Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
educational context. It is, therefore, crucial to define what inclusive education means.
According to Loreman, Deppeler and Harvey (2011) it is the “full participation of all students
in all aspects of schooling” (p.2). It involves regular classrooms that are willing to change in
order to meet the needs of students with a range of abilities and backgrounds (Konza, 2008;
Loreman & al., 2011; Poed & Elkins, 2012; Thomas, 1997). This essay examines the
legislation, such as the Disability Standards for Education, 2005 and the Disability
Discrimination Act, 1992, that protect the rights of students with disabilities as well as
eliminate discriminatory educational services for this group (Keeffe-Martin, 2001; Poed &
Elkins, 2012). Additionally, this paper discusses how teachers, schools and communities can
aid with the inclusion of students with disabilities, including those with Autism Spectrum
Disease (ASD).
“To promote equal and active participation of all people with a disability” (Australian
Research Alliance for Children and Youth [ARACY], 2013, p.4), Australia and other countries’
efforts led to the official approval of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People
with disabilities in 2008 which states that all people with disability should have the right to
inclusive education (ARACY, 2013). Hence, schools must ensure that all students, irrespective
of their disability, are provided with the same social and academic opportunities (McMahon,
Keys, Berardi, Crouch & Coker, 2016; Poed & Elkins, 2012). Australia’s commitment is also
reflected in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, and the Disability Standards for Education
2005, which develop in further detail the legal obligations that are required from all education
Prior to 1970, inclusive education was not a focal point in Australia and students with a
disability were educated in segregated settings, however, it was not until the mid 1970’s that a
change occurred and they started attending mainstream settings (Forlin, 2006; Keeffe-Martin,
2001; Konza, 2008). This change occurred after the Western countries shifted their attitudes
about how people with a disability should be educated, and the research findings about the
effectiveness of special education schools came out. The changing views about inclusion in
Australia were affected by the “normalisation” principle (Forlin, 2006; Konza 2008) - “the
right of people with disabilities to learning and living environments as close to normal as
possible” (Konza, 2008, p.39). Inclusive education, in Australia, involves schools being
responsible for providing the amenities, support, services and a suitable curriculum for all
students regardless of the disability (Konza, 2008). Today, inclusive education targets all
students, with and without a disability, to reduce inequalities and exclusions as well as receive
Australia has specific legislation to ensure that it is an “inclusive society” which is providing
“inclusive systems” (Pearce, 2009, cited in Anderson & Boyle, 2015, p.101). The Disability
Discrimination Act, 1992, states that it is illegal for a person with a disability to be
Education and Training [DET], 2015). It includes a broad definition of disability as well as
covers the disabilities that a person has had in the past, has now or may have in the future
(DET, 2015). Additionally, it extends to protect family or friends of the person with a disability
if they were treated unfairly just because of their relationship (Poed & Elkins, 2012).
Furthermore, all government and non-government schools, in all states and territories, must
The Disability Standards for Education, 2005, are established under the Commonwealth
Disability Discrimination Act, 1992 (DET, 2012). The Standards clarify and specify the legal
obligations under disability discrimination legislation in relation to education (Poed & Elkins,
2012). In addition, they elaborate on how to make education and training accessible to people
with a disability by covering multiple areas such as enrolment, student support services and
harassment and victimisation (DET, 2012). The Part for each area consists of the ‘rights’ of
students with a disability, the ‘obligations’ that educational providers and authorities must
comply with and lastly, the ‘measures’ that are being implemented as an evidence of
compliance with the legal obligation (DET, 2012). The ‘measures’, adjustments or actions are
used to assist people with a disability to ensure they fully participate in a course (Cumming &
Dickson, 2013).
Every year, students receiving adjustments due to disability as defined under the Disability
Discrimination Act 1992, are counted in Australia (DET, 2016). This data collection is called
the National Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) and is
very beneficial as this information helps families, education providers, teachers and principals
to best support students with a disability (DET, 2016). In 2012, 90 000 out of 740 000 students
enrolled in New South Wales public schools were reported to have a disability and/or learning
difficulties (NSW DET, 2012). 35 000 of those students had a disability as defined by the
Department, such as mental health and autism, the rest had needs related to learning difficulties
(ADHD) (NSW DET, 2012). Therefore, teachers, principals and education providers must be
equipped with the necessary skills and materials as well as use evidence-based practices in
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a “lifelong developmental condition that affects the way
an individual relates to their environment and their interactions with other people” (Autism
Spectrum Australia, 2017). The symptoms are usually grouped in two categories: the first one
relates to difficulty with social communication and interaction, and the second group relates to
restricted or repetitive behaviour, thought and interests (Autism Spectrum Disorder, 2015). In
addition, they vary for each person and they can be low, moderate or severe (Autism Spectrum
Disorder, 2015). For instance, students with ASD may find difficulty in starting or ending a
conversation, behaving properly with their peers, controlling their emotions and they may also
avoid eye contact (Boutot, 2007). According to Autism Aspergers Advocacy in Australia
(2015), the number of students with ASD is rising as well as their placement in mainstream
school. As a result, it is vital for teachers to be prepared and equipped with specific resources,
attitudes and strategies to cater for the needs of students with ASD and other disabilities.
Developing positive attitudes toward students with ASD or other disabilities is crucial for
inclusive education as it has been shown by a substantial amount of research that there is a
Developing or acquiring multiple skills is essential in order to meet the needs of students with
additional needs and those with ASD. According to Model Farms High School (2014), students
with mental health issues and ASD benefit from short breaks between teaching sessions and a
quiet environment as loud or noisy classrooms can have negative effects on the students.
Additionally, all students, with or without disability benefit from simple and clear instruction
which is one of the standards in Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST)
(Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership [AITSL], 2014). Furthermore, all
students, especially those with ASD and additional needs, learn much better with multimodal
instruction (Boutot, 2007). These strategies also connect to the Universal Design for Learning
(UDL), “a set of principles for curriculum” that works not only for students with disabilities
18724211 INCLUSIVE EDUCATION Assignment 1
but all students (National Center on Universal Design for Learning, 2014). UDL provides a
plan to create instructional goals, resources and assessments that work for all students and that
can be customised to meet the needs of every student. For instance, student with hearing
impairment require transcripts for videos or clips, which benefits all students.
Additionally, today’s classrooms are filled with students with different abilities, some may
grasp a topic in a relatively short time while others require additional time. Therefore,
and capacities, is essential (Burkett, 2013; Munro, 2012). This approach is useful for all
students, including gifted and talented students who benefit from working at a faster pace. For
example, they may not need introductory activities such as the rest of the students and they
benefit from extra-curricular programs (Munro, 2012). Differentiation means that the teacher
is meeting the needs of all students through pedagogy, curriculum and assessment. If the
teacher explained a topic that gifted and talented students were able to grasp easily, they might
Furthermore, students with disabilities or additional needs require some adjustments and
accommodations to meet the outcomes. They can only be assessed fairly if reasonable
adjustments are made and the assessments tasks are accessible to them. The adjustments to be
made are the duty of the teacher, as stated in the Disability Standards for Education 2005, and
can be made to the task itself or the environment (Walsh, 2012). For instance, students can be
given three options for the assessment and they can select the one they feel more comfortable
with.
It is the responsibility of the teachers and schools to make the learning accessible for every
student, maximise and facilitate the learning the learning process so that every student has a
environment and providing the required services such as building ramps for students with
officers and parents to make the learning effective especially for students with disabilities. The
learning support team help students with disabilities in performing tasks and toward working
independently (Van Kraayenoord, 2012). In addition, teachers must be very organised as they
can notify students with ASD about any changes that may occur in the lesson and change the
routines to avoid negative situations (Saggers, 2016); which is also beneficial for all students.
Organising also students by heterogeneous groups with mixed abilities fosters students’ social
skills and academic achievement (Loreman, 2007). Finally, planning, adapting and
manipulating the curriculum and practices based on students’ individual needs is a requirement
for all teachers. In fact, “know the students” and “how they learn” is a standard in the APST
(AITSL, 2014).
Australia has been increasing due to the changing views about inclusion and the
implementation of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for
Education 2005. As a result, schools, teachers, parents and caregivers must collaborate to
ensure that all students are receiving the adequate support and services to succeed. In others
words, schools and teachers must communicate with parents and caregivers in order to make
adjustments and accommodations that promote inclusion in schools. The UDL framework
ensures a successful inclusion of all students in the classrooms. Teachers’ organisational skills,
attitudes and beliefs, instructional methods, collaboration as well as school support are crucial
References
Anderson, J., & Boyle, C. (2015). Inclusive education in Australia: Rhetoric, reality and the
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL). (2014). Retrieved March 6,
standards/development/purpose-of-the-standards
Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY). (2013). Inclusive education
for students with disability: A review of the best evidence in relation to theory and
resources/command/download_file/id/246/filename/Inclusive_education_for_
students_with_disability__A_review_of_the_best_evidence_in_relation_to_theory_
and_practice.pdf
Autism Spectrum Australia. (2017). What is autism? Retrieved March 18, 2018, from
https://www.autismspectrum.org.au/content/what-autism
Doi:10.7748/ns.29.38.19.s20
Boutot, E. A. (2007). Fitting in tips for promoting acceptance and friendships for students with
https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/
Cumming, J., & Dickson, E. (2013). Educational accountability tests, social and legal inclusion
approaches to discrimination for students with disability: A national case study from
18724211 INCLUSIVE EDUCATION Assignment 1
10.1080/0969594X.2012.730499
Department of Education and Training. (DET). (2012). Disability standards for education
doc/other/disability_standards_for_education_2005_plus_guidance_notes.pdf
Department of Education and Training. (DET). (2015). Disability discrimination act 1992.
Department of Education and Training. (DET). (2016). Nationally consistent collection of data.
Forlin, C. (2006). Inclusive education in Australia ten years after Salamanca. European journal
Keeffe-Martin, M. (2001). Legislation, case law and current issues in inclusion: An analysis of
trends in the United States and Australia. Australia and New Zealand Journal of Law
au.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/
challenge. In P. Kell, W. Vialle, D. Konza, & G. Vogl (Eds.), Learning and the learner:
Loreman, T. (2007). Seven pillars of support for inclusive education: Moving from “why?” to
https://vuws.westernsydney.edu.au/
Loreman, T., Deppeler, J., & Harvey, D. (2011). Inclusive education: Supporting diversity in
the classroom (2nd ed.). Crows Nest, Australia: Allen & Unwin.
McMahon, S., Keys, C., Berardi, L., Crouch, R., & Coker, C. (2016). School inclusion: A
multidimensional framework and links with outcomes among urban youth with
18724211 INCLUSIVE EDUCATION Assignment 1
10.1002/jcop.21793
Model Farms High School. (2014). Cognitive Asperger's Syndrome. Retrieved March 18,
aspergers-syndrome
https://research.acer.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1144&context=research_conf
erence
National Center on Universal Design for Learning. (2014). What is UDL? Retrieved March 22,
NSW Department of Education and Training (NSW DET). (2012). Every student, every school.
Poed, S., & Elkins, J. (2012). Legislation, policies, and principles. In A. Ashman & J. Elkins
(Eds.), Education for inclusion and diversity (4th ed., pp.39-60). Frenchs Forest,
Saggers, B. (2016). Supporting students with autism in the classroom: what teachers need to
supporting-students-with-autism-in-the-classroom-what-teachers-need-to-know-
64814
Thomas, G. (1997). Inclusive schools for an inclusive society. British Journal of Special
10522957
18724211 INCLUSIVE EDUCATION Assignment 1
Australian primary schools. International Journal of Law and Education, 17(2), 33-48.
2012/10.pdf