Hanson's comments remind us we still have a long way to go

As Disability Discrimination Commissioner, it is my job to promote and protect the rights of people with disability. So when a person who has been elected to represent the concerns and aspirations of the Australian people uses the floor of Parliament to suggest that students with disability should be denied their right to inclusive education, put simply, it hurts.

Senator Hanson's comments in Parliament this week remind us that although as a nation we have come far in the advancement of the rights of people with disability, we still have a long way to go.

At a time when we are seeing such great change and improvements to the lives of people with disability with the roll out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, they are a reminder that the basic challenges that people with disability face — equality, rights, full participation and equal standing in society — remain unchanged.

It is my firm belief that until we have equality in education, we will not have an equal society. Education is one of the most determinative aspects of an individual's life.

The Willing to Work National Inquiry into Employment Discrimination against Older Australians and Australians with Disability found that education and success (or otherwise) in gaining employment go hand in hand.

An inclusive society where people with disability enjoy their rights on an equal basis with others starts with inclusive education, where all students, including students with disability, are welcomed and supported to participate in the classroom setting and school of their choice.

There is extensive research that shows when children with disability are included in mainstream classes, everyone benefits.

The most recent comprehensive review of this research undertaken by the Alana Institute was released in 2017 in an international report entitled “A Summary of the Evidence on Inclusive Education,” released in 2017. The report includes a systematic review of 280 studies from 25 countries.

The report found that there is “clear and consistent evidence that inclusive educational settings can confer substantial short and long-term benefits for students with and without disabilities.”

It highlighted that the inclusion produces superior social and academic outcomes for all students.

The research has consistently demonstrated that academic and social outcomes for children with disability in fully inclusive settings are without exception better than in the segregated or partially segregated environments (e.g. “education support units” or “resource classrooms”).

It recognises that students with disabilities thrive when they are provided, to the greatest extent possible, with the same educational and social opportunities as non-disabled students.

We know that children with disability may require extra support to facilitate their learning. We also know that there are children who have experienced violence or trauma (e.g. children of families that have sought asylum in Australia from war-ravaged countries), have behavioural issues, or come from non-English speaking backgrounds; the list of attributes and behaviours each child comes with is endless.

In other words, there are lots of kids who need extra support to be included in the classroom, not just children with disability.

And what about the benefits for children without disability when they learn amongst their peers with disability?

The research shows that children without disability have reduced apprehension of human difference, which is accompanied by increased comfort and awareness; that is, less fear of people who look or behave differently. 

There is also a growth in social cognition, such as increased tolerance of others and more effective communication with all peers.

And, perhaps most importantly, a development in personal moral and ethical principles – they display less prejudice and a higher responsiveness to the needs of others.

We should not be singling out children with disabilities to be segregated into ‘special’ schools or classrooms.

Better education outcomes for all students result from recognising and supporting individual student needs and providing an inclusive environment where all students can participate and thrive. Everyone benefits.