Inclusion, mainstreaming and disability
Inclusion
Inclusion refers to everyone, no matter the additional support needs of an individual, the gender or sexual preference, religion, race or cultural background. The aim is for all schools to become inclusive schools. These are schools which welcome all pupils and develop values which promote pupils’ educational, social and cultural development.
Mainstreaming
Children and young people with additional support needs have the right to be educated within a mainstream school alongside other children. Education authorities should provide education in mainstream school unless...
- education in a special school would better suit the ability or aptitude of a child with additional support needs,
- mainstream education would not allow the other children in the classroom to get the most from their learning,
- mainstream education for a child with additional support needs would result in unusually high public costs.
In Scotland, there are local authority special schools, independent special schools and 7 grant-aided schools, which provide for a wide range of special educational needs.
Disability
The Scottish Government is committed to equal opportunities for all pupils in school education. The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 means that all pupils, including those with disabilities, should receive the support they need to benefit from education.
However, pupils with disabilities have extra protection. The Disability Discrimination Act part 4 works to prevent discrimination against disabled people in their access to education. A guide for parents has been published on the Equality and Human Right's Commission's website.
The new duty to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people, introduced through the Disability Discrimination Act 2005, will extend to all public authorities. Education authorities have to publish a Disability Equality Scheme by December 2006.