by Natasha Hanin Tham
Inclusive education is one of the guiding principles at QIU, where we believe that no student should be left behind.
As the university endeavours to make our education more accessible and inclusive for all students, we’re also trying to spread the values of inclusion among our students through our events and activities.
Earlier this week, the School of Education hosted a screening of “Inclusion Equals Love”, a documentary about children with special needs and the education required to help them progress.
Screened at the QIU Auditorium, the film opened viewers’ eyes to what educating children with special needs should be like. It highlighted how inclusive classes can help these children develop and improve themselves to showcase their unique talents.
The screening was attended by the film’s producer and Inclusive Outdoor Classroom (IOC) founder Anne Subashini, Majlis Bandaraya Subang Jaya councillor Lee Jen Uyin, Faculty of Social Sciences Dean Professor Dr Sivabala Naidu, as well as our staff and students.
Anne said the film was made to give hope to the families of children with disabilities, and trigger a shift in viewpoints.
“It’s to change the mindsets of people who don’t have direct dealings with people with disabilities so that inclusion will be a lifestyle,” she said.
“It’s so important because it’s made in Malaysia. It’s something local. And if we can change the mindsets so far…our Malaysians, our local community, no one can say they cannot.
It all starts with the will. If you think you want to do it…if you want to make a difference for yourselves and the community, this documentary will act as a reminder you can refer to.”
Anne said she wanted to screen the documentary in QIU as it would have a positive impact on our students’ minds.
“I’ve known Ms Venus Lim (programme coordinator for QIU’s Program Coordinator for Bachelor of Special Needs Education) for a very long time and we always do a lot of projects together. Every time I do an inclusion awareness project, she is the first person I make contact with because she has connections with the university students who would definitely greatly benefit from advocacy projects like this,” said Anne.
During the question-and-answer session, the audience learned about IOC’s goals and how they can support people with special needs.
Natasha’s view:
“Education centres have revealed that teaching children with special needs with the key virtues—patience, empathy, love and kindness—are what’s required to help them learn, adapt, develop and improve themselves.”
“In my view, I’ve learned that being different doesn’t make one an outcast in society, especially when anyone who empathises with them helps to shine light into their dark tunnels. Everybody is a human, even when they’re different in how they think and look. Love is proven to be the strongest element in all of the elements of the universe.”
Natasha Hanin Tham Haris Tham is a Bachelor of Mass Communication (Advertising) student at QIU.
