What is Inclusive Education? Does it Work?

Inclusive education is a contentious issue with a wide range of views on the meaning and practice of inclusion. In this live webinar we will discuss the terms inclusion, integration, exclusion and segregation, the differences between these terms and why we need to utilise the same universal definitions. We will unpack Graham & Slee's (2007 p. 2) statement '...to include is not necessarily to be inclusive'. We will then examine the evidence of whether inclusive education works and discuss how to bridge the divide between evidence and practice. We will also explore the social justice foundational principles of inclusive education, and the barriers to access and participation.

Learning Intention:
To understand that inclusive education is based on a socially-just approach to education, with a strong evidence-base that has significant benefits for all students.

Success Criteria:

At the end of this workshop participants will be able to:

• Define what inclusive education is, and what it is not.
• Broadly outline the evidence-base for inclusive education.
• Articulate the social justice foundational principles of inclusive education.

Intended Audience:

Anyone interested in disability, identity and human rights within the education context.

Presenter:

Dr Leanne Longfellow is a former teacher who currently supports schools to provide inclusive education and assists with parental advocacy. She is also a parent of a young adult with disabilities. 

Testimonials from previous workshops:

'I loved that the topics covered and information expressed was applicable to all students not just those with special needs. It’s a whole class approach too! Very practical!' Nicole Zacher

'I liked the way the professional learning was presented with strategies to support behaviours.' Amelia Pickard

'Clear and to the point. Relatable to school environment. Do-able'. Marie Foreman'

'Full of information and examples, scenarios and ideas to take away. Talk time at the end of the session was good to be able to discuss different strategies'. Leesa

'I liked the examples during the slideshow. Breakdown of behaviour management strategies used now and overtime and how they have/ haven’t worked.' Alison McConachy

'Informative. Practical ideas for students with learning disabilities.' Helen Braley

'The strategies were clearly set out and identified and explained thoroughly.' Emily Shepherd

'This workshop exceeded all my expectations.' Abbie Kemp

Participants who choose the 'E-Book and Certificate' option will receive:

E-Book

A certificate of attendance referenced to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Participants need to be actively involved in the discussion to receive the certificate.

Completing this workshop will contribute one hour of professional learning addressing Standard 7:4 'Engage with professional teaching networks and broader communities' from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher accreditation.