This input looked a little closer at inclusion and equality through the lens of disability. We were encouraged to consider how inclusion and equality relates to disability and how the areas covered would also relate to other protected characteristics. Disability was defined as a significant long-term physical or mental impairment which impacts on an individual’s participation in the usual educational, social and economic activity within their community, and approximately 10% of the global population are classed as having a disability.
An important distinction to note is that the term additional support needs, as used following the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004/9 does not just refer to disability, but includes individuals who are vulnerable for other reasons than disability. It was impressed on us that disability is an acquirable characteristic, that some individuals are born with a disability, but through other factors, those who are born able-bodied can become disabled. We were presented with two varying models of approaching disability: medical and social. The medical model views disability as a problem which needs to be solved, whereas the social model approaches disability as an inherent part of human diversity and that it should be accomodated and considered.
This led us to considering Universal Design. This term is architectural in origin and refers to the act of designing buildings and structures so that everyone can use them. An example of this would be designing buildings with ramps instead of stairs, as they are easily accessible to everyone, and removes the “us or them” aspect of providing both. It maintains that diversity is the norm, and that we should be designing and producing our physical environment in such a way that they suit the common denominator, rather than forcing certain individuals to find other ways to access their physical environment. I totally agree with the idea of universal design, I have been a long-term believer that to force certain people to have to choose how to access areas, or to have the only disabled access be completely separate from the main access route to be completely unfair, and something that needs to be changed in our society.
In terms of disability awareness, the social model carries implications for the Scottish education system, in particular for primary and secondary schools. In terms of my role as a future educator, it is important to begin by challenging attitudes towards discrimination in schools and setting a good example for the children, not just in my own class, but in the school as a whole. Part of this will come from the ethos created by myself in the classroom, and through Health and Wellbeing education. There is no way to change attitudes towards discrimination without education, and being a future educator myself, I find it incredibly important that I begin to set a good ethos and approach to disability and other protected characteristics within my classroom.
One of the theorists we looked at today who I found particularly interesting was John Rawls. He put forward theories of social justics, and he proposed that we approach a situation from the perspective of the least advantaged in our society. In doing so, we should be able to formulate a solution which will be suitable for everyone. The metaphor used in class was “behind the veil of ignorance”, which I found to be particularly appropriate. It suggests that decision makers do not know who will be accessing services, and that it is important for them to consider the least advantaged when making their decisions.
