How the rights of all school students and teachers are affected by special educational needs or disability (SEND) services: Teaching, psychology, policy

Abstract

This paper considers how teachers, psychologists and policymakers can respect the rights of all school students, through methods that are principled, humane, cost-effective and democratic. It examines how special educational needs and disability (SEND) services affect all school students and teachers, and their rights. The paper considers the history of rights, their meaning and purpose, and how and why they are important. Respect for rights can grow in several ways: in understanding the social and medical models of disability; in choices about SEND services; in educational psychology services; in the way 'normal' and 'special needs' students learn to live and work together, or else to live separate lives when it is then harder for disabled people to join in mainstream society as children and adults. The conclusion relates inclusive and special school policies to larger political concerns.

Chinese teachers’ views of educational exclusion of children with disabilities in relation to equality

“…Utilitarianism as a barrier to inclusion can become particularly prominent when the concept of inclusion was narrowly understood as only benefiting the minority children with disabilities. This points to the importance of recognising that inclusion in its broad sense has the benefits of improving education and society for all, not just for the few in minority (Alderson, 2018;Armstrong, 2008;Florian & Linklater, 2010;Knight, 2017).…”

“…A segregated education system undermines this role, affecting both children with disabilities and others: learning goals are narrowly driven by gaining merits; relationships are prejudiced and biased; norms are used to coerce and divide; and compassion, care, and respect for one another become peripheral to competing to win. In contrast, inclusive education, as "an ethical project of responsibility to ourselves and others" (Allan, 1999, p. 126), aims to create a more equal and just society, where each child is recognised as having strengths and weaknesses, and they learn in mixed groups how to live together (Alderson, 2018;Francis and Wong, 2013). It encourages an inclusive model of society in school that teaches children about togetherness, respect for differences, equality, kindness, compassion, and helping the least fortunate benefits all.…”

Broadening the Rights of Children in the Anthropocene

“…Education about and for children's rights includes knowledge and positive attitudes towards understanding the UNCRC, as covered by the first two dimensions of rights (Davis 2014). Alderson (2018) clarifies that children seldom know, or understand, their rights, so adults should help their emancipation. Education institutions should take responsibility to teach about children rights.…”

“…It is about promoting communication between older, even historic, generations, the ones living here and now and, most importantly, the ones that are to live in the future. Alderson (2018), furthering this thought, discusses if children should have the possibility to intervene into the UNCRC, giving them the real power proposed in that document.…”

Ordinary lives means ordinary schools: towards a unitary 0-99 years policy for adults and children with learning disabilities

“…Rights, it says, are inherent in being human. It follows that when the category “human” is invoked, it must include those human beings who are in the first one-third of their lives, on the grounds that “universal human rights” involve “recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family” (see the discussion in Alderson, 2018). Subsequent UN conventions have clarified that this applies explicitly to children (UN General Assembly, 1989) and to people with disabilities, including learning disabilities (UN General Assembly, 2006).…”