Inclusive Education

Access to general education is perceived to be a positional good and the passport to better paid employment opportunities (EHRC, 2010). Yet, more than ten years on from the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), having an equal opportunity to participate in an inclusive education environment remains an unreachable dream for many disabled people. Mainstream education can therefore prove to be a disabling context as well as being enabling for different groups of learners with certain minority characteristics (Riddell, Tinklin, & Wilson, 2005). Drawing on the voices and experiences of a group of disabled international students within a British-specific context, in this article I assess the inclusiveness of university practices, examining the level to which students feel included in university life. The intersectionality of disabled international students’ identities can have a negative impact on their opportunities to access and participate on an equal footing in the university system. The discussion of discriminatory barriers to their involvement in university facilities as a right to full membership to the student body, and its effects on the quality of the education received, will be significant to this article. In conclusion, I will explain that as creative solutions inclusive education practices only require flexible thinking and can transform societal attitudes as well as equalising all students’ experiences.

The ontology of lived experiences of young people with physical and sensorial disabilities was used to understand the experience of inclusive education (IE) within further education (FE) and higher education (HE) institutions in Malta. The inquiry problematised the environmental, social and educational disabling and enabling factors. Underlying values of inclusion and exclusion that promoted social cohesion or social conflict emerged from the discourse. This research paper focuses on the accounts of four disabled young people. Seven semi-structured interviews were carried out per participant over two years while they were attending a course at FE and HE level. Narrative analysis was utilised to understand the underlying themes of the stories. The analysis indicates that successful stories of inclusion are influenced by the extent to which disabled and non-disabled persons practise values that promote social cohesion within a community. Virtues of social cohesion affect the extent to which environmental and educational disabling barriers are challenged and changed. The evidence from this study contributes to the debate that active participation of disabled young people, valuing the voice of others, embracing values of inclusion, and the appreciation of individual’s variations inculcate growth in the quality of IE. Social transformation affects the environmental and educational milieu within FE and HE institutions.

Maltese governments have invested considerably in education and inclusion in society. In this article, the resources and services needed by the senior management team (SMT), teachers, and learning support educators (LSEs) when working with autistic students in mainstream primary schools in Malta are discussed. This is done in light of research showing that resources and services in inclusive schools can ease the challenges of IE and make it a positive experience. Data was collected through qualitative questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. All primary school educators in one college [i] were invited to participate. 172 educators accepted the invitation and filled out a questionnaire. Of the 172 participants, 19 agreed to participate in a semi-structured interview. The findings show that in the Maltese education system several services already exist for autistic students. However, such services have certain deficiencies that must be addressed. Moreover, the findings show that certain resources and other services are lacking.

Due to the high proportion of learners with disabilities attending mainstream schools in Malta, Maltese educators encounter various challenges when working with autistic students in inclusive schools. In this article, the training needed by the senior management team (SMT), teachers and learning support educators (LSEs) when working with autistic students in mainstream primary schools in Malta is discussed in light of research showing that training for educators can ease the challenges of working with autistic students in mainstream schools, thus making it a positive experience. Data were collected through qualitative questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. All primary school educators in one college were invited to participate. A total of 172 educators accepted the invitation and filled out a questionnaire. Nineteen of the 172 participants agreed to participate in a semi-structured interview. The findings show that Maltese educators lack training in working with autistic students, resulting in a number of challenges for them. The findings include several suggestions put forward by the participants about what training they need.