Kids with disabilities in mainstream classes

DD2 has a little girl in her class that has obvious intellectual disabilities and at a guess I would say Down's. She has a full time care assistant with her, doesn't seem to have any speech at all but otherwise seems to just get on and do everything that the other kids do. What's great is that the kids at the age of 3.5 odd are learning to sign in her special little language so that they can communicate with her. I am so proud of them all that they pretty much all seem to make an effort and there is nothing but kindness shown to this little girl, and she looks so relaxed and happy to be as normal as she can possibly be.

DD1 has a boy in her class who has cystic fibrosis. He very obviously can't keep up running around at recess and lunch with the other kids and we have all been asked that the second our kids develop any sort of sniffle or cough that we inform the school so his parents can make the decision as to whether or not to pull him from class .

I wonder what's going to happen to these little kids though as they grow older and the other kids stop being as sweet and accommodating as they are now and turn into, well, kids with all their abilities for viscious truth and sometimes nastiness. I wonder what's going to happen to the little boy with CF who is obviously going to miss an enormous amount of school through his own health issues as well as just to avoid whatever bug the other kids have. I think its brilliant that the kids are in mainstream classes now, and I just hope the school has the capabilities to ensure it can continue for as long as possible.

I don't really know what the point of this post is but its been going round in my head all night after something not so nice that I saw yesterday at the shops. I worry for how these poor kids are going to get on in life, and I'm just so grateful that my kids are healthy.

As a teacher, I think it is great that these kids are given the opportunities to interact with their "mainstream" counterparts. However, I don't think it's always for the best. Often, children with severe disabilities are better catered for in special schools. They get more attention and the curriculum is designed for them personally. In a mainstream primary school, often these kids are expected to keep up. I think it's a shame that this is the case but as a teacher, with 28-10 other children in your care, often it is difficult to cater for special needs properly, and give them the attention that they deserve. Mainstream primary teachers are often not trained in working with special needs either.

I am in no way saying that we should go back to the dark ages where kids were locked away and not spoken about but I think that in some cases, mainstream education just isn't the right path to follow. I have seen too many times where parents are pushing mainstream education on their children through their own denial rather than the child's true best interests. I have no knowledge of the kids you're talking about, and mainstream may indeed be working brilliantly for them. It just doesn't for everyone.

Mainstream education is the goal. My son is disabled and we are doing early intervention to get him ready for mainstream school (or as we call it school). As an adult he will have to live in society and function with other people and the best way to learn is to be around other kids now. He may miss out on some days because he can't cope and they other kids may learn some basic makaton but my boy is giving other people the opportunity to broaden their horizons and learn about others. Special school is a last resort and I know of very few options in my region personally. When my DS is prep age he has to go to a state school as there is no other option.

This is something I was worried about when I was told that boytwin was deaf. As much as I would have wanted him to go to school with my other children we also gave serious consideration to schools for the deaf. My feeling was that school years help children gain friendships and confidence that will see them through their entire life. Also children learn better when they are happy and feel accepted, and that knowledge once learnt will not be unlearnt at uni or in the workplace. As it happened our diagnosis was wrong and therefore it was a moot point but I doubt I would be fighting to have a child with a major disability accepted at a mainstream school because of fear of them being singled out/picked on or ignored once the kids became older and the differences became more transparent.

Inclusive education is a two-way street. The hope is that with early exposure to people with varying abilities children will learn that the only 'normal' is difference. I would hope that this would be supported in the home and by the time children are older the idea of teasing other people based upon their abilities would be the furthest things from their minds.

Perhaps you can look at the what you can gain from these children, rather than the burdens you have to suffer.

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Perhaps you can look at the what you can gain from these children, rather than the burdens you have to suffer.

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with respect, nobody has said anything about disabled children being a burden. Quite the opposite, those of us who has said we would not mainstream a disabled child have said so because we want all children to get the attention and support they deserve during their schooling.

You're right. I think I misread the comment about the school having the capabilities because my blood was boiling too much.

My Nephew goes to a special school (intellectual disability) and I know my BIL and SIL weighed up lots of things when deciding his schooling as he could have gone to the same private school as his older brother. In the end they found a special school that suited nephews needs perfectly, and as they were also worried about other kids teasing the older brother because his brother was 'special', they felt it was the right decision for the whole family. My nephew is doing fantastically at his school.

Meow you have completely misunderstood. I absolutely don't think these kids are a burden at all. In fact, DH and I were commenting on the fact that while its dreadful to think these kids' lives will be harder than they should ever have to be, it is a great life lesson for the other kids to learn acceptance, respect and empathy for others, and hopefully to learn that every person needs to be accepted for who they are. We all have flaws - just most of us are lucky enough to still be accepted as "normal". My own daughter is on the border of being classed as special needs so there's no way I'm anything other than supportive. My concern is for these two particular children, not for my kids at all. Like I said in my op, my concern is how things can be done to continue to make the experience of mainstream classes as beneficial as possible. Glenny has a valid point too in that teachers are already stretched a long way, and there is no denying that in later years a child who has learning issues is going to be more taxing on resources. Its a very difficult situation all around. Money and resources sadly only go so far.

I do teach my children to accept others for who and what they are, whether that be a fat person, an intellectually or physically disabled person, a black person, a buddhist, whatever. But that's me and my belief system and I'm not naive enough to think that everybody shares that belief system. You just need to take a look around and know that tolerance of others is not a widely held view, or at least not held with anything beyond lip service. It would break my heart to see either of these kids teased or picked on. I can't even begin to imagine what a worry it must be for their own parents.

Look, I don't want to pick your post to shreds and say all the bits that bother me but simply, you seem surprised that anyone would want to be around these children and you seem to have a very "us and them" viewpoint. It's not all sunshine and rainbows that these children are included in the class... it's a right, not a privilege. Worrying over future bullying just invites it as far as I'm concerned. And what on earth is with the parting comment that you're grateful your children are healthy?? After the discussion of these other children and their terrible fates it's really distasteful.

Having a child with a disability (autism); this is something thats been weighing on my mind recently with him starting primary school next year.

If our son were any further along the spectrum we would definately have utilised the specialised school they have up here for children with Autism etc. We are lucky enough though that he was diagnosed early and at this point in time should be able to intergrate into mainstream school with minimal problems. He will still have a personal aide as well as the teachers aide already in the classroom.
I do worry about how he will be received but the private school our children do/will attend have a fair few special needs kids ranging from high functioning autism to children who are deaf, in wheelchairs, missing limbs etc. They seem to have one of the most tolerant school communities Ive seen so it definately alleviates my fear a little. Im not worried about our eldest son being teased for having a brother with special needs, he knows Ripley is different and sometimes can be a little bit unusual but thats ok because no one is the same and we should love people for their differences. If anything I think it will benefit Ripley having siblings attend the same school, so he has someone to lean on should he need it.

I definately think maybe people should talk more to their children about these issues. I try to do it with mine, especially because at this point in time Ripley is still largely unaware he has special needs but eventually with going to school he will become aware of it and I would want him to remember the talks we've had about people being different and that its perfectly ok. The one thing Ive learnt is that ridicule for people who arent "normal" is a learnt behaviour in children; all our friends kids who have known Ripley forever wouldnt even recognise that he has special needs, he is just 'Ripley' to them. Same goes for his brothers. Its only when we make it a big issue that it becomes an issue.

I have a lot to say about this from the view point of a teacher who has taught a child with down syndrome, a severely autistic child, other children who were mildly autistic, ADHD, ODD & a child who was blind.

I need to come back later when I can put the time and effort into the post but in answer to the initial post, you would be amazed at the kindness shown to these students as they get older. I cried at the end of last year at presentation day for my class because I was so humbled by the kindness shown by my class and how much they tolerated when a severely autistic child came into our class for Semester 2. He had never been in a mainstream school and is no longer in one now as it just didnt work for him.

Also never rely on getting full time support from the DET. FOr the student with Down Syndrome I taught, she had 12 hours a week and with the severely autistic boy, I could only have him until 12pm as he needed a full tiem aid and I couldnt have anymore than 3 hours a day. There was no way I could cope as a teacher (to teach and for the safety of every single person in the classroom) so he had to get picked up when the aid left.

But it is absolutely amazing how accepting students are of integrated students.

Its all good until they reach a 'higher grade' here in WA, and then the GOVT can't 'afford' to give them the one-on-one that is needed to keep them succesfully in mainstream, they then become left out/isolated and sometimes targets for other kids. Its terrible. Im in Early Childhood teaching, and i've watched kids that i've taugfht in years 2/3 go into years 4/5and be left eduactionally, the regression that usually occurs without this CONSISTENT assistance is so sad, it makes the early years a waste of time almost :(

Meow I really think you have misinterpreted LuluHB's postings here. As I read her posts she has expressed a wish to see all children integrated together in school, but has some concerns as to how long this can happen because of those children (not her own) who are raised to ridicule differences and also because of resources to ensure all children get a fair amount of attention and help in school.

As to the point of being happy her own children are healthy, I think this is just a really honest declaration and not aimed at anyone else. I know it is a feeling I share too. I am grateful every day my children are healthy and not because I would love them less if they were not, but because I know first hand how distressing it is to have an ill or disabled child. I have seen my son stared at by parents and children because he was different (when all he had were hearing aids) and I have heard the whispers. That was just as a baby. So yes I am grateful my children are now healthy and I'm sure this is all LuluHB means too.

Thanks Traveller.

Meow - I don't have anything like an us and them attitude. I don't think for a second I have suggested these children shouldn't be in a mainstream school. What I said was how fantastic it is that they are, that their particular needs are being met and that they seemed to be thriving. As for being grateful my children are healthy - of course I am. Who wouldn't be. Your suggestion that its distasteful to say such a thing is a bit like me saying how grateful if am that I'm pregnant now with a baby who has the odds well and truly on her side of making it after telling you that I've had seven losses. If you read my post again you will also see that one of my children is borderline special needs. So trust me when I tell you that I KNOW its not all "sunshine and rainbows". My DD could well be one of those children that ends up being bullied for her differences. I also spent 12 years of my life working with disabled kids on a volunteer basis and it makes me furious how many things they can't do simply because of funding - nothing to do with their capabilities.

Alibaby - that is fantastic to hear that the kids are so supportive but unfortunately I'm not surprised to hear you say that there wasn't enough funding for full time support.

Sunny - that is what I can see happening with these kids too. Its a no win situation - I think the mainstreaming is fantastic if that's what their parents/carers believe is in their best interests but it must be heartbreaking for them if they are then removed from the school in later years due to educational requirements, resources etc.

My DD1 is a high functioning autistic child. She goes to an alternative school in which she is the only child with special needs. However, at her school you wouldn't know she has special needs, or that she is autistic at first look. She's totally integrated, however, if we went to the local school she would probably be put in a "special needs" class with children at different intellectual levels. DD1 has a high IQ but has communication and social issues that block her ability when in large groups. I know that at the moment she couldn't do it. But where she is, it is perfect for her. The school is an alternative to home-schooling and has 15 students in K-6 grade in the one class room. With DD2 she could go anywhere but we have her at the same school to her sister. As my DD1 grows older through her school and our other therapies she's growing in social awareness and emotionally. I think in the next few years we could probably send her to an integrated school, not that I'd want too.

I find the connection with kids with special needs is hard because not all of the kids with special needs NEED special treatment, someone with CF has a physical condition, my cousin has CF and she had to endure a lot more, but did fine in school... it was probably grades 11 and 12 that were the hardest for her, she went onto uni... and when she was 30 had a full double lung transplant...

I wonder where we draw the line? I mean most schools don't allow peanut products now, but we don't consider a peanut allergy a "special need". I just think that often times we as families get frustrated with the term... often times we all get lumped together when its not the same. If you meet one child with autism, you've met one child with autism, they are all different. Same with intellectual disabilities.... or even CF... sure there are some similarities, but often not at all the same. Sorry this is my rant but I really dislike being lumped together.

I recently had someone lecture me because I said my daughter was autistic, he said "no you can't say that, you must say she has autism...." and went onto say that I mustn't label her, but in all honesty my daughter is autistic. She's not a burden, we have a different lifestyle that those without it, but we don't know any different either. Its our life, just like yours is your life.... I would never say that we have a bad life. Yes its been difficult and yes hard as well, but maybe it would have been anyway?? I don't know any different, neither does the rest of my family.

Sorry I guess I am kinda explaining how parents of children with "special needs" react... I'm not upset by the OP or the responses, but I guess its hard when you are in the midst of life to face things that do hurt sometimes... I also understand where meow is coming from. So while the OP didn't say things, its something we as parent's face all the time... and it can wear you down. xoxox

I am a teacher of students with special needs. My class is within a mainstream school and we try to integrate the kids in my class into their mainstream 'buddy' class where appropriate. We also have a number of students with special needs in mainstream classes full time.

I guess what surprises me here is that some of these students that have been mentioned in posts above are able to have full time SSO's (carers) allocated just to them within the mainstream. What state(s) is this happening in? In SA, the maximum hours a student with special needs can get within a mainstream class is 5 hours a week. As you can tell this is ridiculously low, which means that the waiting list for students trying to get into special classes is enormous as many of these kids aren't properly catered from within the mainstream (and that's nothing negative against their teachers, they do their best, but 5 hours a week....?????)

But a child with CF isn't considered "special needs" in the educational setting, Autism allocates aides according to IQ, so for my DD her allocated aide time was 5 hours per week... not enough for one who can't cope in a group of 30....

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But a child with CF isn't considered "special needs" in the educational setting, Autism allocates aides according to IQ, so for my DD her allocated aide time was 5 hours per week... not enough for one who can't cope in a group of 30....

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I totally agree with you. 5 hours a week is just too little time. I understand CF isn't considered 'special needs', but the student with downs syndrome getting a full time aide suprised me, not that I don't think it is necessary, but just because our kids get nowhere near that.

I have worked as a teacher of special needs kids both in special schools and in mainstream schools. One school I worked at was lucky enough to have two DS boys in the same year. They each got 1/2 time teachers aids which meant they could be in the same class and share an aid full time. I taught them over the years as they progressed through primary school. They are both happily at the local high now. I don't think I saw them getting picked on or bullied but they did annoy other kids at times and sometimes had to be reminded they had a responsibility to behave fairly with others. On the whole the kids in their classes where highly supportive, ensured they were integrated and made sure they modified games and activities to include them.
I support and like integration of kids who have special needs and I agree some are better off at schools with facilities that can cater to their needs better but most, given the funding, geography, teacher support and encouragement, facilities and with positive support from their parents are waaay better off in mainstream.
I have also taught children with behaviour that is unmanageable in mainstream schools. I believe those who have constantly been violent to teachers and other children cannot stay in mainstream school and do need an alternate environment for their education. Re-integration of these students with special needs is very complicated and a whole other mainstream inclusion story!

I'm sorry if I have caused you offence Christy. I'm trying to be more eloquent but just not finding the words today so I'll just leave it there and not dig a deeper hole for myself!

I am in NSW and students with intellectual disabilities get next to no integration time. The student I had who was Blind was soooooooooo well looked after! It was like chalk and cheese. I also have taught soemone with Muscular Dystrophy and I didnt have aid time but my classroom was completely made over with a ramp and access to a toilet as well.

LuluB- I dont think you have been out of line at all and I can see you are a very compassionate woman who does genuinely care :hug:

Also FWIW I am not even trained in Special needs and have taught a lot of special needs students. It is really really really hard. So incredibly draining yet it is not the integrated students fault it is the lack of funding and support from the government that makes it difficult to integrate students successfully.

The government was all for integration to save money funding special needs schools, so they pushed integration. Then they realised how expensive it is to properly cater for these students in mainstream schools so they cut the funding....leaving a BIG problem for all involved. Most of the trainjing I have done in special needs is my own internet research. My school cant affoprd to send me on a course on each specific special need as that money gets taken out of integration budget which then means less aid time as the aids are paid by the integration budget the school is allocated.

In my first semester with a student with down syndrome, I spent so much time trying to cater for her that the rest of my class had their marks slip. I was horrified when I saw that they had made little to no improvement in their mid semester assessments. I knew I had to devote more time to the other 25 students in my class and made a promise to actually be their teacher as well. Their marks began to climb as soon as I did this but it meant my integrated student didnt have much of my time. It is a really hard juggle.

Again, it is not that I think children shouldnt be integrated it is just that as teachers we need more support to make it work for everyone.

My kids attend a small private school, approximately 230 students. Most of the families in our school community are very involved and supportive - I'm very proud of the example we, as a community, set for our children.

When my son was in 4 year old kinder (at the school, a full time program) a little girl joined his class. She has older siblings at the school and so I was already very familiar with the child. She has a global developmental delay and quite high level needs. Her intellectual disability is greater than her physical challenges. I will be honest - I questioned whether a main stream school was the best place for this child. I wondered whether her parent's desire to include their daughter was based on what was best for the child or on her mother's inability to accept the reality of her daughter's condition - an inability her mother still speaks very openly of. I worried that she would not be accepted by the other kids, that she would feel hurt or rejected.

She started in four year old kinder, when she was 6. The kids had questions... why does she talk funny? Why is she here when she's already 6? Why does she make those noises? Kids don't have much tact... But the questions were honest, and they were asked without malice.

My DS is now in Grade 1. The little girl is very much a part of his class. She is involved and accepted and loved by her classmates. When she needs assistance, be it physical or with a mental challenge, her classmates don't hesitate to help her. The wider community, including the kids in secondary school, simply accept that this little girl is one of them. Different, but the same. She has not faced any bullying and her friends wouldn't stand for it if she did! When one child picks another to assist with a task, she is picked just as often as any other kid.

The joy this girl experiences coming to school is evident on her happy face and in her cheerful greeting each morning. Academically, she has surpassed expectations. She has a full time aide, the government funding is topped up by the school. The parents of all the children in the class feel lucky to have an additional (highly over qualified!) staff member in the classroom with our kids.

I had my concerns about the fate of this little mite in a main stream school, but I was wrong. Our children have proven me wrong.

No offense caused Luluhb, I was just trying to bridge the gap between what you said and what meow said...

I went to a mainstream high school that has a special needs class. The SN kids usually joined the rest of us for lunch & recess & TBH, I never saw any bullying.
The ones who were capable joined in on games of handball & they were all part of the school.

One of my best friends older sister was CP. Limited communication & movement. She passed away from pneumonia at 14 & the school was very well represented at her funeral.

I worry that DD2 might have trouble, because she's a very touchy feely kid who can cross boundaries & have no idea, even after being told, but she's very well liked by all the kids, because she's always happy with lots of energy :)

Everyone has the potential to bullied. I think more effort gets put into bullying 'normal' kids because most bullying is due to jelousy & competition.

My DD has a rare genetic condition, and currently attends an early intervention program at our local ECDP. I am 100% for inclusion, but only where feasible. I have not considered for one second sending my dd to mainstream school, because realistically its a bad idea for everyone (her,the teacher,the other students). Her prep class will be 6 or 7 kids with similar abilities with a teacher and a teacher aide. I could never leave her in a class of 20 or so kids.....in saying that, I'm definitely in the minority of parents 'happy' to send my kid to special school. She needs help toileting,is non verbal,needs help eating and cannot walk. Our short term goals are for her to learn these things.

I have heard of some parents being knocked back from special schools and being forced into mainstream schooling with some special ed time, even if they didn't feel it was the right choice. Whereas a mainstream schools cannot tell you that they can't handle having your child there. When they cut funding for the prep program from where dd is now we took it to the disabilities minister with other parents and education qld she told me repeatedly dd would be welcomed into any local primary school. How on earth is that fair on her or the teacher (or my stress levels lol) . I did however see bullying of disabled kids when I was younger, nothing serious, and not until older. Little kids are generally awesome with dd and very inquisitive about things, and love having someone different around

I forgot to add too, that although my dd is considered severely intellectually and physically disabled, if in a mainstream school couldn't have an aide full time :(

I really don't think I've missed the point of your post. I can see the positive things you are trying to say, I really can but there is so much going on with the tone of your post that I skipped straight to addressing that. I would hope you can reread what you have written, have a good think about the discourses that you hold about 'disability' and perhaps consider this an opportunity to learn and grow. The same goes for many of the replying posters.

I am an early childhood teacher and have had to spend time in my work and study really looking at the core of my thoughts and words- even 'positive' words can create and 'us and them' culture and place you in the position of 'power'. I am also the parent of a child with autism so I doubly find it offensive that my child could be discussed as the cute school pet that's nice to have around- he offers value in his own right that is not based upon his ability.

All that said I DO understand that an inclusive educational environment doesn't support the needs of all children and some children do best in a special education environment. I'm not for a moment declaring that my son has to be in a mainstream environment just because I want him there. But I'm not going into his educational situation because this isn't about him or me. That wasn't really the point of my post. I was responding to the underlying tone of your post, and subsequent posters. It would really take an essay to probably discuss this enough but I do hope perhaps you all take some reflection and consider the power position you place yourself in.

I think the key word is 'inclusion'. It is what we should be striving for, for every child. Of course there has to be varying degrees, but we should be aiming to see beyond the disability.

Christy - I understand where your friend was coming from, he/she was saying your daughter is a persone first, and someone with Autism second. I can also totally understand your viewpoint too, and it is awesome that you that you accept her for who she is. Many parents of children that have extra needs never get to that place.

ECDP is a beautiful thing Ellasmummy! We are fortunate enough for our DS to go two half days a week and they are making great gains with him. My son is now participating in a group of his peers and enjoying the benefits of a very low ratio (5 kids:3 teachers). Aiden is being encouraged to TT, to face his sensory issues, to learn the power of words (when previously he was only making nonsense noises and saying mum he can now say 20 words in context) and learn how to behave in a classroom like scenario. This is invaluable and we will be using this to ready DS for school. The last semester he is there before prep they will be teaching him about his new school and visiting the school to reduce the stress associated with change for him. All SN kids should have access to programs like this to help get their bearings and make the most of an education.

I don't know how it works in other states, but at my school, which has a high number of ASD kids, ID, as well as having DS children in the past, has SSO's (aides) with special needs kids for around 4 hours per day every day, including lunch time. It varies on how much funding the child is receiving and how the school wish to allocate that funding with the SSO.

Some schools can use one staff member for 2 children for.eg and have that staff member rotate through a few children and can be there throughout the day. At our school most SSO's finish after lunch so the students don't have an aide for afternoon classes (a few that need it do). In Victoria the funding process is a 4-5 stage process and takes a lot of assessment, writing of reports and diagnosis to get anywhere.

Maybe it is the schools I have worked at, or the nature of primary schools being younger kids, as well as sharing a grade all day every day but we rarely see bullying of SN kids - doesn't mean it doesn't happen and kids that tease and bully tend to do it to lots of kids not just SN kids ITMS. I do wonder how some will go at high school Lu - we have one boy with ASD in grade 6 and going to mainstream high school and he will not cope. I can say that categorically. His parents want him to go to a mainstream high school, but he will really struggle. As with many kids with ASD change in routine absolutely throws him for a six so Im not sure how the funding works as now we have an aide to follow him when he takes off from not coping which is a number of times a week.

I guess what I am saying, is that from a teachers perspective is that inclusion can work wonderfully well and is the ultimate aim regardless of the disability but there are obviously exceptions in all cases and even within the school I am teaching at - having had verbal abuse, physical abuse, wooden mallets thrown at me as well as the disruption to other students and class time in general - at times it is a really fine line. (and yes this can all happen with non SN students but in my time at my current school, all the things i have mentioned have been from SN kids).

Meow -

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but there is so much going on with the tone of your post.......doubly find it offensive that my child could be discussed as the cute school pet that's nice to have around- he offers value in his own right that is not based upon his ability.

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I really feel that you are reading a lot into the "tone" - I think it's been said time and again on BB, that tone is something that will vary from one reader to another. You are picking up on something that many others aren't and can see that Lulu is saying what a great job the school is doing at integrating SN kids as well as wondering what will happen in the future, which is a real worry considering so many schools have bullying issues.

I have reread the original post as well as my response and I'm sorry Meow, I can't see the "underlying tone" that you were talking about. The truth is that the needs of these children are going to be different to the needs of their classmates. I don't think that's setting up an "us and them" atmosphere, it's simply the truth. It's also true that a lot of mainstream schools don't have the funding or capabilities to be able to give SN kids all that they need and deserve. That is not saying that SN kids are a burden, just that schools need to be better equipped and supported in order to be able to provide truly inclusive education for ALL kids.

Saying that other students gain much from having a child with CF or Downs in their class is so true! I can't see how that is turning these two children into "classroom pets". Rather it's acknowledging that inclusion is a two way street- everybody gains. Inclusion shouldn't be about pretending that the SN of the child doesn't exist and treating everyone exactly the same. It should be about embracing the SN as part of that child. In my opinion as a primary teacher, ALL children have certain special needs and it is my job to find out what they are. Mary may be hearing impaired, Joey needs visual cues to help his understanding, Tommy needs a gentle atmosphere in the classroom due to a disruptive home life. I embrace these kids because of who they are (and disabilities are part of that) not in spite of who they are. It helps nobody to ignore the fact that their needs are different and to treat them all the same.

I am all for inclusion. As someone who works in the disability sector, who now strives for the inclusion of adults, when you look back that exclusion, that isolation starts at school. Then we spent the rest of our lives trying to include. Australia is backwards compared to other countries. We should be finding a way to include all children rather than teach our kids that if you're different or 'special' you go to special class. All children are different and unique regardless of disability.


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My son will be attending private school where they a) have a teachers aide in the class every day from start to finish time and b) they are already organising funding through the Cath Ed Dept to get an additional teachers aide in a few days a week who is specifically trained to deal with ASD kids for him. They dont get automatically allocated funding to do whatever with like majority public schools, they have to apply and be approved; as well as specify exactly what help they need so the child is getting the right help for THEM.The school has gone above and beyond already for us and he isnt even starting til next year! I got a much better response from them about my concerns (that I raised at Ds1's prep interview because Im not sending the boys to two different schools) than I did from the public school he was zoned for. The school even has their own affiliated speech and OT therapists who assess all the classes on a regular basis to try and minimise the gap between neurotypical kids and kids who have difficulties in these area's; ASD and non ASD alike.

I guess thats just our luck to find an amazing private school and be able to afford it. If Ds2 took a spot in one of the few SN schools up here, if would mean one less spot for a SN child who truly needs it.