Essay - Inclusive Education Students

Question 1

What is inclusive education?

Answer 1

Any program or services which address the needs of students requiring additional support

Question 2

What is inclusive?

Answer 2

Based on the belief that all students have a right to access education on the SAME BASIS as any other student, in their community, in their local school - a human rights perspective

Question 3

What is the concern with the term special education

Answer 3

There are philosophical concerns about use of the term special - historical use of ‘special’ schools to segregate students with disabilities

Question 4

When did inclusive education appear?

Answer 4

It first appeared in 1990s. The right to education on the same basis for all children did not exist. People with disabilities, mental health conditions were segregated. Only formally deinstitutionalised in 1980s.

Question 5

Name a study regarding special schools

Answer 5

Major report in 1968 by Dunn. Found special schools had done nothing for the students within them. There was no advantage.

Question 6

What was normalisation

Answer 6

Term from 1980s referring to taking kids out of special schools

Question 7

What is integration?

Answer 7

Term used incorrectly today. Specifically refers to removing a child from a special school and integrating them into a mainstream school

Question 8

What was the realisation in 1996

Answer 8

That most schools were breaking the law by not allowing a disabled child to enter their local school

Question 9

What is the current state of special schools?

Answer 9

Historical use of special schools started to decline, but recently has started to increase again. Increased in the area Dunn was most concerned about. Boys are over represented. Special schools increasing for mental health disorders and behavioural disorders.

Special education type schools still exist for students with multiple or profound disabilities.

Question 10

What question did schools tend to ask themselves in the past? What should it be?

Answer 10

Can we accommodate this child in our school?

SHOULD BE - What can we do to accommodate this child in our school?

Question 11

What does the Education Act say regarding disability?

Answer 11

Legally required to ensure all students have right to education on the same basis as everyone else

Question 12

What is the approach many schools are taking?

Answer 12

Support units attached to mainstream school. Most students with disabilities are attending mainstream schools.

Question 13

Who are diverse learners? (3)

Answer 13

1. Anyone can have learning support needs at any stage of their lives
2. Some students have specific conditions which require learning support. Cognitive & intellectual disabilities, specific learning disabilities and mental health needs
3. ABS (2012) estimates 295,000 5-17 year olds with a disability in school today

Question 14

What condition is most common in schools today?

Answer 14

Specific learning disabilities (10-16%). There is a vast range of conditions that do not affect intellectual capacity but instead relate to the way the brain processes eg. Dyslexia, adhd, asd, auditory processing disorders. Note mental health conditions may outstretched learning disabilities - anxiety and depression

Question 15

What is important to note about labels?

Answer 15

Nobody with any diagnostic label for a condition is the same.

If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.

Question 16

What is the disability prevalence in the community by age group (abs, 2015)

Answer 16

<4 yrs - 3-4%
5 - 14 yrs - 9-10%
15-24 yrs - 8-9%

For most of the years in teachers approx. 10% of students in the class will have a disability

Question 17

When does a disability arise?

Answer 17

A disability arises not just from the health or condition, but when the health or condition interacts with the environmental factors in life and the personal factors that effect me

Question 18

What is disability according to the ICF out out by the WHO (in summary) from 2009

Answer 18

Every human being can experience a decrement in health and therefore experience some degree of disability. It is not something that is experienced by a minority of people, thus it is a universal human experience. Shifts focus from cause to impact, taking into account the environmental and social aspects of disability. Disability not just seen as a medical or biological dysfunction

Question 19

What is ICF and WHO

Answer 19

International Classification of Functioning, Disability & Health

World Health Organisation

Question 20

What creates a disability?

Answer 20

Not the label and not the condition, but the environmental and social factors. e.g. if in a wheelchair you are not disabled if there are facilities that support use of a wheelchair, but if they are only stairs then you experience disability.

Question 21

Name two labelling and classification systems for disability

Answer 21

DSM- V - Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
ICD - 10 - International Classification of Diseases and related health problems

Question 22

What is a label?

Answer 22

Labels tend to be imposed on people or groups to identify apparent attributes of the group - can be negative eg deaf and dumb

Question 23

What is prejudice?

Answer 23

An unjustified or incorrect attitude often based on a persons group membership or perceived social status

Question 24

What is a stigma?

Answer 24

Stigma arises via cognitive schemes of discrimination, expectancy bias, stereotype activation.

Question 25

How does labelling, prejudice and stigma impact on a person with a disability?

Answer 25

It is a significant threat to personal identity, social inclusion and wellbeing.

Question 26

What is expectancy bias?

Answer 26

e.g that all deaf people are dumb

Question 27

What is stereotype activation?

Answer 27

Automated cognitive scripts that when we see someone who concerns us we automatically enact a stereotyped belief about that person.

Question 28

How does the media contribute?

Answer 28

Marketing in popular media can convey schemes of discrimation, expectancy bias and prejudice about people with disabilities

Question 29

What is the impact of special or streamed classes?

Answer 29

Can lead to prolonged labelling and expectancy bias in teacher

Question 30

When is a label helpful?

Answer 30

A diagnosis label can help a child or adult understand what has been hindering their learning, health or wellbeing

Question 31

When is a label unhelpful?

Answer 31

Labels such as ‘he is an adhd child’ can be unhelpful because it doesn’t offer any educational advice or insights and labels the child as a medical condition!

Question 32

What is one approach that would be more helpful than using a label?

Answer 32

Use first person language such as Jonathan may need help with time keeping and organisation. It places the child first and specifies the educational assistance he needs. Reconsider if the medical diagnosis or label EVER needs to be mentioned.

Question 33

What is a non-categorical way to view disability? (4)

Answer 33

1. Assumptions about educational needs should not be based on medical labels or classifications
2. Each individual with a labelled condition will be affected differently and have different needs
3. Focus on functional needs of students and abilities that may be very similar across a wider range of students
4. Avoid assumptions based on labels or medical diagnoses

Question 34

What is the role of educational psychology? (3)

Answer 34

1. Assessment of individual learning needs
2. Development of evidence-based interventions
3. The psychology and social impact of disability or health conditions.

Question 35

What are three types of assessments of individual learning needs

Answer 35

1. Cognitive assessments
2. Reading, literacy and numeracy assessments
3. Mental health and wellbeing assessments

Question 36

4 strategies that may assist child with attention disorder (5)

Answer 36

1. Cognitive-behavioural training approaches to behaviour management can be effective. Interventions such as Stop, Think, Do are one example (see Box 14.4 on page 557).
2. Assist the child with self-management strategies by setting small, manageable goals. Train older children in concepts of time management and self-monitoring time on and off task by using checklists and reminders.
3. Keep to a firm classroom routine, and give advance warnings or signals of changes to programs.
4. Allow for rest breaks or periods of cognitive ‘down time’ – this is helpful for all children, not just those with concentration problems.
5. Avoid repeated episodes of ‘failing’ at classroom or behavioural management tasks – ignore minor fidgeting, reward and reinforce on-task behaviours, ensure success with doable tasks, and provide positive verbal feedback early and often during tasks.

Question 37

Strategies for assisting child with ASD (7)

Answer 37

1. Instructions should be delivered by catching the child’s attention first and using direct and positively framed verbal statements or clear and simple pictographs and symbols.
2. Abstract, metaphorical or symbolic language may be misunderstood, such as: ‘As fast as lightning!’
3. Sarcastic, joking or playful language structures commonly used among adolescent peers may not be understood; for example, ‘Oh, good one Tom!’
4. Social skills instruction may be necessary for everyday social skills, such as saying ‘Hello’ to someone, using ‘I’ statements to express needs, using assertive phrases such as ‘stop’, taking turns
   or asking to join a game.
5. Role plays and activities for which social skills have to be practised can be integrated into everyday classroom activities.
6. Provide a buddy or support person for playground activities.
7. Changes in routine can be very stressful, so prepare for change ahead of time by providing plenty of advance warning. Use visual aids or photographs to explain a new routine such as a school excursion or new activity; for example, pictographs of a swimming costume and photos of the swimming pool and swimming instructor may be useful to explain a new routine of swimming classes.
8. Provide quiet and calm spaces where the child can rest and recover from overwhelming or stressful experiences. (Duchesne)

Duchesne, Sue. Educational Psychology for Learning and Teaching, 5th Edition. Cengage Learning AUS, 20151007. VitalBook file.

Question 38

Discuss how you could ensure inclusion of a child with a physical disability or chronic health condition

Answer 38

Children with physical disabilities enjoy a high degree of inclusion in regular school environments. Children with chronic health conditions, however, may miss a larger number of days of school compared with other children. Physical adaptations to the school environment have improved access to school for many children with physical or mobility restrictions, but special attention is required to keep a child with a chronic condition on track with school work and meeting educational outcomes:
Assess mobility and access in all areas of school life, including the built environment and during school excursions and other out-of-school activities. It is discriminatory to plan activities in which children have no option of participation due to their disability or health condition
- Consider use of technology or provide options to communicate in various ways eg picture, orally, sign language, consider medical needs,

Question 39

What are strategies that you can implement for inclusion in the classroom?

Answer 39

1. Modelling respect for students, solving disputes with students calmly and respectfully, and creating a ‘safe space’ for discussing troubling issues.
2. Monitor peer acceptance and peer understanding; implement tolerance and diversity training programs where necessary, but respect the privacy of the child at all times. Never disclose the child’s condition without their and their parent’s express consent and consideration of the consequences
3. Consider your language and avoid use of labels