Search Results » Family Advocacy

Where there's a will...There's a way

Sharon Bourke writes about her son, Dan's successful inclusion in his local school. She believes the real issue is about attitudes, about asking "how?" instead of "why?". Under the principal's leadership, Dan has been fully included by teachers and peers in all aspects of school life.

What Integration means

Explains the historical background that led to the 1984 "Integration Report" in Victoria, how it has been put into practice and the far reaching changes in education for children with disabilities.

Adopted position paper on Inclusive Education (Extract)

This paper outlines the vision, strategies and benefits of a full inclusive education system which will ensure that all children are educated in supported, heterogeneous, age-appropriate, dynamic, natural, child focussed, classroom, school and community environments.

The role of collaborative/consultation in school reform. (Conference Paper)

This conference paper looks at reform of the education system to meet the needs of students with special needs (disability, cultural, linguistic diversity, medical fragility) by using the inclusive schooling system.

Initial steps for developing a caring school

An exciting and positive article that discusses ten steps/directions for transforming schools so that they meet the needs of all students within a single, inclusive system. It acknowledges that change is a long term process that takes much discussion and involvement noting that nothing worth accomplishing ever happens overnight.

The Unexpected,

Susan Yuan talks about the unexpected and very positive outcomes of her teenage son's enrolment in a regular class in his local high school - not only for her son but for his peers, teachers and herself.

Lynn: An open letter to her teacher

Anne Robison's advice to her daughter Lynn's kindergarten teacher, regarding how to facilitate the full inclusion of her daughter into the class through the use of her communication devices, demonstrates how a parent's communication of their intimate knowledge of their child can make an important contribution to the child's education.

A personal view of the "Regular Education Initiative: from Two Regular Educators (with a Little Help from a Friend)

This article analyses the term "Regular Education Initiative" which is an American/Canadian term for a process through which students with moderate/severe disabilities move from segregated education or education in separate groups in a regular school to being educated fully in a regular classroom.

Some thoughts on Advocacy (based on ideas from Wolf Wolfensberger)

A good, brief introduction to Advocacy for those for whom the term is new. It provides a definition and discusses the essential elements of Advocacy in general and the implications for those who become involved in the process of Advocacy.

Advocacy

This article was written for People First, a self advocacy group based in the USA. It gives practical examples of different types of advocacy.