Inclusive Education: A Teacher's Perspective

Importance of Inclusive Education

• Opportunity for all students to attend local schools with peers, including those with disabilities.
• Inclusive education can significantly change lives.

Early Teaching Experience (1983)

• Became a teacher at a new special school in a rural town.
• Students aged 5-17 with disabilities or learning difficulties, often from poor backgrounds.
• Students were removed from their local schools, leading to ostracization and labelling as inadequate.
• Research indicates special education limits life opportunities and impacts education quality.

Experience in Queensland (1985)

• Taught at a school attached to an institution for people with disabilities.
• Many students were wards of the state, often having minimal family contact.
• Children lived in dormitories; some were locked in cages with little stimulation.
• Self-stimulatory behavior was prevalent due to anxiety, loneliness, and boredom.
• Living conditions were dehumanizing and negatively impacted development.

Teaching in London (1989)

• Worked at a special school where students lived at home but rarely interacted with non-disabled peers.
• Students exhibited inappropriate behaviors due to lack of role models and social interaction.
• Highlighted the missed opportunities for development in inclusive settings.

Transition to Inclusion (1990s)

• Upon returning to Australia, inclusion of students with disabilities in mainstream schools began.
• Special classrooms often situated away from mainstream peers, conveying negative messages of segregation.
• Continued segregation reminiscent of 1800s attitudes towards people with disabilities.

Current Trends and Research

• Global movement towards inclusive education for all students.
• Evidence demonstrates benefits of inclusive educational environments for both disabled and non-disabled students.
• Inclusive pathways lead to better life outcomes, social integration, and opportunities for disabled students.

Personal Reflection

• Encouraged to consider the impact of inclusive education on children with disabilities.
• Emphasized the need for community involvement and breaking down social barriers.

Language and Attitudes

• Call to shift language from "students with special needs" to "students with disabilities."
• Outdated language hinders inclusivity and understanding.

Conclusion

• Commitment to inclusive education is crucial for a socially just society.
• Encouragement for individuals to engage inclusively in their social circles and communities.