Social Support to Children with Disability in the Education System in Australia - Essay Example

Social support to children with disability in the education system in Australia number: Email address: School/department: Unit: Lecturer/Tutor Date due: I declare that this assignment is my own work and has not been submitted in any form for another unit, degree or diploma at any university or other institute of tertiary education. Information derived from the published or unpublished work of others has been acknowledged in the text and a list of references is given. I warrant that any disks and/or computer files submitted as part of this assignment have been checked for plagiarism. Student’s signature Date: Contents: 1.0 Introduction 3 2.0 Social determinants of health and disability 3 3.0 Social support and inclusion of children with disability 4 4.0 Mechanisms of social support 5 4.1 Accommodating infrastructure 5 4.2 Collaboration 6 4.3 Changing teachers’ perspectives 7 4.4 Lack of knowledge regarding special education terminology, issues and laws 7 4.5 Technology 8 5.0 Conclusion 8 6.0 Reference 10 Social support to children with disability in the education system in Australia 1. Introduction Education plays vital role in society by contributing significantly to the development processes. It empowers people with knowledge and skill to make right choices and decisions. Education serves as the most effective platform to not only empower people but also to introduce changes so that children can meet new challenges of the time with higher efficiency and adaptability. This is especially true for people with disability who have to face multiple barriers in the mainstream schools which are distinct in their lack of facilitating environment and insensitive approach to their needs and requirements. The various barriers to their inclusion in the mainstream schools necessitate social support and wider awareness of their needs and requirements that promotes or hinders their participation in the mainstream activities. Carrington & Holm, (2005) assert that in Australia inclusive education has evolved from the notion of integrating students with disabilities into regular schools. The paper would be discussing the myriad practices within the social support that may be adversely impacting the successful inclusion of children with disability into the mainstream Australian education system. 2.0 Social determinant of health and disability Health and environment have emerged as major social issues that are significantly impacted by the social parameters (hhb, 2011). WHO (2005) has broadly defined health as not merely being absence of disease or infirmity but a complete physical, mental and social well-being. Thus, holistic aspect of health becomes an important issue which incorporates the environment paradigms that influence the overall well-being of the individual. Key & Dowrick, (2001) claim that people with disability have always been marginalized in every sphere of life including education, employment and community living. The discrimination has adversely impacted not only their participation in the mainstream life but it has also been detrimental to their development as an individual. Thus the social model of disability has emerged as vital input that redefined disability in terms of facilitating environment that promotes their participation in the mainstream activities. IOM (1997) firmly asserts that human competencies interact with the environment in a dynamic reciprocal relationship that shapes performance. People with disability should therefore be considered as differently abled persons with potential to contribute in the development processes of the society. Their inclusion in the education system becomes crucial for empowering them with necessary knowledge and skill to make them independent. The highly pertinent fact is corroborated by Ainscow & Kaplan, (2005: 107) who state that ‘it starts with the belief that education is a basic human right and foundation for a more just society’. 3.0 Social support and inclusion of children with disability in Australia Social inclusion of children with disability is inherently linked with the social support that is open to new ideas and new mechanism that would facilitate their inclusion. Social model of disability recognizes them as individuals with potential and therefore makes efforts to develop facilitating environment for their social inclusion. But despite the increasing awareness, social support still lacks innate sensitivity towards children with disability. Worrel (2008) expounds on the seven sins that are detrimental to the effective practices of inclusion within schools: lack of knowledge regarding special education terminology, issues and laws; poor collaboration; teacher perspectives; lack of administration support; limited instructional repertoire; inappropriate assessment procedures; and clash between scheduling and time management. 4.0 Mechanisms of social support In Australia, while 18,5% population report having disability (wwda, 2012), people with disability are most discriminated with poor education and high unemployment (Patrick, 2010). The government has come up with various laws and reforms to promote inclusion practices within the education system. Various mechanism used within the inclusion practices encompass multitude of new initiatives like special schools, expanding curricula that takes into account their needs and requirement, accommodating infrastructure etc. But they seem to have little impact. The following are important facilitators/ detractors for inclusion of children with disability in the education system within Australia. 4.1 Accommodating Infrastructure. Social support that recognizes the varying needs of children with disability is critical part of inclusion practices. Pearce & Forlin, (2005) say that lack of appropriate infrastructure, curricula, teaching methodology and lack of trained teachers are key challenges within inclusion practices. They adversely impact the inclusion of children with disability and create considerable frustration amongst the various stakeholders, both within and outside the education system. Thus, students, teachers, administration, parents etc. become highly discontented when lack of facilitating infrastructure defeats their larger purpose of empowering children with disability. It is very important that administration must allow special children with accessibility options that best suits their needs and requirements. It is the basic need of every individual and it makes them more comfortable within the facilitating environment that helps inculcate confidence in their abilities to exploit new opportunities. 4.2 Collaboration. Social model of disability ‘acts as a powerful and important reminder to face issues of inclusion as fundamental, moral issues’ (Terzi, 2004, p 143). It promotes sensitive approach to external factors that influence the level of ability or disability in the individual. The most essential ingredient of social model of disability is the collaborative approach that is encouraged across the various stakeholders. The proactive participation of the general public is crucial for effective implementation of the government’s strategies. The non-statutory agencies play important role in collaborating with various agencies including public, education system, policy makers, and scholars etc. to evolve and implement new mechanisms for effective inclusion of children with disability in the mainstream education system. Deppeler, Loreman & Sharma, (2005, p 120) stress that teachers as collaborators become key tool for encouraging students’ participation and use ‘research informed pedagogy to build knowledge conditions’. Consequently, in developed countries like Australia, America and U K, disability has moved from the traditional biases to the social reconstruction where providing them with social support system has become the priority of the government. Collaborative approach helps provide requisite infrastructure and opportunities to become socially integrated and enables them to become empowered so as to make positive contribution to the society at large. The proactive participation of community, teachers, parents and various voluntary agencies become important factor in ensuring the inclusion of children with disability in the mainstream population 4.3 Changing teachers’ perspectives. Very often, teachers’ lack of understanding becomes the major obstacles in the inclusion process. The preconceived notions and negative views about disability and for persons with disability are highly damaging. Veck (2007, p 141) says that ‘labelling’ people not only limits the understanding of the persons but it can actually create a barrier that blocks the wider perspectives of the issue or issues. He further elaborates that when learners are not listened to, ‘they are denied the opportunity to contribute, to enrich or to challenge the culture, organization and character of educational institutions’ (Veck, 2007, p 142). The teachers fail in their wider objective of imparting education when they make no efforts to understand the problems faced by children with disabilities. Thus, sensitization of teachers and other stakeholders becomes vital ingredient of inclusive education so that sensitive approach becomes the norm within school that enhances self-esteem and self-confidence of the children with disability. 4.4 Lack of knowledge vis-a-vis special education terminology, issues and laws. Macleon (2005) affirm that disability is not the defining aspect but just one facet of the many assets and experiences that shape all of us. This is the most sensitive definition that describes a person with disability and encompasses multitude of meanings, expectations and potentials of each individual that can be exploited under appropriate circumstances. Indeed, social support gets significant boost by social policies that address the sector. The awareness and the understanding of the laws, issues and special education etc. have emerged as main elements of inclusive practice as collaborators understand the importance of their implementation and do so with the inherent sensitivity that is required in their implementation within the inclusive practice. Thus, effective communication empowers different stakeholders and meets the needs of students with various forms of tangible and intangible disabilities. 4.5 Technology. Technology has been perceived as vital collaborative tool to enhance the effectiveness of inclusive practices in education system. The use of technology in the classroom has greatly simplified teaching to students with special needs (Grellier & Goerke, 2010). The learning aids and devices, developed especially for such students have positively impacted the quality of education for them. Moreover, it has expedited the process of integrated learning especially the web-based content that increases the interest of the students. Use of technology has greatly enhanced the learning processes across students with different needs (Paciello, 2000). 5.0 Conclusion Social determinant of disability and the various barriers for effective inclusion of children with disability are critical paradigms that need to be addressed and monitored constantly to ensure inclusion of children with disability in the mainstream education system of Australia as well as the rest of the world. The various environmental factors like preconceived views of disability, lack of understanding and inadequate infrastructure etc. become the most disabling elements that adversely impact the psyche and behavioural attitude of the student with disability. They become the major obstacles in the effective inclusion of the special children in the mainstream society. Thus, social support needs to be evolved as key constituent of inclusive practices that emphasizes collaborative approach and sensitization of collaborators so that wider objectives of inclusion are achieved successfully. Thus government needs to address these issues on priority basis so that children with disability stand better chance to compete and live better life. 6.0 Reference Ainscow, M. & Kaplin, I. (2005). Using evidence to encourage inclusive school development: Possibilities and challenges. Australasian Journal of Special Education, 29(2), 106-116. Carrington, S. & Holm, K. (2005). Student direct inclusive school development in an Australian secondary school: An example of student empowerment. The Australasian Journal of Special Education, 29(2), 155-171. Deppeler, J., Loreman, T. & Sharma, U. (2005). Improving inclusive practices in secondary schools: Moving from specialist support to supporting learning communities. The Australasian Journal of Special Education, 29(2), 117-127. Grellier, J., & Goerke, V. (2010). Communication skills toolkit: Unlocking the secrets of tertiary success. South Melbourne, Vic: Thomson Social Sciences Press Health and health behaviour 100 revised edition. (2011). South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press Institute of Medicine (IOM). (1997). Enabling America: Assessing the Role of Rehabilitation Science and Engineering. Available from: http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=5799&page=148 Keys, Christopher, B and Dowricks, Peter, W. Ed. (2001). People with Disabilities: Empowerment and Community Action. Haworth Press Inc. McLean, Dr. Patricia. (2005). Strategies for Inclusive Communication. University of Melbourne. Paciello, Mike. (2000). Web Accessibility for People with Disability: R & D Developers series. USA. CMP Media Inc. Patrick, Nicholas. (2 March, 2010). Australia’s disability laws need critical review. The Sydney Moring Herald. Retrieved from: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/society-and-culture/australias-disability-laws-need-critical-review-20100312-q2vv.html Pearce, M. & Forlin, C. (2005). Challenges and potential solutions for enabling inclusion in secondary schools. The Australasian Journal of Special Education, 29(2). 93-105. Terzi, Lorella. (2004). The Social Model of Disability: A Philosophical Critique. Journal of Applied Philosophy 21 (2), 141–157. Veck, W. (2007, October). Listening to include. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 1-15. Worell, J. L. (Writer) (2008). How secondary schools can avoid the seven deadly school "sins" of inclusion. American Secondary Education. 36, 43-56. WHO. (2005). 58 World Health Assembly. Retrieved from: www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA58/WHA58_23-en.pdf WWDA. (2013) Australian Government Disability Policy Programs and Legislations. Retrieved from: http://wwda.org.au/govtdis/ Read More