Inclusive Education

Assignment 1

The broad topic of inclusive education is an important concept that is regularly misinterpreted and

spurned in many Australian classrooms (Odom, Buysse, & Soukakou, 2011). Inclusive education

can be defined as the inclusion of all students in an education setting, without the segregation of

any students (Cologon, 2015). The concept of inclusive education is aimed at students with

disabilities, allowing their full-time inclusion in the classroom with no discrimination, removing all

barriers originally placed between students with disabilities and their peers (Konza, 2008). This

paper will focus on the historical timeline and changing views of inclusive education legislation,

through the Disability Standards for Education, 2005 as well as the Disability Discrimination Act,

1992, leading to a change in terminology in the early 1900’s (Odom, Buysse, & Soukakou, 2011).

These legislations, will lead to an understanding of the evolved perception of inclusive education,

resulting in an accepting education environment for all students irrespective of their background

and conditions (Keeffe-Martin, 2001). However, it is evident that the inclusion of all students cannot

be achieved without the support and effort from school bodies, teachers, parents and the

community. Evident research accentuates teachers to use skill in order to differentiate class content

and activities to meet the needs of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) along with other

common disabilities.

Through the collaboration of a universal response, the United Nations confirmed a Convention on

the rights of people with disabilities in 2008, with a vast majority of its support coming from

Australia (Kayess & French, 2008). This convention was confirmed in order to promote fair and

equal roles of people with disabilities, resulting in paving its role in the lives of students with

disabilities and its overall affect in classrooms (Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth,

2013, pp. 4). According to Westwood & Graham (2003), the Australian classroom has previously
always shown an open view on students with ASD and other disabilities, highlighting the importance

of inclusive education in the Australian education system.

Students with disabilities, were taught in segregated classrooms for almost a century, before

Australia began to include students with disabilities in mainstream classrooms throughout the

1970’s (Konza, 2008). Australia, became open to research showing the minimal effect segregated

classrooms were having on students with disabilities, alongside the cultural perception change on

the education of students with special needs (Konza, 2008). This perception was altered through the

research from the Karmel report in the early 1970’s (Forlin, 2006). The report accentuated the rights

of children, leading to the concept of establishing a classroom for all students (Forlin, 2006). After

the integration of students into mainstream classrooms in the 1970’s, all students were provided

with an “appropriate education” rather than having segregated classrooms distinguishing between

‘special education’ and ‘normal education’ (Konza, 2008), resulting in the principle of normalisation

(Forlin, 2006). The normalisation principle states that students with disabilities, have the right to

education in an environment that is deemed “normal” (Konza, 2008). By this stage, the phrase

‘inclusive education’ was altered to fit all learning needs and abilities, not just students with

disabilities, in order to deliver a quality education to all students (Anderson & Boyle 2015). In the

1980’s, Australian policy changed according to research alongside international change, to allow all

students the right to enrol and attend their local school (Graham & Jahnukainen, 2011), giving

students the opportunity to contribute to their communities and be respected equally (Konza,

2008).

According to Keeffe-Martin (2001), families of students with disabilities, rely on Australia’s

legislation to save them from education discrimination, giving all students the right to equal learning

opportunities in schools (Westwood & Graham, 2003). The Disability Discrimination Act (1992) (DDA)

states that it is unlawful and prohibited to discriminate against people with disabilities, dividing the

legislation into two sections, direct discrimination and indirect discrimination (Hampton & Gosden,
2004). Direct discrimination refers to directly affecting the entire course of progress for a student

due to their disability, whereas indirect discrimination refers to preventing the participation of

students with disabilities in certain course programs/activities (Hampton & Gosden, 2004). All state

and territories within Australia, have the obligation to comply with this Act, irrelevant of the type of

school. This is supported by the Anti-Discrimination Act, 1977 in New South Wales (Australian

Human Rights Commission, 2014). The Australian Disability Standards for Education Act (2005)

(DSE), focuses on the significant effect that indirect discrimination can have on students with

disabilities, thus concentrating on adjustment mechanisms to promote the participation and

experience of students with disabilities in the classroom (Boyle et al., 2011). The DSE concentrates

on providing the same opportunities on the ‘same basis’ for all students, by adjusting and

accommodating their learning programs, providing all students with the same opportunities and

changing perceptions within the battle of inclusive education (University of Canberra, 2014).

Through the DDA and DSE, legislation accentuates the necessity of schools to provide teacher

training and assistance in adjustment in the classroom, for students with disabilities, rather than

creating a whole new curriculum for these students (Boyle et al., 2011). This correlates with

guideline 29 of the UNESCO Salamanca Statement, which highlights the need for modification in the

classroom to assist students with disabilities to reach their overall goals (Boyle et al., 2011). Personal

learning adjustments should be made in correlation with parents, allowing for contribution and

acceptance from all parties involved, making the adjustment reasonable (Department of Education

and Training, 2012).

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2014), there were 295,000 young people with

a disability that attended schools in Australia in 2012, with 86% attending mainstream schools.

114,000 students attending mainstream schools, had profound/severe disabilities, accentuating the

crucial need for student adjustment due to core activity limitation (ABS, 2014). 40% of these

students have disabilities in autism, physical, intellectual, vision, mental health or hearing (ABS,
2014). According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) (2017), there was an

increase of almost 100,000 people gaining autism, between 2009 to 2015. Autism was first

acknowledged in the early 1800’s, however its definition has been modified and altered various

times to best fit current research (Cook & Willmerdinger, 2015). Depending on communication

abilities, thinking, organisational skills and planning, ASD varies between mild and severe cases

(AIHW, 2017). Therefore, it is evident that teachers should be aware of student impairments with

ASD and the difficulties they face in mainstream classrooms (Australian Advisory Board on Autism

Spectrum Disorders, 2010). The most common difficulties for students with ASD are social

communication and interaction, and repetitive or restricted behaviours (AIHW, 2017). These

difficulties should be considered while organising class activities, in order to eliminate any

discomfort, felt by students with ASD and to enhance their learning (Australian Advisory Board on

Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2010). Many children are continuously being diagnosed with learning

and behavioural difficulties, which accentuates the notion that teachers should have knowledge on

inclusive education and the proper skills to apply them in the classroom (Smith & Tyler, 2011).

In accordance with Crosland & Dunlap (2012), efficient teaching strategies are planned for the

success of inclusion. Environments should be modified in advanced, in order to prevent problems

occurring and to ensure all students are receiving equal learning opportunities (Crosland & Dunlap

2012). Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition, affecting an individual’s

interaction with the environment and others socially (Autism Spectrum Australia, 2017). According

to University of North Carolina (2017), students with ASD have a connection to understanding

through a visual-spatial method, also benefitting other students, such as students with hearing

impairments and visual learners. In the science classroom, environments and activities can be

modified through providing visual assessments for students with ASD. Experiments in science, can be

altered for students with ASD, by showing them a visual representation of the experiment through

images or videos and then placing them in groups with gifted and talented students for assistance
throughout the experiment. Delayed contingencies and peer-mediated interaction will result in

successful education through inclusion in the classroom for students with ASD (Crosland & Dunlap,

2012). In the science classroom, inquiry based learning (IBL) is a pedagogy that is best implemented

to generate critically thinking and enquiry through a student-centred approach (Van Driel & Berry,

2012), thus promoting the learning environment for students with ASD, allowing them to study in an

environment with peer-support and delayed contingencies, benefitting learning progress (Crosland

& Dunlap, 2012). IBL is applied in the science classroom, through the implementation of

collaborative and cooperative learning, emphasising the importance of interaction and being able to

work with all types of students (Van Driel & Berry, 2012). The use of cooperative and collaborative

learning, ASD students will be able to socialise with their peers, alongside gain assistance through a

‘flipped classroom’ situation and peer-peer learning (Crosland & Dunlap, 2012).

One of the main difficulties that many teachers face when trying to apply techniques of inclusion for

students with disabilities, is having the skills required to do so (Westwood & Graham, 2003).

Academic research emphasises that the issues that are faced by educators, begin with the attitudes

of teachers towards the concept of working with students with disabilities, as well as the confidence

they have in their management and instructional skills (Avramidis & Norwich, 2002). The attitudes of

teachers will have an overall effect on students with disabilities and should rather take it as

professional growth and understanding, assisting in growing their skills (Boyle et al., 2011).

Generally, teachers have the strive to aim for professional competence, disregarding students with

disabilities, automatically assuming they will not succeed (Konza, 2008). Traditional reward, refers to

teachers reaping the benefits of watching students develop from the inability to do an academic

task, to becoming successful in accomplishing the task (Konza, 2008). However, the perception of

teachers is biased as they aren’t aware that they can also reap the benefits from students with

disabilities due to helping them succeed through pedagogies that benefit them (Konza, 2008).
It is evident, that teachers are lacking in training and education based on preparing, assisting and

benefitting students with disabilities (Westwood & Graham, 2003). The legislation in Australia and

NSW, has allowed for teachers to respect their roles in assisting these students, however the

legislation is lacking teacher training (Avramidis & Norwich, 2002). Organisational and management

skills, according to Konza (2008), is a substantial factor that can help teachers prepare adjustments

and teaching strategies for students with disabilities. Organisation and management, allows for

teachers to prepare their material for learning needs in advanced, and apply feedback and self-

evaluation on chosen strategies based on its success in the classroom (Boyle et al., 2011). The simple

teaching skill of giving clear instruction, can be the essence of passing on knowledge in a classroom

to students with diverse needs (Boutot, 2007). Students with ASD prefer instruction through

multimodal forms, relying on teachers to modify instructional forms to suit their learning needs

(Boutot, 2007). Inclusive education can also be applied through finding resources that are applicable

and efficient in stimulating higher academic performance of students with ASD and other disabilities

(Westwood & Graham, 2003). Differentiation is the key concept in applying adjustments for students

will disabilities, as well as gifted and talented students, low ability students and ELAD, emphasising

that all students learn differently and have different abilities and learning styles that need to be met

in order enhance their learning (Munro, 2012).

In conclusion, it is important to recognise the importance of acceptance for students with

disabilities, by legalities, governments, schools and teachers. Through the Disability Discrimination

Act, 1992 in combination with the Disability Standards for Education, 2005, the legislation that has

allowed for the development of changing views in Australia towards the acceptance of all people

with or without disabilities. Teachers play a major role in the life and overall education of students

with ASD and other disabilities. In collaboration with parents and caregivers, teachers must

collaborate and adjust class content and activities in order to enhance the learning of students with
disabilities. In order to modify and adapt class activities to benefit learning, teachers must portray a

vast spectrum of skills and resources in order to differentiate resulting in inclusive education.
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