Two schools of thought – benefits of specialist and mainstream education

Published on Wednesday 1 October 2008 22:45

THE debate on whether to educate special-needs children in mainstream education or specialised schools has gone on for generations.

It is an argument which has reverberated around school halls, councils, governments and parliaments worldwide.

Politicians and education experts have come out in favour of both approaches countless times, calling for widespread changes in the way we educate children with special needs.

There is a point of view that special-needs children should be immersed in mainstream education, working alongside non-disabled children.

The argument against this practice relies on points such as the question of teacher training, financial restrictions, as well as facilities. There are also concerns that the inclusion of disabled children could hold other children back, as disabled pupils may require more of the teacher's time than non-disabled pupils.

However, there is an opposing argument that if special-needs children are educated in a specialist environment, then, despite the facilities, contact time and support that would be available to them, the pupils would come out of the education system lacking the life experience and exposure needed for life in the real world.

In the mid-1990s the Australian government looked at disbanding special schools, but immediately received calls not to do so until the standard school system could cope with needs of all students. This is a common argument against inclusion – that the standards of education in many countries is not high enough to be able to cater for children with special needs and that the children concerned are best served in a more sheltered environment.

As in Australia, the issue has been particularly sensitive in the United States, where parents have accused school districts of discriminating against their children.

Parents and experts alike both claim that inclusiveness is the answer and that everyday interaction with other children is the best way of helping the young to feel a part of society.

However, inclusiveness also raises issues of its own. Arguments over issues, such as assessment for children with disabilities versus assessment for non-disabled children, are also prevalent.

Funding has also been looked at on a local and national level, with extra equipment and resources being required for schools with large numbers of children with disabilities.

In this country, the way we treat our disabled, like our elderly, is still seen by many as taboo.

Words like "disgraceful", "evil" and even "apartheid" have all been used, highlighting the emotive nature of the debate.

The past decade has seen vast improvements to the education system and to the educating of children with learning disabilities, but there are many challenges ahead and the arguments will no doubt continue.