18041907 Kiara Calarco Inclusive Education

Inclusive Education Essay

In broad terms, inclusion targets change in schools through the increasing of all student
involvement in the culture and curriculum rather than exclusion from culture and curriculum
(Booth, 1996). Therefore, inclusive education reflects how the education system adapts to
students with additional learning needs (Forlin, 2006). The importance behind the
restructuring of teaching practices in education, positively implemented by inclusive
education, has been acknowledged over numerous years (Forlin, Loreman, & Sharma, 2014).
A comprehensive research review, appointed by UNESCO on teacher and inclusive
education, reported that teachers are still widely functioning from a teacher-centred pedagogy
where they show little to no current or appropriate experience (Rieser, 2013). The research
continues to state that they therefore do not provide any inclusive education principles in
their practices. Teaching students with disabilities in the same environment as their peers, in
generic classrooms, has considerably increased over the past 40 years where it has impacted
all areas of learning (Cook, Cameron, & Tankersley, 2007). Austism Spectrum Disorder
(ASD), as well as other additional needs, will be examined in this essay with reference to
how schools, teachers and the community can help with inclusive education.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developing disorder categorised by qualitative

impairments of adaptive behaviour, socialisation and, communication (Austism Spectrum
Australia, 2018). This life-long disability has no cure and therefore, early implementation of
programs that target skills, such as language and behaviour regulation, have been shown to
drastically increase the effects of children with ASD (Lynch, & Irvine ,2009). Due to
Australia’s change to inclusive education, more and more students with ASD are being
assigned to mainstream educational settings. This change has formed new demands on
educators who are inexperienced in meeting these challenges (Soto-Chodiman, Pooley,
Cohen & Taylor, 2012). The increase in prevalence of ASD over time has further lead to an
increase in awareness of the condition and overall, positively impacting the number of
students who enter a mainstream educational system (Levy, Mandell, & Schultz, 2009). The
challenge that teachers now face are what strategies, skills, adjustments and accommodations
they need in their teaching practices to cater for students with ASD. Children with ASD often
don’t develop age-appropriate student relationships, desire a need for unsteady routine, and
carry fluctuating stages of intellectual disability (Matson & LoVollo, 2009). Therefore,
18041907 Kiara Calarco Inclusive Education

teachers need to adopt teaching strategies that can accommodate these students with ASD
along with other learning abilities, in the classroom to allow inclusive education.

The policies surrounding Australia confirmed the rights of all children to be recognised as
equal parties in the educational system. Since, students with additional needs are being
implemented into mainstream classrooms, where there has seen a move towards inclusive
education at the Western Australian state education policy level (Soto-Chodiman, et al.,
2012). The effectiveness of these policies has led to inclusive education providing
appropriate and relevant education for all students and their learning needs. The Australian
policy also saw gradual modifications of the curriculum and implementation of teachers aids
to students who were ‘sometimes’ integrated. ‘Inclusion’ has also since pressed the argument
relating to the education of students with additional needs to a further extent (Forlin 1997).
Inclusion now seeks the removal of differences between special and regular education, and to
then supply relevant teaching for all students equally and fairly. Additionally, total rebuilding
of the education system occurs whereby all schools are required tot deliver supplies, services
and curriculum for all students and their needs. There is a shift away from the
accommodation of diverse students into a ‘normal’ system creating full inclusion where all
needs can be met. With this movement being positioned within a wide social justice outline,
it has been supported by the United nations polices supporting the rights of children (the
United Nations Standard Rules for the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with
Disabilities, 1993).

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) aimed to
encourage, defend and guarantee complete equal satisfaction of all human rights by all
individuals with additional needs. This convention was approved by Australia in July 2008.
In 1992, Australia introduced the Disability Discrimination Act (1992) where it was
considered illegal to discriminate against an individual (in an educational environment) based
on their disability. This legislation functioned as a framework to a chain of Education
Standards (Commonwealth Australia, 2006) which covers enrolment, involvement,
curriculum development, provision of student support services and harassment and
victimisation. These standards provide the basis for education in Australia regarding
inclusion and therefore form an important reference for state by state anti-discrimination
legislation (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2014). The Australian federal and state
anti-discrimination legislation acknowledges and differentiates between direct and indirect
18041907 Kiara Calarco Inclusive Education

discrimination. Students with a disability are offered the same rights and opportunities to
learn equally and fairly with the correct education and training. Evidence regarding the
changing views of inclusive education and Australia’s involvement are shown throughout the
Disability Discrimination Act (1992) as well as the Disability Standards for Education
(2005).

A survey conducted by Bartak and Fry (2004) discovered that students who struggled in
mainstream classrooms had major concerning issues, but failed to receive any further
support. The Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (2013) states that, there
has been a significant incline of students in NSW who have been acknowledged for having
either one or multiple disabilities in both the regular and support classrooms over the
timeframe of 2005-2011. School establishment in NSW involves access to special schools,
classes with regular schools and subsidies helping students from these areas (NSW
Government, 2012). A report conducted by the NSW Legislation Council (2010) explained
the support provided to students with disability in mainstream schools and how the role of out
of these support programs assist teachers in modifying curriculum and content to ensure they
are evaluated suitably by students with disability.

Teacher responsibility has been confirmed to be a vital determinant in achieving practice of

inclusive education (Forlin & Lian, 2008). Therefore, the critical element for ensuring
effective inclusion is ensuring teachers as educators train new graduates to adapt to and work
in diverse classrooms (Romi & Leyser, 2006). It is therefore necessary, as a teacher, to
conduct practices in order to accommodate for students who has ASD and along with other
learning needs. They key to guaranteeing equal access, for students with a disability, is to
ensure reasonable accommodations or reasonable adjustment. An adjustment is considered an
/action, acquired by an educator, to help students with a disability, to engage in learning and
guidance on the same level as those without a disability (Joan, 2015). The Australian Human
Rights Commission (2014) provides a number of reasonable adjustments that can be used by
educators in the classroom such as; altering course delivery, altering or providing equipment,
or even changing the way assessments are conducted. The type of adjustment carried out by
the teacher will vary depending on the disability of the student. Good practice becomes
evident in quality teaching practices which require support and community-wide
collaboration in order to support and encourage quality teaching (Boyle, et al, 2011).
Teachers must also have a strong understanding of their students and the teaching standards.
18041907 Kiara Calarco Inclusive Education

These standards must be met in order to be able to assess learners and their learning styles in
the classroom. This strong understanding leads to the implementation of the above
accommodations and adjustments teachers need to adopt to ensure inclusivity.

Implementing these accommodations to students with ASD, or other additional learning

needs, requires teachers to acquire a number of skills. Students with ASD and other
additional needs such as ADHD may often require role models in their classroom as they
serve as learning tools and guides in education. Differentiation within classrooms is vital
when it comes to assessing what students know and understand. This means offering
numerous pathways to students for learning, to allow access to relevant learning opportunities
equal to their ability to learn (Ellis, Gable, Gregg, & Rock, 2008). Differentiation is
becoming highly acknowledged as a resource for meeting all student needs. Gifted and
talented students also benefit from differentiation as it provides different learning experiences
to improve learning and understanding. Examples of this differentiated learning may take
place in the form of accelerated reading, online programs or even grouping strategies (Jacobs,
& Coyne, 2008; Rock et al., 2009; and Tieso, 2005). Educators have recommended that
teachers provide attention to the knowledge, interests and abilities of students, key ideas and
skills relating to the content, student grouping and organization and the important features of
assessment programs (Anderson, 2007). Students with ASD need differentiated curriculum,
such as colorful and engagement worksheets, to ensure they are receiving equal opportunities
as other learners. Teachers are therefore encouraged to regularly assess and evaluate their
differentiated programs to make any necessary adaptions to the content and/or process.
Alternative methods of assessment for students with ASD or other additional needs can take
part in functional, portfolio and modified assessments to meet their needs and achieve all
outcomes (Davies, 2012).

The responsibility of teachers and school communities is to deliver an education that contains
inclusive content where students are equally learning. Not only do teachers require a wide
range of skills, however, they need the knowledge on how they can provide students with
inclusive education. Communication skills and teaching strategies form a supportive and
encouraging classroom environment where students can develop their knowledge. Physical
education classes, for example, should provide cooperative and equal opportunity in activities
that show participation from all students (Stewart-Brown, 2005). Peer tutoring, mentoring
and collaborative learning are all ways in which inclusive education can be implemented
18041907 Kiara Calarco Inclusive Education

effectively. Teachers must adopt pedagogical approaches and teaching practices to ensure
students are meeting their individual needs in the classroom. Although many schools around
the world have adopted a variety of options to cater for students with learning disabilities,
parent choice, families/guardians, and counsellors provide collaborative thoughts and ideas of
ways to best determine how students learn and continue to be the core drivers of education
(Lyons, 2012). Collaboration amongst these groups has been widely considered as a key
practice behind successful inclusion (Eccleston, 2010). Supporting this view follows the
development of worldwide policies and legislation to guarantee the rights and opportunities
to all students in learning environments (United Nations, 2006). For over a decade, Slee
(1996) has debated the idea that in oder for inclusivity to move forward, voices of those who
are genuinely involved in the development need to be heard. This is because they
demonstrate more experience and awareness into how effective the development can be
modified.

In conclusion, recent studies on educational developments have proven to be in favour of

inclusive education in the classroom with specific focus on mainstream learning. Inclusive
education therefore encourages the involvement of parents and caregivers in the community
to implement further practices within the educational system. These practices provide
assurance to students who struggle and allow them to successfully engage in classroom
activities. Through accommodating and adjusting, teachers can establish positive inclusive
environments that meet the needs of all students.
18041907 Kiara Calarco Inclusive Education

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