Page |1

Inclusive Education Essay

The Disability Discrimination Act 1992, defines disability as involving “physical,

intellectual, psychiatric, sensory, neurological and learning disabilities. It also includes

physical disfigurement and the presence in the body of disease-causing organisms, such as the

HIV virus” (DDA, vUWS, p.1) Since the 1970’s there has been a progressively firm push for

people with disabilities to be included in mainstream education in Australia, and today,

Australian schooling has become much more diverse. The diversity of students ranges in

ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, ability, language and/or socio-economic circumstance.

This brings a level of complexity to being an educator in the modern world. Since the

introduction of Disability Discrimination Act 1992, and the Disability Standards for Education

2005, students with a disability, who would otherwise have been ‘othered’, are being

introduced to the general education classroom for the purpose of ‘inclusion’. All these diverse

learners are integrated into the same system of learning, where it is up to the educators to bring

flexibility to the processes of learning in the classroom.

The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA), prevents the discrimination of people

with disabilities. The DDA defines discrimination as “when a person with a disability is treated

less favourably than a person without the disability in the same or similar circumstances”.

(DDA, vUWS, p.1). It also aims to create equity in society by providing access and support for

those diagnosed with a disability. The Act decrees that Australia must acknowledge the gap in

accessibility and structures, which might prevent a person with a disability from being

included. Every facet of Australian society must work to provide “equal access and opportunity

for people with a disability” (DDA, vUWS, p.2). The Disability Standards for Education 2005

(DSE), is an appendage of the DDA. This includes all aspects of the DDA, but directly

correlates to the schooling of people with a disability. Specifically, the DSE covers the

enrolment, participation, curriculum delivery, and classroom support of people with a

Jessica Hayter Inclusive Education, Theory, Policy & Practice

18139336 Essay 1
 Page |2

disability. The DSE outlines the necessary ‘adjustments’ to be made for the inclusion of a

student with a disability. In Part 3 of the DSE, it provides a detailed outline of what adjustments

should be undertaken to provide a typical education to students that may require additional

support, and structures for learning. However, the adjustment must be judged as ‘reasonable’.

A ‘reasonable’ adjustment must “effect the students’ ability to achieve the learning outcomes,

and the ability to participate in the course programs, and [effect their] independence” (DSE,

vUWS, Section 3.4), while not exceeding the reasonable bounds of cost, or stress upon the

school, or staff. The DDA and the DSE are the foundations for societal behaviour and support,

for the successful inclusion of people with disabilities.

Specifically, in regard to education, the NSW Government has since introduced the

‘Every Student, Every School’: Learning and Support initiative (NSW Education &

Communities, 2012), which highlights the dedication and mission of the Department of

Education in meeting the requirements of the DDA and DSE. From this the Department of

Education and Training has developed documents to aid teachers in implementing these

requirements in general education settings; such as the ‘Planning for Personalised Learning

and Support: A National Resource’, and ‘Differentiation Considerations for Students with

ASD’. These documents are good resources for educators working towards inclusive education.

Inclusive education is a relatively new concept, as the ‘community care’ model has only

come into effect in Australia, since the 1970’s (Department of Social Services, 2009). Prior to

this, disability was a private matter, and people with a disability were segregated from society,

and educated in ‘special’ schools (PWDA, History, 2010). With the Disability Services Act

1986, the government gave funding, and support, to families associated with a person with a

disability, in order to enrich their lives, and provide more social inclusion. The Australian

Government of United Nations Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2008

(CRPD), introduced more support structures for people with a disability, in order to lead a

Jessica Hayter Inclusive Education, Theory, Policy & Practice

18139336 Essay 1
 Page |3

‘normal’ life. Each of these legislations provide progressively more rights for persons with

disabilities, aiming towards complete societal integration. Konza (2008) credits the changing

views of legislation to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989.

According to Konza (2008), this triggered a social justice movement, and so began the

‘normalisation’ of disability (p.39).

Since the 1970’s, this ‘social justice movement’ based on Human Rights, has achieved

a change in terminology regarding disability. Derogatory terms such as ‘retard’, or ‘spastic’

are not used anymore (PWDA, Terminology, 2010). The terminology has evolved from

deficient-based to person-first, making the focus about the person, rather than focusing on what

they are unable to do, due their disability. In terms of medical diagnoses, a notable change in

terminology occurred in regard to the way Asperger’s, Autism and Pervasive Developmental

Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PPD-NOS) are diagnosed. Prior to 2013, the Diagnostic

and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, no.5, (DSM-5), separated Asperger’s, Autism and

PDD—NOS as being differing disorders with different symptoms. However, after 2013, all

three diagnoses, Asperger’s, Autism and PDD-NOS came to be known as Autism Spectrum

Disorder (ASD) (Cowie, 2017). Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is colloquially referred to

as being ‘on the spectrum’. ASD is a disorder which overall impairs the persons communication

and social interaction skills, and they generally cannot cope with changes in routine or

predictability. In addition to this, people on the Autism Spectrum may also have “unusual

sensory interests, […or] sensory sensitivities including avoiding everyday sounds and textures

such as […] sand, [and/or] they may also have intellectual impairment or learning difficulties”

(Autism Spectrum, 2017). There are different levels of severity of this disorder; level one which

requires little support, and level three which requires a high level of support (Parent Connect,

2017). Every case of ASD is unique.

Jessica Hayter Inclusive Education, Theory, Policy & Practice

18139336 Essay 1
 Page |4

Inclusive education is about students with disabilities, like ASD, or even Dyslexia,

being integrated into general education classrooms, and learning alongside their peers. Slee (as

referenced by Loreman, et al., 2011), described inclusive education as “instruction targeted

towards the strengths and needs of the individual student, while at the same time remaining

inclusive in terms of the daily curriculum and activities conducted in the classroom (p10-11).

Disability differentiation must be based on what is outlined on their Individualised Education

Plans (IEP). This IEP is created in collaboration with parents, teachers and learning support

teachers to highlight what the student’s ability is, their strengths and weaknesses, and what

support they require to successfully achieve the lesson outcomes. The teacher simply needs to

adhere to IEP recommendations and create lessons with adequate ‘adjustments’ to suit the

students diagnoses (Cowie, 2017). The IEP is only one part to a whole. For example, the

Department of Education and Training released this document; ‘Differentiation Considerations

for Students with ASD’, which provides recommendations on how teachers can differentiate

their content, method, assessment and learning environment, specifically for ASD learners. It

recommends teachers, to, “[u]se a multi-sensory approach to teaching and learning by

providing objects to hold and manipulate, a variety of tools to write and manipulate, visual cues

and models, concise verbal prompts and cues and routine cues” (p.2). This is not too far from

how most learners have different learning styles that need multiple instruction types, ie visual,

aural, and verbal. To integrate the above recommendation in an English lesson involving

handwriting, a reasonable adjustment for someone with Dyslexia, would be to use their

Assistive Technology (AT) for voice-to-text (Dyslexia Help, 2017); and a reasonable

adjustment for a student with ASD could be to utilise a pencil grip to give sensory aid (Autism

Community, 2010). These examples both reflect recommendations in the ‘Considerations for

Students with ASD’ document. These adjustments do not differ much from typical

differentiation, with the exception of sensory aids, or time needed for transitions, which is

Jessica Hayter Inclusive Education, Theory, Policy & Practice

18139336 Essay 1
 Page |5

specifically ASD. Therefore, some students do not necessarily require curriculum based

adjustments, just considerations to stabilise the school experience for students with disability.

The advantage of an inclusive classroom, is that students with a disability are able to

socialise with students without a disability. This builds a sense of community. The advantage

for students with a disability is that they will “have regular peers as models [for] behaviour,

problem-solving and other cognitive skills in cooperative groupings” (Konza, 2008, p.40).

Furthermore, exposing typical students to students with disabilities will provide them with an

opportunity to change their attitudes. This “allows typical students to see that, just like

themselves, students with disabilities have strengths and weakness, and good days and bad

days” (Westwood & Graham, as referenced by Konza, 2008, p.40). By including students with

a disability, it builds a community based on tolerance and respect, which they will take with

them once they depart school, and go out into society. This is one reason that inclusive

education is championed in government legislations.

There is a lot of pressure being put upon a classroom teacher to differentiate lessons to

a classroom that may consist of 25 typical students and, perhaps, one student with a disability,

one gifted and talented, and two students who speak English as their second language. Teachers

need to be trained and experienced to cope in an inclusive classroom (Konza, 2008, p.49).

Positive teacher attitudes are necessary for success, and teachers must be prepared to work with

students with a disability in their classroom. Professional skills must include, organisation,

creativity and consistency in planning the lessons; and flexibility, adaptability, and resilience

in teaching the lessons; and finally, there must be the overarching skills of patience and

leadership. To justify the need for these professional skills, the planning and instruction parts

of teaching require different skills. The planning of lessons must be organised in advance.

Programming requires teachers to search for additional resources, or to organise the school to

source appropriate Assistive Technology for specific students. Then, creativity is needed to

Jessica Hayter Inclusive Education, Theory, Policy & Practice

18139336 Essay 1
 Page |6

plan the lessons, specifically for English teachers, as the NSW syllabus is not definitive.

Lessons in English must meet outcomes, but the way they are reached is up to the English

teacher. Another aspect of planning lessons is consistency. While planning, activities need to

mimic the lesson prior, to keep the lesson structure consistent. Consistency will aid students

with ASD, but also typical students, as they will know what is required of them in each lesson.

While educators spend hours planning their lessons, when it comes time to put them into

practice in the classroom, the lessons do not always go to plan. This is when teachers will

require flexibility, and adaptability, in moving onto a new activity. Very organised teachers

will already have these back-up adjustments planned into their lessons. A key skill that all pre-

service teachers must learn is resilience. It is perseverance, in the face of successive failures.

A teacher will not succeed every lesson, of every day, and must not let it stop them. While all

of these listed skills are necessary for teachers to have, I believe overall, patience and leadership

is most important. They must underpin all professional skills in teaching. Before people go to

university and study to become educators, they must possess patience, and leadership skill.

There is only so much that can be taught in pre-service teacher training. In practice, teachers

must be patient with all types of students, and if one activity fails, they will try another way,

calmly and rationally; and through their leadership, all students will achieve academic success.

In conclusion, inclusive education is blind to disability, and values the immersion of all

types of students into one learning environment, opposed to segregation (UNESCO, 1994).

However, it does require teacher skill. The development of the Disability Discrimination Act

1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005 have been incorporated into the running

of schools, followed up with multiple initiatives, such as the ‘Every Student, Every School’

initiative, aimed at successful inclusion of students with disabilities into mainstream schooling.

To see how far the government has come, we need only revert our attention to the fact that

disability is now a publicly funded, and supported issue, compared to that of the 1970s, when

Jessica Hayter Inclusive Education, Theory, Policy & Practice

18139336 Essay 1
 Page |7

families of people with disabilities, were left to fund and support their family members in

private. Society is now more aware of social justice issues, such as the derogatory terminology

which surrounded the disabled jargon, which has since been rectified. Social inclusion is

already happening. Teachers are being trained in all aspects of professional skills and

knowledge, and once they are out in the workforce, teachers are prepared to differentiate

classroom instruction and support all learners; blind to ability or disability.

Jessica Hayter Inclusive Education, Theory, Policy & Practice

18139336 Essay 1
 Page |8

References

Autism Community. (2010). Assistive Technology. Retrieved from Autism Community:

http://www.autism-community.com/education/assistive-technology/

Autism Spectrum Australia. (2017). What is Autism? Retrieved from Autism Spectrum Australia:

https://www.autismspectrum.org.au/content/what-autism

Cowie, S. (2017, Jul 25). Key Issues regarding Inclusion in Australia: Attitudes and Changes. Inclusive

Education Lecture 2. Kingswood, NSW, Australia: Western Sydney University.

Cowie, S. (2017, Aug 15). Working Collaboratively with Stakeholders and IEPs. Inclusive Education

Lecture 5. Kingswood, NSW, Australia: Western Sydney University.

Department of Education and Training. (1992). Disibility Discrimination Act 1992. Retrieved from

vUWS: www.vuws.westernsydney.edu.au

Department of Education and Training. (2016). Differentiation Considerations for Students with ASD.

Retrieved from Queensland Government Department of Education:

http://education.qld.gov.au/asd-online-resource-

kit/schools/curriculum_access/docs/differentiation-considerations.doc

Department of Social Services. (2009). SHUT OUT: The Experience of People with Disabilities and their

Families in Australia. Retrieved from Australian Government Department of Social Services:

https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/disability-and-carers/publications-

articles/policy-research/shut-out-the-experience-of-people-with-disabilities-and-their-

families-in-australia?HTML

Dyslexia Help. (2017). Software and Assistive Technology. Retrieved from Dyslexia Help:

http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/tools/software-assistive-technology

Jessica Hayter Inclusive Education, Theory, Policy & Practice

18139336 Essay 1
 Page |9

Konza, D. (2008). Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in New Times: Responding to the Challenge.

In P. Kell, W. Vialle, D. Konza, & G. Vogl (Eds.), Learning and the learner: exploring learning

for new times, (pp. 39-64). University of Wollongong.

Lewis, A. (1999). Changing Views of Special Educational Needs. Education, 27(3), 3-13.

doi:10.1080/03004279985200311

Loreman, T., Deppeler, J., & Harvey, D. (2011). Inclusive Education: Supporting Diversity in the

Classroom. A&U Academic.

NSW Education and Communities. (2012). Every Student, Every School Learning and Support

initiative. Retrieved from NSW Government of Education:

https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/media/downloads/about-us/how-we-operate/national-

partnerships-program/every-student-every-school/learning-and-support.pdf

Parent Connect. (2017). Autism - DSM 5 Diagnosis Severity Levels for Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Retrieved from Parent Connect: http://www.parentconnect.org.au/resources/autism/dsm5-

asd-diagnosis-severity-levels-for-autism-spectrum-disorder

PWDA. (2010). History of Disability Rights Movement in Australia. Retrieved from Peoples With

Disability Australia: http://www.pwd.org.au/student-section/history-of-disability-rights-

movement-in-australia.html

PWDA. (2010). Terminology. Retrieved from Persons With Disability Australia:

http://www.pwd.org.au/student-section/terminology-used-by-pwda.html

Ruddock, P. M. (2005). Disability Standards for Education 2005. Retrieved from vUWS:

www.vuws.westernsydney.edu.au

UNESCO. (1994). The Salamanca Statement. Retrieved from

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0ahUKEwj

Jessica Hayter Inclusive Education, Theory, Policy & Practice

18139336 Essay 1
 P a g e | 10

LgrjM2t3VAhWCTrwKHf2ICG8QFgguMAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Funesdoc.unesco.org%2Fimag

es%2F0009%2F000984%2F098427eo.pdf&usg=AFQjCNF1CP5T3x12Eqv2IrxqrOo5WZPHUA

UNICEF. (1989). Conventions of the Rights of the Child. Retrieved from UNICEF:

https://www.unicef.org/crc/

Jessica Hayter Inclusive Education, Theory, Policy & Practice

18139336 Essay 1