EDF1039

Sarah-Louise McLean

EDF 1039 Assignment 1

Critical Essay/Narrative on inclusive partnership practices in early
childhood
Denise Chapman Wednesday 9am
Sarah-Louise McLean
26098113

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Sarah-Louise McLean

Inclusion is at the forefront of every childs learning. It is here that they will
learn the necessary skills to include other people from different nationalities,
those who are smaller or bigger, people at different development levels, and
people who may look different to them. It is up to us as educators to ensure
that these life lessons are learnt. My focus is on the inclusion of children with
disabilities and special needs in early childhood settings. My particular focus
is the integration of special needs children into main streaming schooling and
in early childhood settings from ages 0-8 years old.
In Australia the Federal policy promotes the availability of flexible and high
quality child care for young children of working parents and particularly for
children with additional needs. Both the commonwealth and state schemes
are designed to assist inclusion of children with disabilities in early childhood
services (Llewellyn, Thompson and Fante, 2014) and each legislation must
adhere to the Disability Discrimination act 1992 The objects of this Act are
to eliminate, as far as possible, discrimination against persons on the ground
of disability in the areas of, work, accommodation, education, access
to premises, clubs and sport; and, the provision of goods,
facilities, services and land; and existing laws; and the administration
of Commonwealth laws and programs; and to ensure, as far as practicable,
that persons with disabilities have the same rights to equality before the law
as the rest of the community; and to promote recognition and acceptance
within the community of the principle that persons with disabilities have the
same fundamental rights as the rest of the community (Austlii.edu.au, 2014).
Under the department of education there is a National Disabilities strategy
which is a ten year national policy framework for improving life for Australians
with disability, their families and carers. It represents a commitment by all
levels of government, industry and the community to a unified, national
approach to policy and program development.

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Sarah-Louise McLean

This new approach will assist in addressing the challenges faced by people
with disability, both now and into the future (DSS.gov.au, 2014)
The Strategy is a ten year national policy framework that sets out six priority
areas for action to improve the lives of people with disability, their families and
carers. These are:

Inclusive and accessible communitiesthe physical environment

including public transport; parks, buildings and housing; digital information
and communications technologies; civic life including social, sporting,
recreational and cultural life.

Rights protection, justice and legislationstatutory protections such as

anti-discrimination measures, complaints mechanisms, advocacy, the
electoral and justice systems.

Economic securityjobs, business opportunities, financial

independence, adequate income support for those not able to work, and
housing.

Personal and community supportinclusion and participation in the

community, person-centred care and support provided by specialist
disability services and mainstream services; informal care and support.

Learning and skillsearly childhood education and care, schools,

further education, vocational education; transitions from education to
employment; life-long learning.

Health and wellbeinghealth services, health promotion and the

interaction between health and disability systems; wellbeing and enjoyment
of life.

The National Disability Strategy will guide public policy across governments
and aims to bring about change in all mainstream services and programs as
well as community infrastructure. It is the first time the Commonwealth, State
and Territory Governments have agreed to such a wide ranging set of
directions for disability (DSS.gov.au, 2014)

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Sarah-Louise McLean

The purpose of these schemes, strategies and policies are to ensure that all
children have the same access to education and support. Without these
policies it would be hard to know if inclusion would be available. In Australia
those who were disabled were not integrated into society until the 1970s- it is
these policies that will continue to help integrate them into society and into
mainstream schooling and education. Whilst sometimes mainstream
schooling is not applicable to all, these policies help achieve the same level of
education as their main stream peers, with the added aide needed and
specially trained teachers and educators who understand the special needs
these child need.
Inclusive education involves embracing human diversity and welcoming all
children and adults as equal members of an educational community. This
involves valuing and supporting the full participation of all people together
within mainstream educational settings. Inclusive education requires
recognising and upholding the rights of all children and adults and
understanding human diversity as a rich resource and an everyday part of all
human environments and interactions. Inclusive education is an approach to
education free from discriminatory beliefs, attitudes and practices, including
free from ableism. Inclusive education requires putting inclusive values into
action to ensure all children and adults belong, participate and flourish
(Cologon, 2013).

From birth, children begin developing immediately. Following Piagets theory

of cognitive development, I would like to explore the development of children
from the ages of 0-8. From the ages of 0-4 children in Australia are placed
either in childcare or kindergarten where they begin their education journey.
Following the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) set by the Australian
government and the Department of Education in Australia, educators are
given outcomes to adhere to and abide by in assessing children and their
abilities- on a learning scale and developmental scale.

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Sarah-Louise McLean

It is here where special needs children become apparent and may need
assistance.
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development have
introduced the Kindergarten Inclusion Support packages that aim to build the
capacity of funded kindergartens to support the access and participation of
children: with a disability and high support needs and/or with complex medical
needs (Education.voc.gov.au, 2014) allowing for integration by supporting
kindergartens that include those with disabilities and special needs.
During the early learning stages of development a child will go through 2
developmental stages before reaching primary school: the sensory motor
stage (birth-2 years) and the pre-operational stage (2 years 7 years). It is in
these two stages where the most vital learning and development occur.
Here is a break down of the developmental changes that happen in the first
two stages of cognitive development:
1. The first stage: Sensory motor stage (birth two years old) during
this stage infants begin to construct knowledge and begin to
understand about the manipulation of objects. Meaning infants can
continue to looks for objects even after they have been taken awaythis is called object performance. During this stage children are also
able to like number to objects (Piaget 1977) (Ojose, 2008).
2. The second stage- Preoperational Stage (two years- 7 years): During
this stage thought processes being to develop, as does the expansion
of vocabulary, and symbolic thought (this is why play based learning is
used during pre-school). During this stage a childs thinking begins to
develop more like our thinking in terms of right and wrong.

These stages of learning are imperative for any child and some times it is
here where children are found to have an intellectual, behavioural/emotional
disabilities.

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Sarah-Louise McLean

Special needs conclude to those children who have extra educational

requirements resulting from learning difficulties, physical disability, or
emotional and behavioural difficulties (oxforddictionaries.com, 2014).
With the help of parents, peers and faculties these difficulties can be
maintained and aided.
The importance of integration in early childhood settings allows for children to
learn at a steady and seemingly normal rate to those who do not require aide.
It also allows children to understand and accept everyone as an individual. It
encompasses compassion and consideration in the later years of learning and
development and allows children to make informed decisions and opinions of
those with special needs and help fade out the preconceived ideas of special
needs and will allow for further generational integration and acceptance.
Not only this, but integration of special needs children into mainstream
schooling will allow special needs children to not feel isolated and alone as
they progress through their learning and development journey.
The importance of educational partnerships in order to create and sustain
inclusion education is imperative. Without the development of policies and
strategies for inclusion education by the government it would be very difficult
to integrate students and know that they are being treated with equity and
equality. Partnerships dont just include legislation they include the immediate
family of the child, their peers, and the greater community.
Without the partnerships between the family and educators, parents would not
know to what extent their child is developing, what they can do at home to aid
their childs development in terms of extra exercises and classes that may
need to be taken.

With the development of educational partnerships we as educators are

gaining:

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Sarah-Louise McLean

1. Improved morale;
2. Positive teaching experiences;
3. More support and appreciation from families;
4. Fewer discipline problems;
5. Responsive students;
6. Less stress and frustration;
7. Awareness of family diversity with less stereotyping;
8. Closer relationships with students; and
9. Higher expectations for all students.
The school benefits by gaining:
1. Better communication among all parties;
2. Improved student discipline;
3. Reduced school violence;
4. Better working conditions for faculty and staff;
5. Better acceptance and understanding of diverse students and their families;
6. Enhanced interpersonal relationships among students;

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Sarah-Louise McLean

7. Enhanced attitudes, communication, and relationships among teachers,

students, and families
8. More family participation in school events.
The families benefit by gaining:
1. Increased power and understanding of education;
2. Closer relationships with their children;
3. Better community support (Cox-Peterson, 2011)

In conclusion, the importance of integration into mainstream schooling,

specifically inclusion in early childhood settings is beneficial for both special
needs children and main stream children, as it allows for preconceived
notions of special needs children to be erased as main stream children form
their own opinions and ideas based on integration.
The help of educational partnerships between the Australian government,
schools, teachers, families and students will allow for greater integration,
equity and equality and accesses for those who need it most. Educational
partnership will allow access for success (McDonald, 2014).
Whilst special needs and disabled children may not continue in mainstream
schooling, it is apparent that legislation and governments enforce equal
learning and access for all.

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Sarah-Louise McLean

References
Austlii.edu.au,. (2014). DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ACT 1992 - SECT
3Objects. Retrieved 9 September 2014, from
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/dda1992264/s3.html
Cologon, K. (2013). Inclusion in education: towards equality for students with
disability. Children With Disability Australia.
Cox-Petersen, A. (2011). Educational partnerships (1st ed., p. Chapter 1). Los
Angeles: SAGE.
Dss.gov.au,. (2014). National Disability Strategy. Retrieved 9 September
2014, from http://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/disability-andcarers/program-services/government-international/national-disabilitystrategy
Education.vic.gov.au,. (2014). Kindergarten Inclusion Support Packages.
Retrieved 9 September 2014, from
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/parents/needs/Pages/kinderincl
usion.aspx
Llewellyn, G., Thompson, K., & Fante, M. (2014). Inclusion in Early Childhood
Services: Ongoing Challenges. Australian Journal Of Early
Childhood, 27(3).
McDonald, A. (2014). Monash University.
Ojose, B. (2008). Applying Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development to
Mathematics Instruction.Mathematics Educator, 18(1), 26--30.
Oxforddictionaries.com,. (2014). special needs: definition of special needs in
Oxford dictionary (British & World English). Retrieved 9 September 2014,
from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/special-needs