AIS was founded on Mrs. Nasr’s philosophy of inclusion and her mission to support each and every child. We understand that each student has unique needs, abilities, and challenges, and we strive to create a learning environment that celebrates diversity, promotes empathy, and fosters a sense of belonging.
Inclusion Services
Ensuring every child feels valued, supported, and included.
“The curriculum is increasingly individualized, particularly for students who have special education needs (SEN) and who are gifted and talented (G&T).” – ADEK
We are proud to say the AIS Inclusion Program has been recognized and celebrated by the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) as an outstanding program and a best practice.
The AIS Student Support Services Department provides a wide range of services that are designed to support students and ensure their success academically, socially, and emotionally.
Counseling services
This includes services provided by counselors or psychologists to support students who may be struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, or other personal issues.
Special Education services
These are services provided to students with special needs or disabilities to ensure that they receive the appropriate accommodations and support to succeed in school.
Enrichment services
These are designed to provide challenging, stimulating opportunities that go beyond the standard curriculum to meet the unique learning needs of gifted and talented students.
Academic support services
This includes services such as one-on-one support, study skills instruction, and academic coaching to support the students and help improve their academic performance.
English Language Learner (ELL) services
These are services provided to students who are learning English as a second language to help them develop their language skills and succeed academically.
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Programs
These are programs designed to help students develop essential social and emotional skills such as self-awareness, empathy, and responsible decision-making.
Special Education
We believe that every student deserves a high-quality education that meets their unique needs and prepares them for success in life. Our program is more than just a set of services and accommodations – it’s a community. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment where students feel valued, respected, and supported.
Our teachers and staff are passionate about working with students with difficulties and disabilities, and are dedicated to promoting a culture of empathy, acceptance, and kindness.
Our highly trained and specialized staff work closely with families, caregivers, and outside professionals to ensure that each student receives the appropriate accommodations, modifications, and specialized instruction that they need to thrive.
We offer a wide range of services to support students with difficulties and disabilities, including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and counseling.
Our approach to inclusion and support
Inclusive education refers to the practice of providing educational and other services to students with disabilities in a mainstream classroom setting. It recognizes every individual’s right to be treated equally and to have access to the same opportunities and services as their peers.
In full inclusion, all students are educated together in regular classrooms during the school day, based on the severity of their disability. Our inclusion program is a planned system of training and support, involving a multidisciplinary team that includes regular and special educators, family members, and peers.
Full mainstreaming involves placing students with disabilities in general education classrooms alongside their non-disabled peers. Students in full mainstreaming programs receive accommodations and support from special education teachers and staff but are fully integrated into the regular classroom environment.
Adaptive classes are one type of special education service that may be offered. These classes are designed for students with significant disabilities who require a more individualized and specialized approach to learning. Students in adaptive classes may work with special education teachers and therapists to develop skills in areas such as communication, self-care, and socialization.
Partial mainstreaming is a hybrid approach that combines elements of both adaptive classes and full mainstreaming. Students in partial mainstreaming programs are integrated into non-academic subjects, such as physical education, art, library, music, and computer, according to their age group. This approach allows students to participate in regular classroom activities while still receiving the specialized support they need to succeed.
Progressive mainstreaming aims to integrate students into academic subjects, such as English, science, and mathematics, according to their academic level. Students are enrolled in a grade to address one subject at a time based on placement tests, and subjects are added automatically based on their performance. This program also includes non-academic subjects, such as physical education, art, library, music, and computer.
ESL Services
We understand that learning a new language can be challenging, but we are here to help. Our program is designed to provide English language learners with the support and resources they need to succeed academically and socially.
At AIS, we celebrate diversity and welcome students from all around the world. We understand that many of our students may come from non-English speaking backgrounds and may need additional support to master the English language. Our ESL program is designed to provide individualized instruction and support to help students improve their English language skills.
Our highly trained teachers and staff are passionate about working with English language learners and are dedicated to providing a safe and inclusive learning environment where every student feels valued and supported. Our ESL specialists work with students to help them learn English through individualized instruction to ensure they progress to meet required curricular expectations.