Inclusive Education: Laws and Policies

Inclusive learning is about ensuring all your learners have the opportunity to be involved and included in the learning process. It’s also about treating all learners equally and fairly, without directly or indirectly excluding anyone. Inclusion is about attitudes as well as behaviour, as learners can be affected by

This act required the code of practice be introduced for guidance on identification and provision of special educational needs. The role of the SENCO was introduced in schools and parents were able to challenge local authorities about providing for pupils with SEN.

Inclusive practice is about adapting what is being delivered to make learning accessible to everyone regardless of ability, special education need (SEN) or any other barrier that might exist. When planning to meet the needs of everyone in the group it is essential that the teacher has as much information about everyone as possible. (The City and Guilds textbook level 3 Award in Education and Training). Features of inclusive teaching and learning starts with knowing which learning styles your learners prefer, to do this you can use VARK (visual, aural, read/write and kinetic) test which was designed by Neil Fleming to help learners and teachers know what learning methods they are best suited to e.g. in the first lesson my tutor asked for us

In essence, inclusive teaching means teaching in ways that do not exclude learners, accidentally or intentionally, from opportunities to learn. By inclusive we mean valuing the contribution of learners regardless of their backgrounds and value systems. It is not about providing ‘remedial’ or ‘special’ measures for certain groups of learners.

1.1. Inclusive learning is about recognising that all your students have the right to be treated equally and fairly, have the same access to all products, services and have the opportunity to be involved and included. As a teacher you need to be aware that all students are not the same as they all do not learn in the same way, the ways in which a teacher can overcome this is using the Teaching and Learning Cycle, using visual, auditory and kinaesthetic materials (VAK) and agreeing on individual learning plans (ILPs). Other features could include self reflective exercises, quizzes and providing opportunities for students to reflect on their own

The publication of the Warnock Report in 1978 caused ground-breaking changes to the education system. It changed the way in which society viewed children and young people with disabilities, and, moved towards a philosophy for an inclusive education (Moore 2009). Warnock (2010) states that many reports and a considerable amount of legislation have emerged since then, These include, 1981 Education Act establishing the recommendation 's, The National Curriculum 1988, The Education Act 1993, 1994 Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs, Excellence for All Children 1997, 2001 SEN and Disability Act, ‘Barriers to Inclusion ' (Department for Education and Skills 2004) ‘Special Educational Needs: A New Look (2005). In the 2005 review Warnock suggests that there should be no priority made to mainstream or special schools, only the needs of the child, also, either setting should be considered as long as it has provision to support the needs of the pupil (Warnock, Norwich and Terzi, 2010) HAVE I REF ALL ABOVE CORRECTLY???????

In a contemporary Australian school setting, inclusion is the ongoing collaboration of all members of the school community to effectively meet the diverse needs of all students, including those with additional needs (Blackmore, 2009; Lyons, 2014). All students regardless of their cultural background or ability level should experience an enriching education where they feel included and supported. Creating inclusive cultures, producing inclusive policies and evolving inclusive practices are the best ways to promote learning and participation in schools for all students (Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education, 2012; Dempsey, 2014).

On October 1st 2010, the Equality Act came into force. This consolidated and strengthened the previous equality laws. This act prevents children and their families from being discriminated, victimised or harassed because of their age, sex, race, religion or disability. Through this act each child, whether already in the setting, or applying through admissions, will be treated in a fair and equal way, with aims for all children to have reasonable provisions to allow them to access all educational areas. Although a school is not expected to make adjustments that are not reasonable, they are expected to make general adjustments, reasonably planned within the school’s approach to planning for SEN children. The Equality Act 2010 outlines four definitions of discrimination, direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, discrimination arising from a disability and harassment and victimisation. This allows school settings to have clearer expectations and implement them. The Equality Act 2010 and the Discrimination Disability Act (DDA) (2005) both aim to ensure each and every child has access to a broad and balanced academic and social curriculum. Following this code of practice in a school, confirms that all members of staff provide the same high-quality teaching to children, as well as displaying professional behaviour.

The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA) introduces the right for disabled students not to be discriminated against in education, training and any services provided wholly or mainly for students, and for those enrolled on courses provided by ‘responsible bodies’, including further and higher education institutions and sixth form colleges. Education providers must also make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to ensure that disabled students aren’t discriminated against.  Making reasonable adjustments could include;

Creating an inclusive learning environment is an extremely important aspect of modern education, which, according to Gravells (2008: p18), ensures that “[…] all learners are entitled to be treated with respect and dignity. Everyone is an individual, with different experiences, abilities and needs.” She also offers a brief explanation of inclusivity (2008: p18), which is “[…] involving all learners in relevant activities rather than excluding them for any reason directly or indirectly.” Inclusion has also been defined by John Tomlinson (1996: p26) as “the greatest degree of match or fit between individual learning requirements and provision”. In the other words, inclusive learning environment nurtures individual potential of all learners,

Inclusive learning is about making sure that every learner in the classroom has their needs identified and met. It is about realising that every learner will have specific individual needs and it is the job of the teacher to accommodate the needs of all of their learners. Booth et al. (2000) state ‘Inclusion is seen to involve the identification and minimising of barriers to learning and participation’ (Booth et al., 2000: 13).

Through my theoretical and small practical understanding of inclusive education I will be embracing the concept and practice of inclusion through the use of the term Curriculum Differentiation, which is all about arranging the classroom learning environment to be more suitable for students of all types, abilities and learning capacities to have the chance to reach their own individual maximum potentials (Carpenter, 2010). Through researching and learning about inclusion I have come to believe and agree with the statement of “Diversity not Deficit” when teaching in an inclusive school or classroom (Queensland Government, 2005). This statement reflects my own personal philosophy of inclusive education, as it pushes my strong belief that education is about not seeing any of the students, their families or the

Inclusion in education is the act of including children with special needs into general education classes. Students learn side by side in the same classroom with the support of a team of professionals vested in the success of these

The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education (1995) was an important influence in the development of our current inclusive educational policies. As a teacher of inclusive education in 2014, we should be aware that the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (MCEETYA, 2008) provides the general policy statements for

Inclusive education is concerned with the education and accommodation of ALL children in society, regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, or linguistic deficits. Inclusion should also include children from disadvantaged groups, of all races and cultures as well as the gifted and the disabled (UNESCO, 2003). Inclusion tries to reduce exclusion within the education system by tackling, responding to and meeting the different needs of all learners (Booth, 1996). It involves changing the education system so that it can accommodate the unique styles and way of learning of each learner and ensure that there is quality education for all through the use of proper resources, suitable curricula, appropriate