Removing barriers for disabled pupils

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Development and diversity
Removing barriers for disabled pupils
Click to edit Master title style
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Learning outcomes

• You will understand
• the historical and educational context of the
  disability discrimination duties
• how the SEN and DDA duties towards disabled
  pupils work together, and
• how the reasonable adjustments duty applies in a
  range of contexts.

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Learning outcome
Activity 1

• You will understand changes in attitudes to
  disability and to the education of disabled
  people.

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Learning outcomes
Activity 2

• You will
• understand how the SEN and disability duties
  work together
• understand the two core duties in the DDA, and
• recognise how the accessibility planning duties
  and the duty to promote disability equality work
  for disabled pupils and other disabled people.

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Three key elements in disability discrimination
legislation
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The three key elements and the schools duties
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Who and what is covered?

• Disabled pupils and potential pupils
• Every school and every aspect of school life
  admissions, education and associated services,
  exclusions
• The responsible body for the school.

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Definition of disability in DDA

• A physical or mental impairment with an adverse
  effect on the persons ability to carry out
  day-to-day activities.

• The effect must be
• substantial, and
• long-term.

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Two key duties

• Responsible bodies must
• not treat disabled pupils less favourably, and
• make reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils.

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Definition less favourable treatment

• Disability discrimination is
• for a reason related to the pupils disability
• less favourable treatment than others, and
• when it cannot be justified.

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Examples from the DRC code of practice

• Is the less favourable treatment for a reason
  related to the pupils disability?
• Is it justified?

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Remedy

• A declaration
• An order
• training
• guidance
• review, alteration of school policies
• additional tuition
• written apology
• No financial compensation.

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Some of the issues

• Assumptions about disabled pupils
• Blanket policies
• Lack of risk assessments
• Administration of medicines
• School trips.

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Some of the issues (continued)

• Isolation from peers, punishment for behaviour
  related to disability
• Bullying
• Access to the curriculum
• Selection arrangements.

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DDA 2005 duty to promote disability equality

• General duty to promote disability equality
• Specific duty to publish a disability equality
  scheme
• Duties cover disabled pupils, employees and other
  school users
• Disability equality scheme can incorporate
  existing plans, including the schools
  accessibility plan.

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Learning outcomes
Activity 3

• You will understand
• how widely the reasonable adjustments duty
  applies
• that reasonable adjustments are made to overcome
  particular barriers to learning and/or
  participation, and
• the process by which reasonable adjustments may
  be identified.

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Reasonable adjustments

• To ensure no substantial disadvantage
• Comparison with pupils who are not disabled
• Justification
• Anticipatory duty.

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Examples from the code of practice

• What reasonable adjustments might be made?

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Identifying barriers and adjustments

• Identify
• the reasonable adjustments shown in the film
  clips, and
• the barriers that prompted the schools to make
  those adjustments.

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Jakes sports day
Barrier
Reasonable adjustment
Planning with pupil, parents, other agencies,
DfES CD-ROM Parallel activities Risk
assessment Support of TA Re-order activities
Not knowing what to do Cant access
activity Fear of risk Activities cause fatigue
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Learning outcome
Activity 4

• You will identify particular features of schools
  that enable teachers to make successful
  reasonable adjustments.

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Reasonable adjustments key factors

• Vision and values based on an inclusive ethos
• Can do attitude from all staff
• Proactive approach to identifying barriers and
  finding practical solutions
• Strong collaborative relationships with pupils
  and parents/carers
• Meaningful voice for pupils
• Positive approach to managing behaviour.

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Reasonable adjustments key factors (continued)

• Strong leadership by senior management and
  governors
• Effective staff training and development
• Use of expertise from outside the school
• Building disability into resourcing arrangements
• Sensitive approach to meeting the
  disability-specific needs of pupils
• Regular critical review and evaluation
• Availability of role models and positive images
  of disability.

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Learning outcomes
Activity 5

• You will
• identify barriers to participation and
  achievement in a school you know
• identify reasonable adjustments to overcome those
  barriers, and
• understand the process of removing barriers and
  evaluate the effect/impact.

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Identifying barriers

• Write one barrier (not the solution), clearly and
  in large print, on a piece of card.

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Comparing findings barriers

• Do the barriers you have identified cut across
  the different disability groups?
• Are they broadly similar for each group?
• Are the barriers external to/within the pupil?

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Comparing findings adjustments

• Are barriers only removed by adjustments from the
  same wall (organisational, attitudinal,
  physical)?
• Are all adjustments costly?
• Which barriers are the most difficult to
  overcome?
• What are the key elements in deciding which
  adjustment to make?

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Learning outcomes
Activity 6

• You will
• reflect on your learning in this session, and
• identify key points of action for you to
  consolidate and apply your learning.

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