Research questions exclusion of special needs pupils

New research has challenged the practice of excluding special needs children from attending mainstream schools.

Education researcher Jude MacArthur has written a book, Learning Better Together, which puts forward the case for inclusive education.

Dr MacArthur said an examination of research here and overseas showed school students did better when they learnt together.

"Disabled children and young people are advantaged socially and academically when they attend regular classes," she said.

"The research provides a clear mandate for us to say 'No' to segregated special education, and to develop inclusive education in regular schools. This is how we move forward."

Disabled children did better in maths, literacy, and in friendships, if they were taught in regular classrooms, Dr MacArthur said.

But she was concerned that the Ministry of Education seemed to have gone silent on inclusive education and hoped her book would make a difference.

"I hope it will challenge those views that need to be challenged, and sustain those people who have always known that inclusion is the just, fair and right thing to do."

IHC chief executive Ralph Jones said the organisation had been arguing for years for disabled students to be fully included in their local schools.

Some schools were working hard, often with insufficient support, to include disabled students, but many children were still being denied opportunities available to other children, he said.

The issue had driven IHC to take a complaint to the Human Rights Commission against policies and practices that prevented disabled students participating fully at their local school.

The commission has now asked the ministry to respond to the complaint.

Dr MacArthur's book, as well as an accompanying DVD, will be launched at Parliament this evening.

- NZPA