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Improving Inclusive Practices in Secondary Schools: Moving from Specialist Support to Supporting Learning Communities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2016

Joanne Deppeler ,
Tim Loreman  and
Umesh Sharma
Joanne Deppeler*
Affiliation:
Monash University
Tim Loreman
Affiliation:
Concordia University College of Alberta
Umesh Sharma
Affiliation:
Monash University
*
Joanne Deppeler, Faculty of Education, Monash University, PO Box S, Clayton, Victoria 3800. Australia. E-mail: [email protected]
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Extract

Much of current inclusive education provision in Australian secondary schools relies on ‘specialist’ support from outside the classroom. Students with diverse abilities are placed within the regular classroom and additional specialist services such as therapy, counselling, psychological assessment and special education teaching are required to support their placement. This form of support often relies upon a diagnostic – prescriptive approach where the specialist assumes responsibility for and has a central role in shaping practices. In this paper, we raise issues regarding this model of specialist support in enacting effective inclusive practices in secondary schools. We suggest that one alternative is to shift the focus from the students who are different, to the community of learners in the school. This alternative approach uses collaborative and evidence-based practices to support inclusive ideals and grounds improvement efforts in changes in teachers’ knowledge as well as the cultural and organisational conditions of the school. The purpose of this paper is to prompt further discussion amongst professional community regarding the unique challenges and issues of inclusive practices in secondary schools.

Type
Research Article
Information
Australasian Journal of Special Education , Volume 29 , Issue 2 , 2005 , pp. 117 - 127
Copyright
Copyright © The Australian Association of Special Education 2005

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