.4 4.6 0 0.336 Expected years of schooling (years)4 10.3 9.8 0 0.572 Combined education index 0.978 0 0.448 GNI per capita (PPP $)5 3,468 3,435 100 0.508 CHINA: HDI Indicators Indicator Value Maximum value Minimum value Dimension Indices HDI Life anticipation (years) 73.5 83.4 20.0 0.844 0.687 Schooling Mean years (years) 7.5 13.1 0 0.573 Expected years of schooling (years) 11.6 18.0 0 0.644 Combined education index 0.978 0 0.621 GNI per capita (PPP $) 7,476 107,721 100 0.618 HDI computation process: (I) India Life Expectancy index = (65.4-20)/(83.4-20) = 0.716 Mean years of schooling index = (4.4-0)/ (13.1-0) = 0.336 Expected years of schooling index = (10.3-0)/ (18-0) = 0.572 Combined education index = (0.336*0.572) ^ (1/2)-0/ (0.978-0) = 0.448 Income index = (Ln (3,468) – Ln (100))/ (Ln (107,721) - Ln (100)) = 0.508 HDI = (0.716*0.448*0.508) ^ (1/3) = 0.546 (II) China Life Expectancy index = (73.5-20)/(83.4-20) = 0.844 Mean years of schoo ling index = (7.5-0)/ (13.1-0) = 0.573 Expected years of schooling index = (11.6-0)/ (18-0) = 0.644 Combined education index = (0.573*0.644) ^ (1/2)-0/ (0.978-0) = 0.621 Income index = (Ln (7,476) – Ln (100))/ (Ln (107,721) - Ln (100)) = 0.618 HDI = (0.844*0.621*0.618) ^ (1/3) = 0.687 Table 2: Computed and Reported HDIs for India and China HDI Comparison Country Reported 2011 Calculated India 0.547 0.546 China 0.687 0.687 Calculated HDIs for both India and China are not significantly different from the reported figures as shown in Table 2. Small difference in the case of India could have been as a result of round off effects. It is notable, however, that computed HDIs would be significantly different from reported 2011 numbers if maximum values for input variables adopted for the calculation were to be drawn from the respective larger region (continent) data or observed values (HDRO 2). Evaluation of Calculated HDIs for China and India China’s HDI of 0.687 falls under the medium human development category together with countries such as Samoa, Thailand, Viet Nam among others in East Asia. According to the 2011 Human Development Report, countries that have the highest human development achievement in this continent are Palau, Malaysia, and Tonga with HDI’s at 0.782, 0.761, and 0.704 respectively. Countries such as Solomon Islands, Papua,