Inclusive educationMEDICAL MODEL:

• Feature of a person, which has been caused by disease, injury, or health condition

• Calls for medical intervention, to “correct” the problem

• Any restriction or lack, resulting from an impairment, of ability to perform any activity in the manner or

within the range considered normal for a human being.

• a disadvantage for a given individual, resulting from an

• impairment or disability, that prevents the fulfilment of a role that is normal depending on age, sex, socialand cultural factors for that individual

Social Model:• Socially created problem, not a feature of the person it is understood as an

unequal relationship within society

• It is society which disables people by the fact that they exclude them from

participation within mainstream of society as result of physical, organizational and

attitudinal barriers.

• These barriers prevent them from gaining equal access to information, education,

employment ect…

• Created by disabled people

• An answer to the medical model

(Carlson, 2009)

What is Inclusion?

1. Inclusion as a concern with disabled students and others categorised as

‘having special educational needs’.

2. Inclusion as a response to disciplinary exclusion.

3. Inclusion in relation to all groups seen as being vulnerable to exclusion.

4. Inclusion as developing the school for all.

5. Inclusion as ‘Education for All’.

6. Inclusion as a principled approach to education and society

Inclusion is all about groups, vulnerable to exclusion

(Ainscow et al, 2006)

Salamanca Statement UNESCO, Salamanca World Statement on Special Needs Education (1994) called on

governments to adopt the principle of inclusive education, enrolling all children into regularschools.

Every child has fundamental right to education and must be given opportunity to achieveand maintain acceptable level of learning

Every child has unique characteristics, abilities and interests and learning needs

Education systems should be designed to take diversity and these needs into account

Why?

Placing children with disability into special schools is seen by most as a neutral response totheir special needs, and that some of those children a best served by special settings

From rights perspective, however this compulsory segregation is seen as an oppression ofdisabled people, just as other group marginalize groups on the basis of religion, race, gender,sexual orientation

(Abberely, 1987, Corbett, 1995)

Perpetuates the view, that some children need to be segregated due to their defect ordeficiency

Massive over-representation of working- class boys and African- Caribbean boys within SENgroup due to “emotional and behavioural difficulties”

(Blair, 2001)

Good effects Friendships: between disabled and non-disabled children help to develop their social cognition and

self- concept

Social Skills: deeper and better understanding and awareness of the needs of others

Self-esteem

Earlier development of ethical and moral principles

Comfort level with people who are different from the typical, and competence in communicating withthem

Patience with people who are slower learners

Creation of a considerate, emphatycal environment

Valuing and appreciating the experiences and differences each child brings to the class

Cooperative learning

Better communication skills

(Staub, 2005)

Critical points to consider:

SEN definition is used too widely, which results in children being diagnosed as having SENwho would not truly fit the definition

SEN group predominantly consisting of working- class children

Assessment method should be revised as SEN may well be a label used by schools to coverup poor teaching

(Osted, 2013)

More investment should be done in educational research which could assess the long termefficacy of inclusive education and thus help the disadvantaged to raise their voice

(Slee, 2001)

Issue is the rights of children not the evidence of the system working so empirical evidenceis unnecessary and unconclusive

(Gallagher, 2001)

Benefits of inclusion is difficult to research, as SEN involves too many different types, andtherefore there is no sufficient amount of research

(Lindsay, 2003)

Rigorous research is needed for the government to produce an inclusion

framework, which takes into account effectiveness of education as well as rights

of children

(Lindsay,2003)

Do special schools really go against childrens’ right to learn?

Differences between right and effectiveness