Inclusive Education at Work: Students with Disabilities in Mainstream Schools

Description

The rights of students with disabilities to be educated in their local mainstream school is becoming more and more accepted in most countries, and many reforms are being put in place to achieve this goal. Further, there is no reason to segregate disabled students in public education systems; instead, education systems need to be reconsidered to meet the needs of all students. Based on in-depth analysis of inclusive practice in eight countries, this book addresses the issues that arise for such practices to be successful. The most detailed international comparative study ever carried out, this book shows that all students, whatever the type and extent of their disability, can be successfully included in mainstream schools, as long as certain safeguards are ensured. Nine areas emerge as being of crucial importance: funding models, systems of public accountability for schools, pupil assessment, curriculum development, adult-to-student ratios, the role of classroom assistants, the functioning of support services, the training of teachers and other professionals and community and parental involvement. The country case studies are complemented by comprehensive annexes describing how teachers can be most efficiently prepared for special education, and developing a procedure for cost-effectiveness analysis of special education. Further reading Related publications include Implementing Inclusive Education (1997), Post-compulsory Education for Disabled People (1997), and Integrating Students with Special Needs into Mainstream Schools (1995). Further work on the subject, to be released in 2000, will develop quantitative data analysis. Countries covered Australia Canada Denmark Germany Iceland Italy United Kingdom United States Foreword Acknowledgements Table of Contents Summary Part I. Segregation, Integration and Inclusion Background From integration to inclusion Conclusions Note on terminology Part 2. The Countries Visited – A Synthesis Background Legal and policy frameworks Prevalence of children with special educational needs (SEN) in the countries visited Table 1. Percentages of children recognised as having different levels of special need at the time the country was visited Provision Table 2. Percentages of students with individual education programmes in different placements Assessment Trends to inclusion Funding and resourcing Staffing Table 3. Student/teacher and student/adult ratios for students with special needs in primary, lower secondary... Table 4. Salaries of classroom assistants, expressed as proportions of teachers’ salaries A comparison of costs entailed in integrated and segregated provision Accountability and evaluation Training Out-of-school support services Within-school support services Between-school support Parental and community involvement School organisation and management – opportunities for whole school development Curriculum development Classroom organisation Conclusions and policy implications Final concluding comments Some comments on disadvantages of inclusive education and limitations of the study Part 3. Country Case Studies 1. Australia Introduction A. Country, state and district arrangements Table 1.1. Percentages of students with disabilities in 1992, in different types of placement: Australia as a whole... Table 1.2. Percentages of New South Wales students with disabilities, in different types of placement, 1988 to 1997 Table 1.3. Support service staff external to schools, New South Wales, 1997 B. The schools visited Table 1.4. Number of students and teaching staff in the ordinary schools visited Table 1.5. Extra staffing for students with special needs in ordinary classes Table 1.6. Staffing for students in special classes Table 1.7. Professional support, additional to teaching support, in the special school Conclusions 2. Canada Introduction A. The provincial pattern B. Arrangements at district level Table 2.1. Extra cost of educating children with special needs in Woodstock C. The schools visited Conclusions 3. Denmark Introduction A. The national pattern Table 3.1. Percentage of children requiring extensive special education placed in ordinary classes... Table 3.2. Costs per pupil per year across the Danish counties, for pupils receiving extensive special education, 1988 B. Local arrangements Table 3.3 Children requiring extensive special education: provision for the county’s children, compared with that for Denmark Table 3.4. Comparison of costs per pupil per annum, of providing various forms of extensive special education, 1988 C. The folkeskolen visited Table 3.5. Number of pupils and teachers in the seven folkeskolen visited Conclusions 4. Germany Introduction A. The national pattern B. Regional arrangements C. The establishments visited Conclusions 5. Iceland Introduction A. National and local arrangements Table 5.1. Percentages of Icelandic students receiving different types of special education Table 5.2. Percentages of different types of placements of Icelandic students with SEN Table 5.3. Percentages of Icelandic students with disabilities in different types of placements Table 5.4. Student/teacher ratios, 1995-96 Table 5.5. Ratios of cost per student with special educational needs to cost per student without special needs, 1996-97 B. The schools visited Conclusions 6. Italy Introduction A. The national pattern Table 6.1. Ratios of students with disabilities to support teachers, 1993 B. Local arrangements Table 6.2. Percentages of children in state schools certificated as having disabilities, 1993 Table 6.3. Percentages of children with various types of disability among children receiving segregated special education... C. The establishments visited Conclusions 7. United Kingdom Introduction A. The national pattern B. Local arrangements C. The school visited Conclusions Annex: Brief visit to a special school for students with moderate learning difficulties 8. United States Introduction A. The state pattern Table 8.1. Percentage of school-age individuals with particular disabilities among all school-age individuals... Table 8.2. Placements of students with disabilities, Colorado, 1994-95 B. Local arrangements C. The schools visited Conclusions References Annex 1: Special Education Teacher Training Survey of 13 Countries Table A1.1. Demographics Table A1.2. General background and innovations Table A1.3. Structure of training – Regular teachers Table A1.4. Structure of training – Special education teachers Table A1.5. Content of training – Regular teachers and special education teachers Table A1.6. Training outcomes and in-service requirements Appendix 1.1. CERI/OECD Study on Training Teachers to Work with Children with Disabilities Annex 2: Training professionals to work in inclusive settings Appendix 2.1.Multi-Disciplinary Professional Training Questionnaire for Completion by Member Countries SUMMARY SHEET FOR PROGRAMME DETAILS Annex 3: Inclusive and Special Education: Issues of Cost-Effectiveness Box 1. Six stages of cost effectiveness evaluation Table A3.1. Services received by sample members over the previous term Table A3.2. Service costs (1995- 96 prices) and data sources Table A3.3. Total and component costs per term Table A3.4. Median reading progress, 1995 References Appendix 3.1. Client Service Receipt Inventory Appendix 3.2. Interview Aide Memoire for Schools Appendix 3.3. Cost-Related Information for the Integrated School Appendix 3.4. Cost-Related Information for the Special School Appendix 3.5. Inclusive Education in England: Children’s Progress Appendix 3.5A Comparison of Reading Scores on McMillan and SPAR tests Annex 4: OECD International Study - Active Life for People with Disabilities List of Tables Table 1. Percentages of children recognised as having different levels of special need at the time the country was visited Table 2. Percentages of students with individual education programmes in different placements Table 3. Student/teacher and student/adult ratios for students with special needs in primary, lower secondary and special schools based on schools visited Table 4. Salaries of classroom assistants, expressed as proportions of teachers’ salaries Table 1.1. Percentages of students with disabilities in 1992, in differen types of placement: Table 1.2. Percentages of New South Wales students with disabilities in diferent types of placement. Table 1.3. Support service staff external to schools, New South Wales, 1997 Table 1.4. Number of students and teaching staff in the ordinary schools visited Table 1.5. Extra staffing for students with special needs in ordinary classes Table 1.6. Staffing for students in special classes Table 1.7. Professional support, additional to teaching support, in the special school Table 2.1. Extra cost of educating children with special needs in Woodstock Table 3.1. Percentage of children requiring extensive special education placed in ordinary... Table 3.2. Costs per pupil per year across the Danish counties, for pupils receiving extensive special education Table 3.3. Children requiring extensive special education: provision for the country’s children Table 3.4. Comparison of costs per pupil per annum, of providing various forms of extensive special education Table 3.5. Number of pupils and teacheers in the seven folkeskolen visited Table 5.1. Percentages of Icelandic students receiving different types of special education Table 5.2. Percentages of different types of placements of Icelandic students with SEN Table 5.3. Percentages of Icelandic students with disabilities in different types of placements Table 5.4. Student/teacher ratios, 1995-96 Table 5.5. Ratios of cost per student with special educational needs to cost per student without special need Table 6.1. Ratios of students with disabilities to support teachers, 1993 Table 6.2. Percentages of children in state schools certificated as having disabilities, 1993 Table 6.3. Percentages of children with various types of disability among children receiving segregated special education Table 8.1. Percentage of school-age individuals with particular disabilities among all school-age individuals... Table 8.2. Placements of students with disabilities, Colorado, 1994-95 Table A1.1. Demographics Table A1.2. General background and innovations Table A1.3. Structure of training – Regular teachers Table A1.4. Structure of training – Special education teachers Table A1.5. Content of training – Regular teachers and special education teachers Table A1.6. Training outcomes and in-service requirements Table A3.1. Services received by sample members over the previous term Table A3.2. Service costs (1995-96 prices) and data sources Table A3.3. Total and component costs per term Table A3.4. Median reading progress, 1995 List of Box Box 1. Six stages of cost effectiveness evaluation