Inclusive Education. What is best for the learner.

Various models for educating students with disabilities, including exclusion, segregation, and integration models, preceded the Inclusive Education (IE) model.

"Inclusive education goes beyond learning disabilities and curriculum access."

The term "IE" was coined during the 1980s and 1990s and has gained momentum since. In its purest form, the IE model is based on the view that local state schools should cater to the diverse needs of all students, regardless of disability, within a mainstream setting, providing appropriate and personalised learning supports.

Inclusive Education is not without its challenges. Literature asserts that it is a resource-heavy model, requiring specialist support teachers within mainstream classes, education assistants, and time to develop appropriate, evidence-based, and engaging resources for all students to access the curriculum. Moreover, it is argued that inclusive classrooms may not always be the best way to include all students in the learning process – whose needs are really being met?

Rather than looking at education models based on environmental settings, it is more helpful to consider the simple question: what is best for this learner?

The shift towards focusing on individual needs, parent empowerment and choice, as well as addressing learning needs through a curriculum lens, instruction, and contextual supports, offers the best chance of maximising outcomes for all students and ensuring equal access to learning. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles embody these concepts.

Scotch College embraces the ethos and principles of inclusivity and sees it as the responsibility of all teachers. To this end, at the recent Curriculum Leaders' Retreat, we engaged in professional learning on UDL and how to incorporate these principles into the planning, delivery, and assessment of teaching units so that we are proactively rather than retroactively planning individualised adjustments.

Furthermore, restructuring and rebranding the Academic Support model (going forward, the Inclusive Education Department) across Years 6-12 so that vital knowledge of students is shared more effectively, transition of students across sub-schools is more seamless and teachers are more aware of the intricacies and complexities within each sub-school, has been a recent development.

Some of the Inclusive Education events at Scotch College in the past year have included an incursion from the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) at Spectrum Space on World Autism Day to speak to Middle School students about Autism, and what it is like to be Autistic.

We had an extremely positive response both from students and parents to this event. In addition, Sam Sterrett (Head of K-12 Enrichment) interviewed anaesthetist and Brain Injury advocate, Dr Bruce Powell in The Range Project, on his experiences, reflections and insights as a school student with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Our Middle School dedicated an assembly to the concept of Inclusivity and welcomed Year 10 student Harry to tell his story as well as Nick Ryan who has a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy and shared his uplifting story of resilience and the importance of striving for an equitable society where all can thrive.

Finally, Senior School recently hosted an event for Oqea who arranged Professor David Coghill, Chair of Developmental Health at the University of Melbourne and President of the Australian ADHD Professionals Association, to present on the latest ADHD research and best practice. There was also a panel discussion and Q&A, and this was attended by many parents.

Inclusive Education teachers have also presented to all staff and shared information on how each sub school practises inclusion and how this may look different across sub-schools to be age and stage appropriate.

Finally, inclusive education goes beyond learning disabilities and curriculum access. It also encompasses how well the contributions, presence, and perspectives of different groups of students are valued and integrated into the learning environment.

Diversity recognises that every student and their experiences is unique and that within a class, different learning preferences and teaching styles need to be incorporated.

At Scotch College, we strongly believe that if students feel a sense of belonging and recognition as individuals, they are more likely to succeed socially, academically, and personally.

Moreover, embracing inclusion and diversity within a school inspires acceptance and helps prepare students to prosper in an exponentially diverse world.

Ms Gill Youngleson
Head of Inclusive Education Years 6 – 12

References

• Arthur-Kelly, M., & Foreman, P. (2020). Inclusive and Special Education in Australia. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education.