Transcript CONFERENCE O N I NCLUSIVE E DUCATION FOR C HILDREN WITH D ISABILITIES 27-29 September, 2011 Gerison Lansdown.

CONFERENCE O N I NCLUSIVE E DUCATION FOR
C HILDREN WITH D ISABILITIES
27-29 September, 2011
Gerison Lansdown
 History of exclusion and institutionalisation
 Lack of common definitions of disability and therefore
inadequate data on prevalence
 High levels of stigma and discrimination
 Rigid medicalised systems of assessment and labelling

 Limited access to education
 All countries have ratified the CRC
 All have signed and a number ratified the CRPD
 Growing recognition of the universal right to
education and inclusion of children with disabilities
 Most countries with initiatives to promote inclusive
education
 Institutionalisation of very young children with
disabilities remains common
 The rate of institutionalisation is actually
increasing in some countries
 Development of alternative family-based provision
remains slow
 Children with disabilities are still widely excluded
from education
Segregation
Integration
• children are
classified
according to
their
impairment
• children with
disabilities are
placed in the
mainstream
system
• allocated a
school designed
to respond to
that particular
impairment
• often in special
classes
• only able to
remain as long
as they can
accommodate
the school’s
demands and fit
in with its
environment
Inclusion
• recognition of
need to
transform the
cultures, policies
and practices in
school to
accommodate
the differing
needs of
individual
students
• an obligation to
remove the
barriers that
impede that
possibility
‘a process of addressing and responding to the diversity
of needs of all learners through increasing participation
in learning, cultures and communities, and reducing
exclusion within and from education. It involves
changes and modifications in content, approaches,
structures and strategies, with a common vision which
covers all children of the appropriate age range and a
conviction that it is the responsibility of the state to
educate all children’.
UNESCO 2005, Guidelines for Inclusion: ensuring
access to education for all, Paris
CRPD
CRC
• Article 2 – non
discrimination
• Article 28 – right to
education on the basis of
equality of opportunity
• Article 29 – education to
fulfil optimal potential
• Articles 3,4, 5 and 7 –
obligations on States to
take all measures to
protect from
discrimination on grounds
of disability
• Article 24 – the right to
inclusive education at all
levels, and to be provided
with all necessary
supports and reasonable
accommodations
Specific legislation, policies, processes and supports to introduce and
sustain inclusive education
Right to
access
education
Right to
quality
education
Respect
for
rights
within
educatio
n
The right to education
Government wide investment to systems, structures and processes
to underpin inclusive education
Overarching
commitments
Policies
Processes
• Political will and good governance
• Effective government structures
• Financing
• Guaranteeing protection from
discrimination
• De-institutionalisation
•
•
•
•
Strengthening information systems
Learning from what works
Partnerships and participation
Capacity building
 CRC and CRPD emphasise right to education for every
child on basis of equality of opportunity
 CRPD demands inclusive education at all levels
 Children with disabilities must not be excluded from
general education on the basis of disability
 Reasonable accommodations must be made
 Support must be provided
Early childhood
care and
education services
Working with
parents
Creating
inclusive
learning
environments
Ensuring
accessibility and
availability of
inclusive education
Removing barriers
to inclusive
education
 CRC and CRPD emphasise the right to education
which:
 fulfils development of human potential and dignity –
personality, talents, mental and physical abilities
 addresses strengthening respect for human rights,
fundamental freedoms and human diversity
 prepares children for responsible life in free society
 Committee on the Rights of the Child stresses
importance of child-centred education adapted to
the differing needs of different children
Positive
learning
environments
A child friendly,
safe and
healthy
environment
Investment in
support for
teachers
Rights based
and inclusive
assessment
 CRC and CRPD emphasise:
 The right to respect for language and culture
 The right of children to express views and have them
taken seriously
 The right of children to protection from all forms of
violence, including school discipline which is respectful
of child’s dignity
 Committee on the Rights of the Child affirm
that children ‘do not lose their human rights by
virtue of passing through the school gates’
Recognition of children’s identity, culture and
language
Opportunities for children to express views and be
taken seriously:
•
•
•
•
In individual decisions affecting them
Through participatory pedagogy
Through democratic environments in school
By informing education policies and legislation
Respect to physical and personal integrity:
• Creating safe environments
• Tackling bullying
• Promoting non-violent conflict resolution
• Involving children as partners in addressing violence
 Realising the right to inclusive education can only be
achieved by addressing access, quality and respect for
rights
 Action is needed at every level
 Government wide commitment across ministries
 Legislation, policies, finance, data collection, capacity
building and partnerships
 Investment within school towards introducing cultures,
policies and practices necessary to create inclusive
environments