Inclusive innovation is an action. It is providing equal access to products and services through the infusion of new ideas, people, and technology to meet complex challenges. From the arts to community development, to computer science; inclusive innovation is possible in everything. We know there is a tremendous opportunity when diverse people come together to problem solve. We strive for everyone to participate in and benefit from the development of new solutions. We believe in a Pittsburgh where if it’s not for all it’s not for us!

Inclusive innovation in the educational system

Creating a friendly learning environment for all students with their needs in mind is crucial for breeding new happy generations. Understanding this notion brought the majority of educational establishments worldwide wonder how to make an inclusive innovation a reality on all levels, from kindergarten to higher education centers. In this review, we invite you to find out more about inclusive innovation in the education system in the US, its benefits, and existing barriers that we need to eliminate.

What is innovation in education?

Before we start talking about innovation and entrepreneurship in education, we have to make clear what we mean by inclusive innovation. This is a set of rules and practices that should be implemented in the educational establishments of all levels to make education accessible for children and youth with various disabilities and special needs. Thus, this set of practices needs to be thought-out well so that all students could benefit from it and bring their communities closer.

“Why is it important?”, you may ask. Besides making the education pursuit easier, it encourages all students to cooperate with their instructors, tutors, and teachers to use new tools and ways of revealing new knowledge and skills. Let’s take a look at inclusive writing education as an example: introducing new ways of teaching writing, opening an college essay writing service system will enable students from all social levels to develop their writing talent. As a result, the world can get a myriad of new aspiring essay writers who will make a change as journalists, non-fiction writers, bloggers, etc.

To make it possible, EssayUsa.com decided to help students all over the nation make writing skills comprehension more fun, engaging, and progressive by launching their inclusive writing service. There, each student can get college paper tips for American students, professional consultation on how to boost their writing skills, and help with particular assignments. Such an initiative has made the company a center for inclusive entrepreneurship and brought even more customers’ attention to the service. As you might have guessed, everyone has benefited from this online inclusive innovation implementation.

What are the inclusive education barriers?

1. Barriers related to infrastructure include the long distance from households to schools, inadequate building facilities, the inability to ensure proper sanitation, etc.; however, an adequate financing and the local sponsors’ engagement can eventually remove these barriers;
2. Barriers related to class facilities, e.g. the lack of study materials and computers, large class sizes, low-quality furniture, etc. To overcome these kinds of barriers, school principals have to be ready to promote their students’ interests daily and cooperate with local and federal authorities. Also, they need to participate in several grant programs to raise funding for their schools;
3. Barriers related to human resources, e.g. lack of qualified instructors and tutors for students with special needs. This barrier takes more time to be eliminated as the new generation of teaching staff needs to be brought up. To make it possible, we need to promote the job of a teacher, raise people’s awareness about the prestige of this work, and make it well-paid and popular among the youth;
4. Community barriers, e.g. divisive attitude towards education innovation. Many years need to come and go until the masses understand the importance of inclusive innovation in education. Yet raising the citizens’ awareness and shaping the positive attitude towards innovative learning should become one of our national priorities if we want to live in a better, smarter, and more tolerant society.

The national center for innovation in education launching benefits

Creating centers for inclusive innovation is quite a good start in promoting educational novelties. Below, you can find out the exact benefits of such centers for communities in the US:
1. Students have the chance to make a change while in school. With the inclusive innovation centers establishment, high school students will not have to search for volunteering opportunities: they will be able to help their special classmates right in class. Also, they will boost their communication skills, widen their social circle, and may even find their vocation in helping others;
2. Teachers are not alone in their desire to make studying more accessible. A center for innovation can be a place for teachers to improve their qualifications, receive additional training on conflict management, etc. Also, they will be able to share their experience and learn from real-life situations there;
3. Parents notice their kids’ progress. The families with special kids will notice the improvement in their studies, communication skills, attention, etc. They will stop feeling like no one cares about their kids except for their parents;
4. A community becomes more close-knit. Finally, such innovative centers will allow communities to become aware of their members’ problems and needs. Thus, fundraising campaigns, social initiatives, or other issues could be resolved faster and more efficiently as the voices of the many are more powerful than single people’s attempts to make a difference.

William Peduto
Mayor, City of Pittsburgh

Want Pittsburgh to be more inclusive? Take this 5-part challenge. via NEXTPittsburgh 04/01/19

Takeaways from the 2019 Inclusive Innovation Summit via Medium 04/05/19

“Innovation Summit” to highlight inclusion, equity in Pittsburgh via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 03/11/19