Disability and Education - Article Example

Disability and Education Education  is one of the fundamental right that all should have the opportunity to learn irrespective of ones gender or disability. Inclusive education was formerly based on the principle that all should have the opportunity to learn together.  This is not a universally recognized idea. But the subject is of active debate as it creates questions of a moral and educational nature. Moreover, there are practical concerns, particularly in developing countries with inadequate resources and teacher expertise. Disability and education engages a strong participation between community and parents in early childhood intervention, the relation between school and health, teacher education, school convenience and the ability to look at disability in a broad circumstance (The World Bank Group, 2007). Disability in medical terms include physical and mental impairments such as blindness, deafness, various other conditions that make it difficult or impossible to walk or to speak, mental illnesses, and such things as Down’s syndrome and epilepsy. It is unlucky that many disabled people face social exclusion or poverty as the result of the normal functional limitations caused by their ‘disabilities’. In a social understanding disability of people is not because of their impairments, but as a result of the limitations imposed on them by attitudinal, social, cultural, economic, and environmental barriers to their involvement in society. This ‘social model’ of understanding points to the normality of impairment within any population. It is argued that having impairment is not the main criterion but discrimination against and social exclusion because of impairment is what Disabling (Albert, 2005). All agree with the reality that education is a basic right for all children and also it make feasible to reduce poverty. Disabled people face various educational and employment challenges: The response of other people towards disabled affected their belief in a negative way that their disability had reduced their educational opportunities. Major progresses have been made towards equal access to education and attitudes towards the education of disabled people were also felt to have changed in recent times. But, few felt that education had been reduced through lack of personal support, poor physical access or limited support to their needs (Molloy, D. et al 2003). There is strong feeling that women and girls with disabilities neglected and discriminated more comparing to their male disabled counterparts in the education arena. According to UNESCO, the World Blind Union and others approximation, the literacy rate for disabled women as one percent, compared to an estimate of about three percent for people with disabilities as a whole (Groce, 1997). Figures from individual countries and regions substantiate the gender inequities (Nagata, 2003). These results indicate the double discrimination based on gender and disability that present in the lives of women and girls with disabilities in all areas. This double discrimination is a negative attitude towards women and their disability that often cut across cultures and level of progress. The major barrier to educational equity for girls with disabilities may be their presence in the society is not felt. Since research is limited to small qualitative studies of barriers faced by the disabled people comparisons between disabled boys and disabled girls are not taken up. There is a need for more research and studies in this field so that the double discrimination faced by the disabled women and girls can be addressed (Rousso, H. 2003). There is a need to understand that barriers in education are not simply physical and that disability takes many forms. The diversity and implication of disabilities need to be learned and contained in the way education is designed, delivered and resourced. As per the code of practice for the assurance of the quality of learning opportunities for students with disabilities in UK higher education institutions, point out that institutions should be conscious that disability covers a broad range of impairments those including physical and mobility difficulties, hearing impairments, visual impairments, and specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, medical conditions and mental health problems. These impairments may have implications for a students life or learning. Some students may be disabled before they seek admission to an institution; some may become disabled or become aware of an existing disability only after their programme has started. Others may have unpredictable conditions and some students may be disabled temporarily as a result of accident or illness. Institutions must ensure that their requirements and structures taken into consideration, and the full range of needs which disabled students may have, and that their provision is sufficiently flexible to cater to individuals changing needs throughout their periods of study (Quality Assurance Agency, 1999). The Disability Discrimination Act amended as the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 make it illegal for education institutions to discriminate against disabled pupils, students and adult learners. According to this (SENDA) the education providers such as Local Education Authorities (LEAs), Schools, Colleges, Universities, providers of adult education and statutory youth service must treat disabled people equally as their non-disabled peers. These education institutions are also advised to make proper arrangement to make sure that disabled pupils in education do not face substantial disadvantage when comparing to students who are not disabled. The publication of Special Educational Needs Code of Practice provides education institutions practical guidance on how to identify and assess children with special educational needs. All primary education settings, state schools and LEAs must ensure that this code is followed when they are assessing children who have special educational needs. Health and social services must also take account of the code when helping LEAs (Directgov, 2007). Special Education Needs and Discriminatory Act 2001 was introduced stage by stage and from September 2002 all institutions were required to change policies and practices and from September 2003 institutions were to give supplementary aids and services. It is vital to implement accessibility for disabled students in virtual learning environments in UK’s further and higher education. As Wilder points out all in the ‘critical path’ of learning technologies such as Virtual Learning Environments is covered by SENDA and ‘The Act and responsibilities under it affect the whole spectrum of those involved… those providing the information, those providing the media for the information, and those involved in IT services and strategy all have equal responsibility.’ (Wilder 2002) As Hall and Tinklin demonstrate, ‘the use of information technology can be one very helpful way in which students with disabilities can be helped in their studies’. Yet, they also point out that institutions might begin to see information technology alone as a adequate means of helping students with disabilities, while in fact disabled students need a range of support services, which may or may not include information technologies or assistive technologies (Hall and Tinklin 1998). As Rainger (2003b) points out ‘study skills and policies need to be developed, along with assistive technologies, to allow disabled students to make the best use of e-learning resources’ (City University London, 2003). According to UNESCO there are over 150 million disabled children in developing countries and only 2% out of these children goes to school. As per the education target set by the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) is that by 2015 all children will have minimum of primary school education. If this vision is to be realized it is absolutely necessary the inclusion of disabled children in the main stream of education system. Disability KaR Programme explored on this topic and viewed at various issues to bring disabled children into mainstream education. This approach towards inclusive education is that the learning and schooling needs of everyone is met and does not separate some because they might have different requirements or abilities. It is based on the thought that segregated education is more or less unequal education and the schools must transform in order to contain student diversity. This diversity, further, may enhance an enriched learning environment for all students. UNESCO emphasizes that mainstream education is a basic human right, resulting from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1949) and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). This right is one of the important accesses through which to flee poverty and exclusion of so many disabled children. This is the reason why the promotion of inclusive education is so essential for progress in general and disabled people in particular. Even though promotion of inclusive education is so vital there are lot of challenges to inclusive education such as lack of policies, funding and government commitment, and negative cultural beliefs and attitudes. However, the promoters of the inclusive education program want to go ahead with very clear action plans to take the inclusive education schedule forward. The action plan include: developing a step-by-step framework of action for implementing inclusive education, suggestions for further research, ways to promote positive attitudes in the community and good practice strategies (Albert, 2005). As per the Report of Disability Working Group, there is substantial scope to expand the participation of disabled children and young people in education, not just as students but to help define and identify good practice. As an Agency of the Scottish Executive, HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) will be responsible for the Disability Equality Duty. Hence, it would be appropriate for them to work with disabled children and young people to develop good practice along with other disability organizations and local authorities. Higher education institutions should engage disabled people through student discussion board and that inspection bodies should supervise progress. All disabled people should receive suitable and sufficient support and equipment throughout school, further and higher education and at all points of changeover such as the shifting from one school to another school. In improving connections with business, further and higher education Institutions and Careers Scotland should take necessary steps to encourage disabled people as employees. Disability equality training should attribute in initial teacher training and professional development. Disabled people should be encouraged to take up careers in the educational sector and retention of disabled employees should be encouraged (Scottish Executive, 2006). Ann Barlow, Learning Support Coordinator, Student Services, explains that Government goals for expanding participation in Higher Education are responsible for greater diversity within the student community. Over the last half centaury there was a shift in thinking among British people which made positive impact on the diversity of students in universities. A welfare state means that disabled students may be accommodated and supported during their early education. Hence, more young people with special needs are attaining the entry requirements for university. If the universities are to offer an inspiring educational practice, the universities need to understand the varied nature, conditions and build up ways of working to ensure that all students can grow from the university experience. Since many years students with disabilities who need specific support have been neglected and ignored. Hence, processes have been developed to facilitate support needs to be identified. All students with disabilities are allowed to apply for Disabled Students Allowances (DSA). These allowances are managed by the Local Education Authority and provide funding for necessary Study Aids. To determine the suitable supports, an assessment of students ‘disability needs’ at a recognized assessment centre is conducted and identifies not only the supportive aids but also approaches which can be applied to improve the students learning experience (Skill, 1998). In a booklet aimed at students, Skill (2001: 34) explains the procedure as an "investigation of what one needs in higher education to study efficiently." The first stage of an appraisal of need process is to collect as much detail as possible about the individual student, especially, information’s of the students disability and its effect on learning. All these details are gathered from various expert sources such as voluntary agencies, internet databanks, medical or psychological reports and also from individual student. The students outlook may also be discussed. An assessor recognizes possible barriers to learning and discusses the extent to which the student needs for additional support in order to overcome these barriers. Only after identifying the potential barriers that the assessor can offer access to the course. For ensuring wider access and participation to higher education to disabled students many factors must be taken into consideration by university and its staffs. The university staff must know the diversity within the student body. The staff must also take care when planning and delivering courses. By considering student background in combination with course design and delivery one can make out the barriers which students may come across. If the majority of students find access to the course not easy, it may be proper to rethink the current approach of providing additional support. By understanding the students the university staff can identify how course delivery might be modified to make certain a more inclusive approach to learning (Barlow, A 2002). Maximum information regarding the learning needs of disabled students in Higher Education Institutions and the way they can be supported comes from staff in the disability advisory services and sometimes staff in learning and teaching centres (Stefani and Matthews, 2002). Higher Education Institutions are beginning to identify that these issues ‘cannot remain closed within a student services alone but must become part of the mainstream learning and teaching debate’ (Adams, 2002, 8). This view is made stronger by the legislation in the UK which puts responsibility on universities and colleges to make rational adjustments in advance for the needs of disabled students and to produce disability equality reports. The implication is that all staff, academic and support, have a responsibility for providing a learning environment in which disabled students are not disadvantaged (Fuller, M. et al 2005). Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded research project, which aimed to investigate the impact of multiple policy innovations on the participation and experiences of disabled students in higher education in Scotland and England between 2001 and 2003 brings out the progress achieved and points out to the further progress needed. There were specific improvements in provision for disabled students. Still, much more progress is needed, especially; barriers to accessing the curriculum need to be addressed. This require a culture transform within higher education, mainly older universities, with a move towards more accessible teaching practices and the wider availability of learning support for all students. It is necessary to recognize the mounting pressures on staff, through, the increase in student numbers and this in turn reduced time needed for staff to devote to individual students. This will affect the learning practice of all students. It is argued that improvements in teaching practices for disabled students would improve teaching and learning for all students. Monitoring and appraisal of data and services for disabled students also needs further improvement. Better method of appraisal and monitoring would highlight difficulties and barriers faced by disabled students and make staff more answerable for their practice. Existing terms for disabled students give more emphasis on offering them with individual support to overcome institutional barriers, whereas more basic institutional changes are needed. At present the purpose to ‘mainstream’ disability remains unclear since no time limits set on achieving this goal. The beginning of recent premium funding for disabled students indicates a change in Funding Council policy towards mainstreaming disability. Yet disability remains a quite discrete policy area, mostly dealt by student support services and its rearrangement, mainly in teaching and learning demands important commitment on the part of all institutions (Tinklin, T. et al 2004). It is estimated that 115 million children are currently out of school and 40 million out of that are disabled children. Planned and combined efforts must be made to ensure these children have access to a quality, relevant, and effective education. World Vision UK works with others on this issue as part of the Global Campaign for Education, appeal to UK government to develop, and provide the resources to implement, an elaborate strategy for bringing disabled children in developing countries into education. This strategy must identify the important role of teachers in bringing disabled children into education. Teachers are the key persons in bringing disabled children into education and in ensuring that they get the maximum benefit out of their educational practice. People think that children with physical, visual, hearing and intellectual impairments are unable to learn. If teachers can help to change these thoughts, disabled children can have and easy entrance into the schools. Children want teachers who are trained to work with the diversity of children. Hence these skills have to be a part of all teachers training. Teachers play an important role in moulding positive attitude in children and establishing expectations in them. Hence teachers can be key players in opposing discrimination and encouraging positive identity in disabled children. So children need teachers who are positive as role models for them. Further the parents of the disabled children see the significant improvement with their children and send them to school without any hesitation because they see significant positive change in their children (World Vision UK 2006). From the above discussions it is very clear that to achieve the MDGs within its set timeframe, disability must be strongly mainstreamed within all educational programs. And also it is important that society needs to change if disabled people are to have equal educational rights. There is need to raise levels of awareness about disability among non-disabled people. Over and above a positive awareness among disabled students must be created to understand the value of education, their rights and special educational needs. Counsellors in particular play a critical role in helping these students identify their unique needs and developing the suitable skills. By understanding the unique needs of these students, education experts can be set to help the academic, social, and emotional growth of these groups of disabled children. References Adams, M. (2002) Learning, teaching and disability: the need for a new approach, Planet Special Issue 3, 7-10. Albert, B. (2005) Lessons from the Disability Knowledge and Research (KaR) Programme. [Online] Pp 1-39, Department for International Development, Overseas Development Group and Healthlink Worldwide, UK. Available from: [Accessed 8 February 2007]. Barlow, A. (2002). Overcoming barriers - widening access for all students [Online]. Published by the Learning and Teaching Unit MMU. Available from: [Accessed 8 February 2007]. City University London, (2003) Return to SENDA? Implementing accessibility for disabled students in virtual learning environments in UK further and higher education [Online] Available from: < http://www.saradunn.net/VLEreport/section04.html > [Accessed 8 February 2007]. Directgov, (2007). Disabled people:Your rights and learning [Online] Available from: < http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/EducationAndTraining/DG_4001076> [Accessed 8 February 2007]. Fuller, M., Healey, M., Bradley, A. and Hall, T. (2005). What are disabled students’experiences of learning at university? [Online]. Available from: [Accessed 8 February 2007]. Groce, N. (1997). Women with disabilities in the developing world. Journal of Disability Policy Studies. 8, 1&2, pp. 178-192. Hall, J. and Tinklin, T. (1998) Students First: The Experience of Disabled Students in HE Scottish Council for Research in Education, Research Report No 85, ch. 7 http://www.scre.ac.uk/resreport/rr85/index.html#Contents [Accessed 8 February 2007] Molloy, D. Knight, T and Woodfield, K (2003). Diversity in disability: Exploring the interactions between disability, ethnicity, age, gender and sexuality [Online] Corporate Document Services. Available from: [Accessed 8 February 2007]. Nagata, K. K. (2003). Gender and disability in the Arab region: The challenges in the new millennium. Asia Pacific Disability Rehabilitation Journal, 14, 1, 10-17. Quality Assurance Agency, (1999). Code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education [Online] Available from: [Accessed 8 February 2007]. Rousso, H. (2003). Education for All: a gender and disability perspective [Online] Paper commissioned for the EFA Global Monitoring Report 2003/4, The Leap to Equality”. Available from: [Accessed 8 February 2007]. Rainger, P. (2003b) ‘Returning to SENDA’ E-mail message to the author 24 September 2003 Scottish Executive, (2006).Report of the Disability Working Group [Online] Available from: [Accessed 8 February 2007]. Skill (1998) Disability Directory for LEA Awards Officers London: Skill. Skill (2001) Into Higher Education 2002 London: Skill Stefani, L. & Matthew R. G. S. (2002) The difficulties of defining development: a case study, International Journal for Academic Development, 7 (1), 41-50. The World Bank Group. (2007) Education and Disability [Online] Available from: [Accessed 8 February 2007]. Tinklin, T., Riddell, S., and Wilson, A. (2004). Disabled Students in Higher Education. [Online]. Available from: [Accessed 8 February 2007]. World Vision UK (2006). Education for all. [Online]. Available from: [Accessed 8 February 2007]. What is disability? Read More