Providing inclusive education for students diverse learning

needs, including students with Autism Spectrum disorder

(ASD), in mainstream classrooms and in mathematic
classroom.

By Sarah Hammoud 17356637

Inclusive education is one of the most significant educational ideals among the
educational system. It provides an equitable learning environment for all
students including students with diverse learning and disability needs. This essay
will examine the impact of legislation and policies has had on the educational
system and the influence on inclusive education. The history of Australians view
of students with disabilities. The attitudes and accommodation of teachers have
in the classroom to promote the learning environment for those with disabilities
particularly ASD to an inclusive setting. Discuss how Mathematic KLA Teachers
can adjust and accommodate for those students with Autism Spectrum disorder
(ASD). Finally discuss the role of collaboration with stakeholders in creating a
successful inclusive classroom and community environment.

To understand the the significance of inclusive education, it is important to look

at the history of the attitude towards students with disabilities within the
education system in the 1970 to the present day. In recent years. Only in recent
years, inclusion of students with diverse learning abilities and disabilities come
to be perceived as beneficial to teaching and learning practice. In the past
people with mental issues were viewed as a problem to society and can not
function as normal people, therefore students with mental disabilities were
separated and placed in separate school or educational systems. It was
perceived that students with mental issues such as Autism Spectrum disorder
(ASD) were placed in separate schools where there was trained teachers for
their specific needs. As Loreman discusses at the time that students would need
to adjust to the learning environment instead of the learning practice should be
adapted to the students in the classroom (Loreman et al., 2005). This practice
may be still among some teachers but has decreased significantly overtime due
to legislation and policies that are have been put forward to have inclusive
educational environment for all students particularly with disabilities in public
system. As indicated from data established from Graham & Sweller (2011) that
the number of students with disabilities has increased from approximately 5000
in 1997 to a significant amount of approximately 26 500 in 2007 ( Graham, L. J.
& Sweller, N. 2011).

The NSW Anti-Discrimination Act (1977), the Disability Discrimination Act

(1992), and the Disability Standards for Education (2005) introduced has been
great value in the educational system for equitable learning environment. This
has allowed Australian schools to be inclusive for all students with different
abilities legally but also increase training for teachers. This allows teachers to
be well trained to be able to generate classroom with equitable learning
environment. Students with any mental or physical disabilities can not be
excluded from any public school due to the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act (1977)
that were previously rejected. This allowed students with any disability to feel
capable and equally successful as any other students in the educational system.
The Disability Standard for Education (2005) was created by the regulations
outlined by the Discrimination Act (1977), that it is required by all teachers to
create a equitable learning environment in the classroom for all student with
different abilities. From the Discrimination act (1977), the Disability
Discrimination Act (1992) was standardised by federal law that Australian
citizens with any disability had equal protection. It is great recognition to these
policies and laws that give rights and protection to all students with different
disabilities to have the same prospects as other students in the classroom.

The attitude of the teacher in the classroom play significant role in creating an
inclusive practice. According to Ballard (2012), teachers are the fundamental
leaders in inclusive practices, they are the cause of social change and have
influence on their students (Ballard, 2012). Teachers promote values, model
inclusion and social justice among the students within the classroom. This
promotion can be transmitted further than just in the classroom,
communicating with other teachers, parents and community as a whole can be
great benefit. This is the reason the significants of the teachers attitude can be
beneficial to the students and those surrounding them. The teachers attitude
can be perceived among the students manner, in particular students with ASD
wanting to feel accepted and have importance. Teachers should understand
that each student should be treated as an individual and avoid categorising,
disability affects each person differently. Teachers should look at their ability
and effort not their disability, provide task to reflect on their strengths not what
they can not do. The attitude of the teacher is one of the vital roles that create
an inclusive educational classroom.

Students with different disabilities incorporated into mainstream schooling has

been identified to be great benefit for all students. However, there has are some
difficulties for inclusion practices that need to observed for improvement.
Teachers lacking knowledge and strategies to cater for students with different
disabilities and insufficient training (Shaddock et al., 2007). Before the
Legislation introduced, teachers would have little or no knowledge to cater
students with different abilities. Presently, teachers will at least have some
knowledge and strategies to develop an inclusive environment for students with
different abilities. The benefits of inclusive environment for students with
disabilities are engagement with class peers, improvement of communication
skills, creating friendship, and better social competence. The benefits for
inclusive environment for other students are developing a better understanding
of differences, respect students with differences and increasing their knowledge
through group work or tutoring (Clarke & Pittaway, 2014). Therefore, the
benefits of inclusive practices outweigh the difficulties discussed.

Teacher accommodating for students with different abilities is a significant role

in creating an inclusive learning environment for all students. Having knowledge
of students disability is vital for teachers adjusting lessons and task for an
inclusive environment. Autism is defined by Su (2012) as a neural development
disorder which impairs ones ability to socialise, communication and process
sensory information. People with Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD) receive
sensory information in a different way which causes stress and confusion. Those
with ASD have limited interests and have repetitive behaviour or strict routines
making it difficult fro them to communicate and socialise with others (Su, 2012).
According Ozier (2013) there are effective teaching strategies to help students
with ASD in mathematical setting by improving their critical thinking and
problem solving skills to allow them to solve mathematical problems. According
to Dr Gandins (2006) exploration of people with Autism Spectrum disorder
(ASD), that there are three basic different types of thinking, word specialists,
pattern thinkers and visual thinkers. Using this information, teachers can focus
on instructional strategies to help the students succeed. Students with ASD who
are a visual thinking, teachers can deliberate task that involve pictures, abstract
concepts and create hands on activities. Students with pattern thinking,
teachers can provide tasks that relate to patterns to help them to see the linkage
between among the numbers. Word specialist are great at memorising facts and
data, giving students task involving data and formulas would allow them excel
(Ozier, 2013). However, according Loreman (2007) for inclusive practice to be
beneficial, students with different abilities should not be isolated or create
different task for those students. Teachers should focus on differentiation of
task not individualise task specific for the student. Therefore, teachers should
focus on differentiating the tasks to offer the same learning outcome as the
other students, not isolating them where they have different understanding at
the end of the lesson.

Teachers using Universal design for learning (UDL) is resource promote inclusive
educational environment fro all students with different abilities. Teachers using
the three principles to help create a universal design for students with
disabilities great benefit for effective inclusive practice, multiple means of
representations, multiple means of expression, and multiple means of
engagement. Using multiple means of representation, teacher would need to
develop different means to allow students with different abilities to gain
knowledge and understanding of concepts. Teachers using multiple means of
expressions, providing options for students with different disabilities to express
themselves and their findings. Teachers using multiple means of engagement,
motivating students through task of interest of the student. Collaboratively
using these principles allows teachers to provide a Universal Design for learning
which is beneficial in the process of creating a inclusive educational
environment (The three principles, n.d).

An important aspect of inclusive educational environment is involving

communication through collaboration outside of the classroom, between
teachers and parents. For a successful inclusive practice is teacher cooperating
with the school community and parents. Supportive parents are a vital source in
creating an inclusive school community according to Loreman (2007). The
parents of the students with disabilities are foremost responsible of their
children and have the final say. Parents want what is best for their children and
will support the teachers who share the same view. Supporting staff is also
essential for teachers who has a class with students of different abilities. Staff
can be source of help with communication among family and research of specific
needs of the student with different abilities (Shaddock, et al, 2007). This gives
the best possible outcomes for students with disabilities, when there is effective
collaboration among teacher and staff. This is the reason why it is significant for
teachers, staff and parents to have Collaboration to have a successful inclusive
school community.

In conclusion creating an inclusive educational environment is difficult to

achieve however is necessary for effective teaching for students with different
abilities. With the support and collaboration of staff, parents and community,
qualified and skilled teachers are able to achieve inclusive practice among their
classrooms. People with different disabilities are being incorporated inclusively
in all working environments in Australia which is becoming the norm. Students
being in inclusive environment allow them to adjust in the workforce where they
would need to work together with other people with disabilities not just in
education system. Its is important and obligatory for teachers to develop these
skills to achieve inclusive environment among their classrooms to meet the NSW
Anti-Discrimination Act (1977), the Disability Discrimination Act (1992), and the
Disability Standards for Education (2005). To achieve inclusive educational
inclusive environment, teachers need to adjust and adapt lesson for students
with different abilities, accommodate to the needs of all students, and able to
create a Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Using skills and knowledge
achieved, Mathematic teachers would adjust to create inclusive practice. It is
essential for Australian educational system to continue to adapt inclusive
practices among the classroom, this promotes to achieve higher teacher
standards.

References:

Ballard, K. (2012). Inclusion and social justice: Teachers as agents of

change. In S. Carrington & J. Macarthur (Eds), Teaching in inclusive
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Disability Discrimination Act 1992, Commonwealth of Australia (2010).

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Graham, L. J., & Sweller, N (2011). The inclusion lottery: whos in and
whos out? Tracking inclusion and exclusion in New South Wales
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autism

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Loreman, T. (2007). Seven pillars of support for inclusive education:

Moving from why? to how?. International journal of Whole
schooling, 3(2), 22.

Ozier, L. (2013). Effective Teaching Strategies for Students with Autism.

Retrieved March 26, 2017, from
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808/attachments/ozier.pdf.

Shaddock, A., King, B .S., & Giorcelli, L. (2007). Project to improve

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Su, H. F., Lai, L., & Rivera, H. J. (2012). Effective mathematics

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The Three Principles. (n.d.). Retrieved March 28, 2017, from

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NSW Anti Discrimination Act 1977