102084 18616763 Assignment 1

Changing attitudes in inclusive education and the skills

required to be an inclusive teacher

Inclusivity in schools is essential for ensuring a fair and equitable society in

which people are treated with dignity and respect (Armstrong & Barton, 2008).

Learning engagement is a predictor of life success (Anderson & Boyle, 2015) and

as a result, greater inclusion has the potential to break cycles of disadvantage

(Snow & Powell, 2012). Such inclusivity though is hard to discuss without first

being defined. Broadly speaking, inclusive education in Australia involves the full

participation of all students in all aspects of schooling (Loreman, Deppeler, &

Harvey, 2011). This definition is widely accepted, and the meaning has shifted

away from referring entirely to students with disability to now include the

delivery of quality education for all (Anderson & Boyle, 2015). Such changing

views about inclusive education are outlined in this essay, with reference to the

introduction of two key pieces of legislation: the Disability Standards for

Education, 2005 and the Disability Discrimination Act, 1992. In order to effectively

include however, teachers must enact legislation. To elaborate on these ideas,

this essay explores the skills required of teachers to enact inclusivity within the

classroom, with a reflective section on the skills I will require if I am to be an

inclusive teacher both broadly and specifically for students with autism

spectrum disorder (ASD).

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Changing views on inclusive education and the introduction of legislation

Students with a disability were initially excluded from mainstream schooling as,

between the 1940s and 1970s, Australian school systems founded segregated

schools for students with specific disabilities. During this time, special schools

did not offer places to students with high support needs as the schools were only

for those deemed educable or trainable (Forlin, 2006). Within this framework,

the general conversation surrounding special education was embedded in deficit

language focused on difference (Anderson & Boyle, 2015). In the early 1970s,

discussions about increasing the placement of students with disabilities into

regular classes began, signaling a shift in conceptualisations of education (Forlin,

2006). By the late 1970s, Australia started integrating students with disabilities

into mainstream classrooms (Konza, 2008).

Of import in the changing attitudes during the 1970s was the value of

normalisation, or the right of people with disabilities to access living and

learning environments that were as normal as possible (Konza, 2008). Since this

time, Australian educational legislation has sought to integrate students with

disabilities into regular classrooms for part or all of the day. As a result, the

number of students with special needs has increased in regular schools (Forlin &

Bamford, 2005).

Over time, the concept of inclusive education has developed from integration to

inclusion and now, inclusivity (Berlach & Chambers, 2011). The dominant

related motif has become about embracing difference rather than engaging in

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discourse and educational practice that stereotypes, excludes and marginalizes

those who do not fit into societal norms (Berlach & Chambers, 2011).

This was observed when global education leaders challenged notions of

exclusion based on difference at The World Conference on Education for All in

1990 (Anderson & Boyle, 2015). In this process, leaders determined that tailor-

made, flexible pedagogy and programming would facilitate the access of all

students to education (Anderson & Boyle, 2015). In Australia, inclusive

education has been adopted in order to improve the educational access and

outcomes of students with disabilities (Anderson & Boyle, 2015).

To facilitate inclusive education, legislation was adopted in Australia to eliminate

discrimination in educational institutions (Keefe-Martin, 2001). The

commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) was established and

made it unlawful to treat people with a disability unfairly, ensuring that people

cannot be segregated on the basis of their disability. Providing a broad definition

of disability, the Act includes physical, psychiatric, intellectual, neurological,

sensory and learning disabilities as well as physical disfigurement and/or the

presence of disease-causing organisms within the body.

When referring to education, the Act includes the right to enrolment in any

educational institution. In this regard, students with a disability have the right to

be provided with opportunities and choices comparable to those available to

students without a disability (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2012),

thereby ensuring every student has access and means to participation on the

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same basis. In the classroom, students therefore have the right to participate in

curriculum through dignified, rigorous and meaningful learning that is relevant

and engaging, necessitating the provision of adjustments or accommodation for

students with a disability (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2012).

The Disability Standards for Education 2005 (Cth) were later introduced, stating

that schools are obligated to provide reasonable adjustments to the learning

environment or learning program of the student. Under these standards, parents

and (where appropriate) students with disability must be consulted on

adjustments that will be made to the learning program of the student. This

adjustment must be reasonable however and not cause the provider unjustifiable

hardship.

Teacher skills and how I will teach diverse classes

In order to be an effective teacher for inclusion and comply with the above

legislative standards, I will need to demonstrate a variety of personal skills

within both the classroom and wider school community.

First and foremost, communication will be an essential skill, as I will have to

communicate with all students as well as faculty and staff. I will be working as

part of a team with teachers, parents, support staff, librarians, school counselors

and many others. If I am to be effective in this environment, I will need to

develop communication skills that convey and illicit information and meaning

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from conversations and/or interactions with others. In working in consultation

with parents and students about learning programs, I will need to have clear

communication skills. Likewise, I will need to develop working relationships

with other staff members and communication skills will be essential in achieving

this.

Amongst my students, the ability to make learning intentions and expectations of

classroom behaviours clear will require strong communication skills.

Recognising the need for students to understand my communication and be able

to communicate back is essential if I am to be a successful educator. As an

example, if I have students with limited understanding of English (such as

migrants or refugees), utilising images, diagrams or translation applications in

classroom activities can help provide students with access to content. Utilising

resources effectively and providing required accommodations and adjustments

can improve my communication ability with students depending on the need and

context.

In achieving this, I will need to be highly organised. Organisation is a skill that I

am still developing and will need to work on if I am to be an inclusive teacher. In

order to cater to diversity within the classroom I will first need to know the

needs of my students, which may require a proactive engagement with any

previous histories available to me as a teacher (on sentral or otherwise). On top

of this, I will then need to be able to implement required modifications to

resources or pedagogical approaches within the classroom. Examples of this

could be modifying worksheets for students with vision impairments to have

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larger fonts. Or, embedding extension activities within allocated work for gifted

and talented students. Engaging in this will require high levels of organisational

skills.

Creating these resources and being organised will likewise require a number of

other skills, including resilience. In striving to be an inclusive teacher, I will have

to develop the necessary resources that will facilitate the dignified and age

appropriate inclusion of my students within classroom activities. In order to

cope with the workload I will need to be resilient in order to help prevent burn

out. Likewise, I will need to be resourceful, as developing these resources can be

difficult in environments with limited material and/or time resources.

Challenging myself to use a range of strategies and pedagogies to cater for

different learning needs can have a positive impact on all students, not just

students with a disability (Anderson & Boyle, 2015). Thus, resourcefulness can

help me be more organised, create a better learning environment for all students

and facilitate resiliency.

If I am to create a culture of learning and academia within the class I need to

have positive attitudes about my students and my subject. This includes high

expectations of my students and the outcomes they can achieve. Setting work

that demonstrates I have these expectations as well as following through on

learning instructions will help students recognise I am serious about their

learning. Infusing my instruction with passion will help this, so I will need to

encourage myself to be passionate, enthusiastic and display positive attitudes

within the classroom.

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To achieve these goals, I will need to be reflective, open minded and self-aware

so that I can recognise areas of strength and areas that need improvement. If I

am to successfully grow and learn as a teacher, I need to have the skill of critical

self-understanding and reflection. Furthermore, I need to have the ability to

proactively address areas of need in order to improve my practice. Initiative is

therefore a skill I need to nurture.

Inclusion of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Students with ASD often have significant deficits in social skills, interfering with

acceptance from other students within the classroom (Boutot, 2007). Simply

educating students with ASD amongst their typical peers is not always enough

to promote friendships and acceptance between students (Boutot, 2007). As a

teacher, I will need to use personal and professional skills in order to create a

classroom environment that facilitates the social inclusion of students with ASD.

In order to do this, thoughtful planning is necessary (Boutot, 2007) and will

require me to be highly organised, empathetic and observant of classroom

dynamic. Having a strong presence within the classroom and strong classroom

management skills will act as a preventative measure allowing me to facilitate

inclusive programs and structures.

Being warm, welcoming and friendly to students will facilitate cooperative

learning amongst students (Bucholz & Sheffler, 2009) and can help create an

environment where friendship can blossom. Likewise, having strong

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organisation skills can help me facilitate the physical and pedagogical structures

required to facilitate social inclusion. Such organisation is essential, as

recommended strategies to promote inclusion of students with ASD include wise

selection of classrooms and wise scheduling (Boutot, 2007). In combination with

organisational skills, knowledge is a skill required to adequately achieve these

goals. Relevant understanding on the needs of students with ASD, classroom

social dynamics and pedagogies for positive learning will facilitate this process.

Securing and maintaining family support is necessary for inclusion (Boutot,

2007). As such, strong communication and collaboration skills are required of

me as the teacher in order to ensure the parents and I are on the same page in

relation to the classroom goals for the student with ASD. Furthermore,

communication is essential if support staff such as school support officers are

up-to-date on the learning plan of the student. For them to be effective in their

work, they need to be provided with appropriate structure and information,

requiring organisation and communication skills on my part.

Communication with general education students for the arrival of a student with

ASD can help alleviate potential issues; therefore, developing strong

communication skills with students is essential if messages are to be made to the

general student body. Engaging in this dialogue and attitude can benefit both the

students and teachers alike as they increase their value of difference, tolerance

and understanding (Anderson & Boyle, 2015). Developing and demonstrating

high expectations of students through such discourse could facilitate student

engagement in expected standards of behaviour.

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When working with students with ASD, patience and empathy are skills I will

require, as the student may engage in difficult behaviours such as inflexibility,

abnormal intensity of focus or hyper-reactivity to sensory input (Positive

Partnerships, 2015). Recognising that these patterns of behaviour are not

necessarily within the control of the student and exercising patience and

empathy will reduce the othering effect that my unconscious behaviours could

have on the student. Furthermore, it could improve my own sense of wellbeing

when working with students with ASD through reducing my stress response.

Conclusion

As a future educator I need to be aware of inclusivity within the classroom and

how I can be an inclusive educator. Understanding the historical and legislative

context for inclusive education can give me a framework within which I can

organise my understanding on the needs of students. When working with

students, there are a number of personal skills required to effectively foster

inclusive education within my classroom and I must be actively aware of my own

skill set, the way they can be applied an the areas I need to work on to ensure I

am the best inclusive educator I can be.

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Reference list:

Anderson, J., & Boyle, C. (2015). Inclusive education in Australia: rhetoric, reality

and the road ahead. Support for learning, 30(1), 4-22.

Armstrong, F., & Barton, L. (2008). Policy, experience and change and the

challenge of inclusive education: the case of England. In L. Barton, & F.

Armstrong, Policy, experience and change: cross-cultural reflections on

inclusive education (pp. 5-18). London, UK: Springer.

Australian Human Rights Commission. (2012). D.D.A. guide: Getting an education.

Retrieved Aug 14, 2017, from Australian Human Rights Commission:

http://www.humanrights.gov.au/dda-guide-getting-education

Berlach, R. G., & Chambers, D. J. (2011). Inclusivity Imperatives and the

Australian National Curriculum. The Educational Forum, 75(1), 52-65.

Boutot, E. A. (2007). Fitting In: Tips for Promoting Acceptance and Frienships for

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Inclusive Classrooms.

Intervention in School and Clinic, 42, 156-161.

Bucholz, J. L., & Sheffler, J. L. (2009). Creating a Warm and Inclusive Classroom

Environment: Planning for All Children to Feel Welcome. Electronic

Journal for Inclusive Education, 2(4), 1-13.

Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth). Retrieved from

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/dda1992264/

Disability Standards for Education 2005 (Cth). Retrieved from

https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/disability_standar

ds_for_education_2005_plus_guidance_notes.pdf

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Forlin, C. (2006). Inclusive Education in Australia ten years after Salamanca.

European Journal of Psychology of Education, 21(3), 265-277.

Forlin, C., & Bamford, G. (2005). Sustaining an Inclusive Approach to Schooling in

a MIddle School Location. Australasian Journal of Special Education, 29(2),

172-181.

Keefe-Martin, M. (2001). Legislation, case law and current issues in inclusion: An

analysis of trends in the United States and Australia. Australia and New

Zealand Journal of Law and Education, 6(1), 25-46.

Konza, D. (2008). Inclusion of students with disabilities in new times: responding

to the challenge. In P. Kell, W. Vialle, D. Konza, & G. Vogl, Learning and the

learner: exploring learning for new times (pp. 38-64). University of

Wollongong.

Loreman, T., Deppeler, J., & Harvey, D. (2011). The Case for Inclusion. In T.

Loreman, J. Deppeler, & D. Harvey, Inclusive Education: Supporting

Diversity in the Classroom (2nd ed., pp. 1-21). Allen & Unwin.

NSW Department of Education and Training. (2012). Every Student, Every School.

Retrieved Aug 14, 2017, from NSW Government:

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

operate/national-partnerships-program/every-student-every-

school/learning-and-support.pdf

Positive Partnerships. (2015). Fact Sheet 10: DSM-5 and Autism Spectrum

Disorder. Retrieved Aug 14, 2017, from Positive Partnerships:

http://www.positivepartnerships.com.au/sites/default/files/images/fact

-sheet/fact_sheet_10_dsm-5_feb2017.pdf

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Snow, P., & Powell, M. (2012). Youth (in)justice:oral language competence in

early life and risk for engagement in antisocial behaviour in adolescence.

Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice , 435, 1-6.

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