2. Attention to diversity. History and law

Question 1

Education for all within the framework of mainstream education

Answer 1

• Quality and equality (share space, methods…)
• Flexible school (requires presence, participation and achievement)
• Respect for diversity (teaching values to all)
• Emphasis on the needs of high-risk collectives

Question 2

The least restrictive environment pyramid

Answer 2

Base
- full-time special school
- part-time regular school, part-time special school
- full-time regular school in special class
- part-time regular class, part-time special class
- full-time regular class + specialist
- full-time regular class

Question 3

Possible barriers to try to overcome?

What to do when unavoidable?

Answer 3

• Physical inaccessibility
• Communication barriers
• Lack of coordination
• Poor teaching skills
• Wrong education policies
• Lack of resources
• …

Least restrictive environment (pyramid)

Question 4

Evolution of inclusion
From ancient times to current times

Answer 4

• Ancient times - rejection (exclusion): demonological model
• Middle Ages - rejection (exclusion): demonological but first asylums
• Psychiatric naturalism - acceptance (segregation): medical explanations, more positive but to sensory disabilities, (Fray Ponce de Leon; teach deaf to talk and read)
• 18th- 19th centuries- acceptance (segregation): the institution

After this, understanding (integration) and then education for all (inclusion)

Question 5

Diversity in Spain

Answer 5

• Students who present special educational needs derived from disabilities (hearing, motor, developmental, behaviour…)
• Students with high intelectual abilities
• Students with late integration into the Spanish educational system
• Other categories (learning disorders, language and communication disorders…)

Question 6

Periods in Special Education:

Period of Institutions (late 19th-20th century)

Answer 6

Compulsory education - interest in classifying “abnormal” people - institutions/special centres

• Segregation and discrimination
• Disabled were considered educable

Two sub-periods:
- Institutions: medical model, organized as hospitals, healthcare staff, heterogeneous groups
- Special centres: psychoeducational model, organized by deficit, psycho-pedagogical staff, homogeneous groups

Question 7

Periods in Special Education:

Period of Normalization (mid 20th-late 20th)

Answer 7

• Community support services appear: National Association for Retarded Children (NARC)
• Human rights and rights of people with disabilities

Two basic principles:
- Normalization: normalizing their existence and making society know and respect differences. Equality
- Integration: joint schooling, bringing special edu into mainstream edu

Question 8

Periods in Special Education:

Period of Normalization (mid 20th-late 20th)

Warnock Report

Answer 8

Provided basis for educational integration in the UK and it had a strong influence on education laws in Spain but 12 years later (LOGSE, 1990)

Term Special Educational Needs was introduced

Question 9

Periods in Special Education:

The beginning of inclusive education (late 80s-early 90s)

Answer 9

Equity
Education for all within the framework of mainstream education
- Restructuring education systems: strengthening the capacity of the edu system to reach out to all students
- Schools open to diversity: heterogeneous classroms

Question 10

The Regular Education Initiative in the USA
Stainback & Stainback

Answer 10

• Special education criticized as ineffective
• Proposal: rather than giving attention to special needs, apply better education to all
• Has to provide: programs fitted to the abilities and needs of each student and support resources for students and teachers to ensure success

Question 11

How do we have to consider education today

Answer 11

• A process
• A continuum: from full inclusion to special centres
• It requires identifying and eliminating barriers
• Requires presence, participation and achievement
• Requires collaboration between different professionals
• Special attention to high-risk students

Question 12

Main obstacles for inclusion

Answer 12

• Certain values and attitudes
• Lack of understanding or necessary skills
• Limitation in resources or improper organization

Question 13

Inclusive education in Spain:

Answer 13

LOE & LOMCE
- Students with specific educational support needs (alcance máximo desarrollo personal, asegurar recursos necesarios)
- Students with special needs (discapacidad o trastornos graves de conducta)
- Normalization and inclusion, least restrivtive environment when barriers unavoidable