Family Advocacy believes in people with disability having access to the good things in all areas of life, that the majority of people would expect. This includes regular education with peers. An Inclusive classroom is one that incorporates alternative teaching methods to accommodate for the variety of learners in the room. Moving from traditional teaching methods to more inclusive ones benefits all students.

Family Advocacy released a new position statement on inclusive education, which will inform our systemic advocacy on this issue over the next year and beyond. It is both a resource for parents to inform policy makers, and a clear outline of the reasons. The document is the result of research, of families articulating their experiences, and of Family Advocacy’s values. “Family Advocacy knows all children belong together in the classroom with their peers. However, in Australia, children with disability are often placed in special schools or support units.”

Family Advocacy recommend that all future policy approaches in Australia and NSW pursue full inclusion and move toward ending segregation of children with disability as part of a progressive realisation of the right to inclusive education in line with the UNCRPD and General Comment on the right to Inclusive Education. This means policy makers must recognise the evidence that shows full inclusion is producing better social and academic outcomes for students with disability, and implement evidence-based programs and provide funding accordingly.

Recently through Facebook, Family Advocacy launched it’s very first Inclusive Education Discussion Series. This discussion series builds on evidence based research and commences with information provided in a recent presentation by Bruce Uditsky and Anne Hughson of Inclusion Alberta. Bruce Uditsky and Anne Hughson comment on the value of IQ assessments to determine support needs and the dangerous assumptions associated with this, raising the questions, What are the risks of IQ testing? What should the purpose be when assessing a students supports needs in the regular class?

The release of the UN General Comment calls on all States including Australia to move towards full inclusion as a basic human right. Family Advocacy has written to the Australian Human Rights Commission seeking to further the realisation of this right in Australia.

Know your Rights 

There is a range of International, National and State legislation and conventions that relate to people with disability and their right to equal access to education. Education providers and authorities are obliged under these laws and conventions to make necessary adjustments to enable students with disability to get the same schooling experience at regular schools that other Australian children enjoy.

Despite this, children with disability still face many barriers when it comes to enrolling and participating in their regular class at school. It’s important that parents understand the rights of their child to education so that they can better assess and dismantle barriers that may be impacting on their child’s ability to participate in the regular class. Read an informative article by Kathy Cologon; Preventing Inclusion? Inclusive Early Childhood Education and the Option to Exclude. This article explores some of the exclusionary structures and practices that form considerable barriers to the realisation of the commitment to inclusive education.

While we recommend being informed on the rights your child has to education, families have shared with us instances where discussing rights in meetings with schools has created hostility. For this reason we recommend that families think very carefully about whether a ‘rights’ based argument is the best approach.

Disability Standards for Education: A Practical Guide for Individuals, Families and Communities
This resource aims to increase awareness and understanding of the Disability Standards for Education among individuals, families and communities throughout Australia. It was developed by the University of Canberra. We would note that it is not always helpful to talk to potential schools in terms of rights, but it is helpful to have an understanding of your rights. 

International

• United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) 2007
  The stated purpose of the UNCRP is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity. Article 24 focuses on Education. Australia signed the convention in March, 2007.
• The Australian Human Rights Commission provides more information including the steps Australia is taking to implement the UNCRPD.

National

• Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1992
  The Federal Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) provides protection for everyone in Australia against discrimination based on disability. The DDA makes it against the law for an educational authority to discriminate against someone because that person has a disability. Education can be found in Section 22 of the DDA.
• The Australian Human Rights Commission provides comprehensive information about the DDA in relation to education.
• Disability Standards for Education 2005 The Disability Standards are intended to give students with disability the same rights as other students. This includes the right to comparable access, services and facilities, and the right to participate in education and training without discrimination. Education providers have a positive obligation to make changes to reasonably accommodate the needs of a student with disability.

State – NSW Education Act 1990

Among its principles, this Act states that:

(a) every child has the right to receive an education,
(b) the education of a child is primarily the responsibility of the child’s parents,
(c) it is the duty of the State to ensure that every child receives an education of the highest quality.

Read the the full Education Act. 

Here are some more resources: 

• In this short clip, Bruce Uditsky and Anne Hughson share the importance of a positive, trusting and collaborative relationship between families and their school.
• In this short clip Jan Kruger, proud parent and Director of Imagine More, shares what inclusion means to her family and what this looks like in school for her son Jack.
• This resource on alternative teaching methods provides examples on what this can look like, including the comparison between traditional teaching and inclusive teaching and what the research shows.
• Gina Wilson-Burns, author of the blog Inky Ed, shares a powerful example of how inclusion is everyone’s responsibility and that all means all.
• Is your school inclusive? Dr. Paula Kluth discusses the theory and practice of inclusion as well as the characteristics of an inclusive school, from committed leadership to democratic classrooms.Dr. Kluth is a consultant, author, advocate, and independent scholar who works with teachers and families to provide inclusive opportunities for students with disabilities to create more responsive and engaging schooling experiences for all learners.
• For further information on disability rights in education you can visit the Australian Human Rights Commission Education page.
• There is also support available to assist students with disability in assessment and examinations. Life Skills is a curriculum option that students with intellectual disability may consider. However it is important to know that life skills can be accessed for specific subjects and it is not necessary to choose Life Skills for a students whole course. For more information on this please view this webpage.