Policies and Legislation Related To Inclusive Education Could Influence Society

1006 Words3 Pages

Briefly discuss how you believe policies and legislation related to Inclusive Education influence attitudes toward the way society accepts difference.

As I have eagerly anticipated meeting my practical classes in the last three years, I take with me the knowledge that I will find a class that is full of unique individuals. These students will have different cultures, types of families, socioeconomic status and learning needs just to name a few of the diversities. Although this is the type of class I expect to see in today’s society it was not what I experienced throughout my earlier schooling years. I remember that almost all of the students in my class came from typical nuclear families and that it was unusual to have someone in my class that originated from a different county or could speak a different language. I do not recall any students in our primary school cohort that had any physical or intellectual disabilities. I believe that the contrast between a classroom such as mine in the 1980’s and early 90’s and a classroom that you would come across in 2010 is a result of the implementation of policies and legislations relating to inclusive education.

Many of Australia’s legislations and policies relating to the notion of equal opportunities for all people have originated from the early anti-discrimination initiatives set out by the United States Government in the 1970’s (Carpenter, 2010). The Education of all Handicapped Children Act of 1975 was aimed to stop the desegregation of students with disabilities and it was this public law that started the movement towards inclusive education in many countries around the world including Australia (Ashman and Elkins, 2009). Education Queensland has developed the Inclusive Educatio...

... middle of paper ...

...ieved from https://learning.secure.griffith.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=/bin/common/course.pl?course_id=_78878_1&frame=top

Queensland Education (2005). Inclusive Education Statement. Retrieved 10 March 2010, from http://education.qld.gov.au/studentservices/learning/docs/inclusedstatement2005

Shaddock, A., Giorcelli, L., & Smith, S. (2007). Students with disabilities in mainstream classrooms: a resource guide for teachers. Canberra:ACT. Retrieved from http://www.dest.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/D3113371-7E2C-49FE-8017-8495030736BF/19755/InclusiveClassroomTeacherResourceFinal1.pdf

Ulrich, M., & Bauer, A. (2003). Levels of awareness- a closer look at communication between parents and professionals. Teaching Exceptional Children,35(6), 20-23.

Westwood, P. (2007).Commonsense methods for children with special educational needs. London:Routledge.

Show More
Related

  • Planning to End Ableism through Universal Design for Learning

    2133 Words  | 5 Pages

    Hitchcock, C., Meyer, A., Rose, D., & Jackson, R. (2002). Providing new access to the general curriculum. Exceptional Children, 35(2), 8–17.

    Read More

  • Australian Professional Standards Essay

    2051 Words  | 5 Pages

    It is essential that all students have access to a quality education and an inclusive education system should meet their diverse needs. The Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development [DEECD] (2014) stipulates that education providers must make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to support students with disabilities to comply with the standard. Graduate teachers should also demonstrate an understanding of legislative requirements and be able to identify teaching strategies that support the involvement and learning of students with disabilities (AITSL, 2014). They should understand the importance of focusing on what a student with a disability can do and work with the student’s strengths. A graduate teacher should know what resources, agencies and assistive technologies are available to support the learning needs of a student with a disability.

    Read More

  • RTI and Disporportionality in Special Education

    1055 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sands, D., Kozleski, E., & French, N. (2000). Inclusive education for the 21st century: A new

    Read More

  • Inclusive Education In Australia Essay

    1314 Words  | 3 Pages

    The movement for inclusion in education has advanced since the years of special schools for children with disabilities. Although there have been significant changes to the laws protecting the rights of children with disabilities there remains an underlying debate as to whether these children should be in main stream classes. Most states and territories in Australia practice inclusive education, however this remains a contentious topic with differing attitudes. It is evident whilst many challenges remain, schools should implement and deliver quality programs that reflect best practice policies. Positive teacher attitudes, promoting diversity, modelling inclusion in the classroom and developing a sense of community by working in partnerships

    Read More

  • From Inclusion to Friendship

    1876 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...ons from the 1%: Children with Labels of Severe Disabilities and Their Peers as Architects of Inclusive Education. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 12(5-6), 543-561.

    Read More

  • Canadian Education System PPM

    2909 Words  | 6 Pages

    ...d Inclusive Education in Ontario Schools: Guidelines for Policy Development and Implementation . Toronto, Ont.: Ontario Ministry of Education.

    Read More

  • Inclusion of Children with Autism

    1326 Words  | 3 Pages

    The inclusion of children with learning disabilities into normal classrooms has proved to exhibit both positive and negative effects on children with and without disabilities.

    Read More

  • Inclusive Instructional Practices

    2823 Words  | 6 Pages

    Inclusion is not a new idea, but has been rapidly gaining momentum within many disciplines internationally. Inclusive education is a term often associated with special education, and children with additional needs. However, inclusive education is about ensuring that educational settings allow for meaningful participation by all learners. Each child has their own unique identity, ways of doing things, strengths and weaknesses. Ministry of Education [MoE] (1998) states that teachers “should recognise that as all students are individuals, their learning may call for different approaches, different resourcing, and different goals” (p. 39, emphasis added).

    Read More

  • Inclusion And Philosophy Of Early Childhood Special Education

    717 Words  | 2 Pages

    Every child has the right to receive an education in a welcoming and inclusive environment where they are given the opportunity to grow emotionally, physically, socially, and intellectually regardless of their differences. I believe education is the foundation a child needs to grow and learn, and inclusion is a key ingredient in the makeup of the learning environment. Without the implementation of inclusion, students are deprived of the opportunity to learn acceptance, respect, and growth from their interaction with a variety of people with differing skills and perspectives.

    Read More

  • People with Disabilities Need Inclusion

    2230 Words  | 5 Pages

    Inclusion has become increasingly important in education in recent years, with the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act being passed in 2004 to ensure equality in our system. In summary, inclusion is the idea of there being no child...

    Read More

  • Mainstreaming Special Needs Children

    891 Words  | 2 Pages

    The debate of mainstreaming children with a disability challenges the idea of having an enclosed environment where they can effectively learn. University of Missouri, College of Education states, “The term ‘special needs’ is used to collectively define those that require assistance due to physical, mental, behavioral, or medical disabilities or delays” ( .) Opponents who encourage mainstreaming argue that mainstreaming special needs children is beneficial. They claim children with a disability should receive equivalent access to public education and not be left behind because of an impairment. Many also dispute attempts should be made to develop tests to measure academic achievement. Aron and Loprest state “Reforming special education cannot be done in isolation; it requires integration with reforms being made in general education” (116). However, there are many problems the education system is going to face if children with a disability are integrated into standard classes.

    Read More

  • Inclusion: The Past, Present, and Future

    4020 Words  | 9 Pages

    There are millions of children that are passing through the United States school system every day, not all children possess the same traits, and not all children can learn at the same rate, and do not perform at the same ability. The fact that all children learn differently and some have difficulties learning in general classrooms, special education was put into place to try and take care of these issues. Special education programs were put into place to help all students with disabilities. These children range from general disabilities to more complex and severe disabilities. There has been a revolution occurring in the past several years with education systems, and special education. There have now been several laws that have been passed that mandate changes in special education and the treatment that children, and parents receive, it also changes how the children are being taught, and how the teachers are to also change and conform to this idea called inclusion. Inclusion in the school system simply is stating that children who have learning disabilities, and more severe disabilities are to be included in the general education environment for as long as possible daily. There has been several different names other than inclusion that have been used, but in present times and since the 1990’s inclusion has been the most common term used. “The change in terminology was pushed in part by the philosophy that inclusion would mean more than only physical placement of children with disabilities in the same classroom, but rather it conveyed that children with disabilities would become a part of larger social, community, and societal systems” (Odom, Buysse, & Soukakou, 2011, para. 3). There has not been just one major law that was passed...

    Read More

  • What Does Inclusive Education Means?

    1617 Words  | 4 Pages

    “What does inclusive education mean for me as a teacher in 2014 and beyond? “

    Read More

  • What Is Inclusion Essay

    859 Words  | 2 Pages

    Inclusion, what does it really mean? Why is it used in the classroom today? How is it used? In this paper, I will discuss my understanding of inclusion, what it might look like in my classroom, and give a few of the positives and negatives that I consider important to know. An important fact to note is that inclusion is rooted in the “Individuals with Disabilities Education Act” (IDEA) where the student with disabilities are to be educated in the least restrictive environment (LRE). Although this Act does not specifically address inclusion, it falls under LRE. To start off let us look at my understanding of inclusion.

    Read More

  • Inclusive Education for Children with Disabilities

    1625 Words  | 4 Pages

    The right to have access to education is a concern for people with disabilities. They were treated poorly and often desegregated from society. The response to the concerns of parents and educators over the exclusion of children with disabilities created the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The public law “guaranteed a free, appropriate public education to each child with a disability in every state and locality across the country”. In the 1970's children with disabilities entered schools and over the years, the number of students in special education has grown dramatically, from 4.3 million students in 1990 to 6.9 million students in 2003 (The Council of Chief State School Officers , 2007).

    Read More

More about Policies and Legislation Related To Inclusive Education Could Influence Society

Open Document