Exploring the Rhetoric and Realities of Inclusion: Where Are We Now - Essay Example

But a careful review of the existing system – particularly the serious lack of resources on the ground – would make it seem that we are a long way from what was initially envisioned with inclusion.  In discussing this, the author presents examples from the media and relevant case studies for use as takeoff points to launch a personal estimation and opinion regarding the progress (or lack thereof) of the practice.

It is an attempt to situate how far we are from the goals of inclusive education as nobly envisioned and intended. Historical accounts should be recalled as far back as the Education Act of 1944 which categorized children by their handicaps, labeling them as maladjusted, educationally sub-normal, and uneducable (Douglas Silas Solicitors [DSS], n. d.). Children under this category were thought to have disabilities of the mind and were given special educational treatments in special schools, their training provided by health authorities.

The 1970 Education Act Enacted in 1971 put an end to this discriminatory practice of “classifying children suffering from a disability of mind as children unsuitable for education at school” (in Vaughan 2002) thereby entitling all school-age children to the rights of education. The integration, which was later modified to become inclusion, of all children into regular school was further sought amidst growing political and social interests arising from the 1978 Warnock Report and, consequently, the 1981 Education Act.

The Warnock committee was tasked to look into the needs of children with SEN (Vaughan 2002). In 1978, their published report concluded that 20% of children in school have SEN and 2% require more assistance than what the mainstream school had available at that time; their recommendation included that special provisions be made to protect this 2% (The Warnock Report 1978).  The Warnock Report also became a turning point for giving importance to what parents had to say about the education of their children with SEN.  The report was followed by the 1981 Education Act which addressed the issues raised in the 1978 Warnock Report; subsequent Acts strengthened the policy.