ANSWD Session
Integration vs Segregation
Presented by Timothy Hart
Thursday 30th November 2006
2:30 pm – 3:30pm Plenary Theatre
Pathways 8 Conference

“Teachers urge rethink on inclusion policy“
Teachers have called on the government to end a "one size fits all" approach to teaching children with special education needs, after the standards watchdog said it was the quality of the education, not where they are taught, that produced the best results. 
Parents, teachers and disability campaigners have voiced concern over the continued closure of dedicated special schools in the name of "inclusion" - where children with special needs are placed in mainstream schools. 

People with a disability are segregated in at least one area of their lives from the rest of the community and there can be a number of factors for this. 
These areas can be education, employment, transport, access to social goods, access to buildings, the ability to go where you want, access to the printed word, etc. 
Sometimes the segregation is necessary even a benefit for the person with a disability but most of the time it's not. 

The problem is in most of these areas of life the rest of the community deny/fail to realise the disadvantage that the person with a disability is put at, 
e.g. employment, most people with a disability have additional costs in being employed and difficulties, hurdles to overcome. 
As a result, this increases the difficulty for people with a disability to find employment and keep it

Depending on the area you are talking about, there are arguments for both inclusion and segregation, education is the case in point. 
We know that most people with a disability benefit from inclusion however some people feel that the inclusion of the person with a disability is at their expense. 

Arguments for Inclusion
The best outcomes for people with a disability come about from being part of the wider, mainstream community. 
People with a disability have human rights to access the same facilities and amenities as anyone else.                                                                  
Inclusion means enabling people with a disability to participate in the life and work of mainstream institutions to the best of their abilities, whatever their needs. 
A segregated life restricts the right and limits opportunities for self-fulfillment. 

Arguments for Segregation
Lack of suitable support systems 
The cost of Inclusion
Inclusion of the people with a disability is at someone else’s expense
Integration vs Segregation 

ANSWD Pathway 7 Workshop
Integration:
Participation in life and be able to achieve 
Be aware of your rights 
Need for choice in service delivery 
Need to educate staff and students
Drawbacks

Needs not met 
Lecturers not understanding 
Lack of facilities 
Disclosure to gain access to services 

Segregation:
Treated and portrayed as different 
Less opportunities to achieve when hidden from society 
Tucked in a corner 
Others think you have an advantage over them, eg, in exams 
Isolation 
Social needs not being met 

What we need to do to push the movement from segregation to integration is more student input and involvement.

Consultation with students with disabilities 
Have a say – self advocacy is important 
Train lecturers, boot camp! 
Need role models so students can learn from others 
Teacher consultants working with staff and students 
Support structures 
Right to education recognised 
Government involvement 

Direct experience with a person with a disability affects other people’s attitudes 
Get rid of labels like special, disadvantaged etc. 
Clubs based on common interests 
Voice for students with disabilities in various committees. 
Training for staff in teaching for all students 
See people as individuals 
Exchange information with those who need to know only 
Administration needs to know the problems and find solutions to them 

Need groups of friends for support and information sharing 
Informed rather than educated! 
Open lines for co-operation between areas/faculties/departments 
Collate information across institutions 
Disability action plans – monitor progress 
Make a collective voice for students with disabilities 
More contact with staff and decision makers 
Use the legislation (DDA etc.) 
Work with disability officers, not against them. We are all on the same team. 
What else can we do?

Thank you