(SEN) and (AEN) Integration

When asking a group of PGCE students recently what they thought integration in schools meant, they used phrases such as ‘fitting various pieces together to make a whole’ and ‘putting different sections together’ (personal account, 2004). It is vital to understand the educational meaning of integration so that the differences between it and the meaning of inclusion and inclusive practice can clearly be distinguished.

Until the late 1990s the medical model of disability affected how children were educated. With this model children with disabilities were seen as ‘problems’ and were segregated from children attending mainstream schools. They were thought of as ‘faulty’ and were given labels identifying their ‘fault’ and frequently, as a consequence of this way of thinking, the educational expectations of these children were lowered and their potential was wasted. With the implementation of many recommendations of the Warnock Report (DES, 1978) in the Education Act (1981) as many children as possible began to be integrated into mainstream schools. This was deemed possible if the child could be given enough support and appropriate resources enabling them to fit into the school. With integration the child has to change to fit into the system or otherwise remain segregated. Thus there are three main points to remember about integration:

■ The focus still remains on the learner’s ‘deficit’ (and thus the medical model).

■ The learner is provided with support to access the curriculum and the school environment already in place. This will not be changed to assist the learner.

■ The learner must fit into the system already in place.

Case study 

This simple case study illustrates the three points described above. For the integration program to be acceptable to the mainstream school, William had to be fully supported by someone else other than the teacher. He also had to prove he could both fit into the system and cope with the work the teacher had prepared for all the other learners. This is a clear case of the learner having to fit in with the system.

When William, a boy with learning difficulties, started a part time integration program at his local primary school, many discussions took place about what would be needed in order to help him access the curriculum and join in the activities in the classroom. The school agreed to the integration program only if William always had a Learning Support Assistant (LSA) to help him. It was decided that William could only be integrated during art and music lessons, as the demands of the other lessons would be too much for him. It was felt he could spend more time in the school if he showed he could cope with the work the other children were doing.

In recent years, however, the concept of inclusive education has evolved. Parents and disabled people have lobbied governments to change the education system so that all children can have ‘fair and equal access to education’ (Tassoni, 2003).

Discussion

Consider your own practice. Does the language you use when describing a learners needs focus on his or her deficits, or their strengths and potential? Do you have lower expectations of some learners than you do of others? If so, why? Consider whether a change in the school system or your practice, as educator, would help some children do better and thus raise your expectations of them.