Special Segregated Schools Continue to Isolate People with Disabilities - Essay Example

Special Segregated Schooling Continues to Isolate People with Disabilities from Mainstream of Social and Economic Life Introduction Education provision continues to be a challenge to most countries. The establishment and maintenance of quality education system requires the infusion of massive amount of money on top of providing motivated and well-trained administrators and teachers, so as to ensure the currency of the system in line with the changing global economical and social environments. Therefore, governments have put education policies and programs top of their priorities. But for there to be a positive impact, there needs to be much effort directed towards what the World Health Organisation (2012) estimates as 1 billion people living with disabilities worldwide, representing 15% of the global population. With Porter (2001) appreciating the diversity in definition of children with disabilities, the definition by National Council of Education Research and Training, NCERT (2006, p.2), includes those with physical challenges in intellect, hearing, vision and locomotion together with victims of social conflicts and natural catastrophes, street children and those that would be extremely deprived socially and economically. Scholars have linked their lower participation in the national workforce largely to exclusion from educational systems which yields poverty and dependence among these persons, causing them to live in isolation, despair and neglect. This paper looks at the effect of segregated schooling in isolating people living with disabilities from the economic and social opportunities in the society. Indeed, specialised segregated schooling isolates people living with disabilities from tapping into the mainstream of economic and social life. Prevalence of disability Taking the Irish context as an example, its schooling system was segregated and separated for pupils considered as handicapped as early as in the 1950s with pupils being excluded from regular school setting to specialised schools (Winter & O’Raw 2010, p.6). But due to international influence, this system was slowly scrapped off with an inclusive education system being adopted albeit some portions of the specialised schools were maintained. The World Health Organisation, WHO (2011) notes that even in countries where enrolment to primary schools are high like in Eastern Europe, a large portion of children living with disabilities fail to attend schools. As of 2002, the rates of their enrolment stood at 59%, 58% and 81% as compared to 93%, 97% and 96% among the normal children in Romania, Moldova and Bulgaria respectively. According to the National Disability Authority (2011), in Ireland, 64% of disabled children from private households attended mainstream schools while 59% of the same came from communal establishments. The agency also noted that disabled children from two-parent families would be likely to attend special schools by 32% as compared to those from lone-parent families. Inclusive education Opponents of having specialised schools for children with disabilities cite negative effect on such children due to this discrimination and hence advocate for a an inclusive education system with aim of improving their social skills, learning outcomes and personal development (Wang 2009, p.155). According to Mitchell (2010), inclusive education refers to students with disabilities unconditionally belonging to a regular classroom, school and its community. As noted by Winter and O’Raw (2010), all EU country members have legislation that requires them to adopt inclusive education in line with the global strategy for the United Nations that advocates for education for all (UNESCO 2005, p.2; United Nations 2008). This education system plays a critical role in championing for human rights and provision of equal opportunities, challenging the practices and policies that excluded some children from their education rights. It strives towards enforcing the right of children to be educated together irrespective of any their disabilities or special needs. Thus, Lindsay (2007, p.21) calls for separation of issues on rights and values from issues to do with effectiveness of the various educational approaches. In as much as both would be considered as important issues, efficacy depends on empirical evidence but values could be subjected to evaluation, even though this has been a largely debated fact. According to advocates for inclusion, removing students from mainstream classrooms would highlight their disabilities, disrupt education and violate their constitutional rights. Even having such students in special units being attached to mainstream schools isolates them and perpetuates segregation. More so, there has been no research to support the fact that special classes would yield any significant benefits to the students (Winter & O’Raw, 2010, p.20). Similar observations have been made by Ainscow et al. (2006, p.33) invalidating the arguments that children with disabilities would be best served in a specialised setting. In fact, it would normally involve a small proportion of students exerting disproportionate influence in the education system. It would even add more weight not to have children in these specialised schools noting that putting such children in specialised schools causes them to perform poorly academically because of what Barnes (2011) observes as concentration of teaching in such schools on social skills and specialist disability skills like Braille at the expense of academics. Economically, the inclusive education approach would ensure cost effectiveness and efficiency as found out by the World Bank’s study on a growing body of research (Winter & O’Raw, 2010, p.10). Many countries have come to appreciate that the varied administration systems, services and organisational structures resulting from specialised schools could be financially constraining and unsustainable in the long run (Kearney 2008; p.221). Education cost forms part of the significant issues to be considered in all school systems and should be critically evaluated when coming up with decisions on various provision levels. Norwich and Kelly (2004, 47) argue that inclusive education does not entail the placement of students in mainstream classes so as to save money but rather optimising learning environments through the provision of opportunities to ensure that learners attain success. It also entails the provision of various resources including teaching equipment, materials, personnel and differentiated teaching approaches. Often this provision could be achievable in a regular school setting with minimal adjustments hence saving money that could be used to provide adequate resources to ensure academic success of such children. Furthermore, the improved performance and achievement among the students would allow all these children to grow into being productive and successful citizens thus potentially cutting on the future cost to services. Specialised schools In as much as more mainstream or inclusive education centres continue to be established and the number of students with disabilities continue to grow in mainstream classes, Winter and O’Raw (2010, p.21) observe that there has been no reduction in the number of specialised schools. This follows the argument of the important role that these specialised schools still play in the society for some groups and hence should be maintained. The scholars note the strong opinion expressed by a surveyed sample in Northern Ireland that the needs of some of these children with disabilities could not be well taken care of in mainstream classes. In Ireland, the move towards adoption of inclusive education system as recommended by the Special Education Review Committee, SERC saw the government reserve a certain proportion of the special schools so as to ensure as much integration as possible and have as little segregation as necessary (National Disability Authority 2011). The Education Act respects the constitutional right of every child towards education and tasks schools with the identification and provision of educational needs of children based on such children’s needs, including the needs of children with disabilities. As such, Winter and O’Raw (2010, p.21) recommend the maintenance of special schools and their subsequent location next to the mainstream schools with the word ‘special’ being dropped off so as to curb social discrimination. Thus, discrimination should not be a major bone of contention when debating against these specialised schools as this social vice could be contained. In addition, common procedure and assessment criteria should be adopted to monitor, evaluate and review progress of all the children, be they with disabilities or not. In fact, there are countries that have legislated for protection of the rights of children with disabilities such as the New Zealand Education Act 1989 cited by Kearney and Kane (2006, p.206) which allows children with disabilities to be enrolled in whatever school of their choice, though a High Court later ruled against this legislation following a suit by parents. There have been debates on equity versus academic excellence. With the current emphasis on school competitiveness and academic attainment and excellence, inclusion has been perceived by many as subjugation of equity agenda to influencing competitive agenda (Winter & O’Raw 2010, p.22; Rose 2001, p.149). Since most parts of the world still largely rank schools based on their academic performance, many schools have expressed concern on the damage to their reputation if they choose to adopt inclusive education system. Furthermore, a post-primary academic selection system could cause teachers to concentrate on a narrow curriculum scope and fail to pay attention to the needs of all children in general (Abbott 2006, p.627). Wang (2009, p.154) appreciates the psychology of children with disabilities noting that having classmates with similar disabilities would enhance the self esteem or confidence of such children. Segregation assures them of security and adequate provision of the needed support as opposed to inclusion which according to Holt (2004) limits the opportunities for such children developing a positive disabled identity. Further to this observation, Valentine and Skeleton (2003, p.317) observe the exclusion presented by mainstream schools which label the children with disabilities as “other” through the negative representation resulting from difference. Conclusion With governments striving towards providing quality education to its citizens, debate has been on whether specialised schools for the disabled would contribute towards the attainment of this goal. Those arguing against the specialised education system cite the benefits that could be borne out of an inclusive education system including decreased discrimination, observance of children’s constitutional rights to schools of their choice, lack of evidence on academic success due to specialisation and economic gains due to integration and savings from generalisation as opposed to specialisation. However, there is a body of knowledge that purports that specialised schools would effectively cater to the individual needs of children with disabilities, academic excellence would improve such schools’ rankings, boost the confidence and self esteem of the children and finally providing them with the social skills to survive in the community. From the findings in this paper, specialised segregated schooling isolates people with disabilities from tapping into economic and social opportunities. References Abbott, L 2006, ‘Northern Ireland head teachers’ perceptions of inclusion’, International Journal of Inclusive Education, vol. 10, no. 6, pp. 627-643. Ainscow, M, Booth, T, Dyson, A, Farrell, P, Frankham, J, Gallannaugh, F, Howes, A & Smith, R 2006, Improving schools, developing inclusion, Routledge, London. Barnes, C 2011, Institutional discrimination against disabled people: a case for legislation, British Council for Organisations of Disabled People, London, UK. Holt, L 2004, ‘Childhood disability and ability: (dis)ableist geographies of mainstream primary schools’, Disability Studies Quarterly, vol. 24, no. 3, viewed 5 January 2013 Kearney, A & Kane, R 2006, ‘Inclusive education policy in New Zealand: Reality or ruse?’, International Journal of Inclusive Education, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 210-219. 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