Life Skills Education as a Bridge to Social Inclusion: A Conceptual Framework for Children with Special Needs at the Higher Secondary Level

Education

Abstract The higher secondary level represents a critical transition period for adolescents, marked by increasing social expectations, career decisions, and personal responsibilities. For Children with Special Needs (CWSN), this phase is particularly challenging as they navigate complex social environments while managing their unique learning and behavioral needs. Life Skills Education (LSE) has emerged as a powerful pedagogical approach that goes beyond academic instruction to prepare students for real-world interactions. This conceptual paper explores the role of LSE as a bridge to social inclusion for CWSN at the higher secondary level. Drawing on global frameworks from WHO and UNICEF, as well as Indian policies including the National Education Policy 2020 and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016, the paper argues that LSE fosters peer acceptance, self-advocacy, and collaborative skills essential for social integration. The paper also examines implementation barriers such as inadequate teacher preparation, curriculum rigidity, and limited family engagement, while proposing practical enablers including whole-school approaches, assistive technologies, and community partnerships. The paper concludes that LSE, when embedded as a core component of inclusive education, can transform higher secondary institutions into spaces where CWSN not only learn but belong. Keywords: Life Skills Education, social inclusion, Children with Special Needs, higher secondary education, peer interaction, inclusive pedagogy.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.