Education and Inclusion
As this information is intended to support educators and specialists to include students with complex needs, it felt fitting to highlight the efforts in history to make education a right, accessible to all students. Inclusion Outreach’s long history of inclusionary practice is built on the vision of others who came before us.
Historically there have been many successes and failures that have shaped how we provide educational opportunities for all students today. History themes don’t fit into neat boxes but are overlapping—influencing and challenging each other constantly. Awareness is key—knowing, understanding, and acknowledging. Being aware of the interplay of themes helps guide inclusion in the present and for the future.
As you explore the Education and Inclusion timeline, reflect/journal on the following:
- What do think were the major drivers of inclusion in education?
- Can you identify any interplay of themes in how you do your work?
- What are some ways to acknowledge and reconcile the exclusion you see in schools?
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20th Century
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In 1924, the B.C. provincial government commissioned J. H. Putnam and G. M. Weir to complete a review of education in the public school system. Their Survey of the School System came out the following year and recommended the creation of “opportunity classes” and special schools for children with disabilities.
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In B.C., the University of British Columbia (UBC) became the first post-secondary institution to provide teacher training in special education.
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Public Law 94-142 was ground-breaking American legislation guaranteeing a “free, appropriate, public education” to all children ages three to 21. In addition, the law required that education be provided in the least restrictive environment (LRE), that each student have an Individual Education Plan (IEP), appropriate evaluation, and called for parent involvement and due process.
A History of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
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In the latter part of the 1970s, the concept of integration (with support) began in British Columbia. School districts adopted a “continuum of services” model from most to least restrictive: self-contained schools, self-contained classrooms, resource rooms, general education classrooms. Some districts implemented a policy of “progressive inclusion” to close segregated schools and move students to regular schools. First, students with milder disabilities were moved into separate classes in regular schools. Students with multiple disabilities and complex needs were the last to be moved.
How to Determine the Least Restrictive Environment for Students with Disabilities
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Mainstreaming in the 1980s placed B.C. students with high incidence designations in regular classes.
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In the early 1980s, a ministerial order in the regulations of the new B.C. School Act ensured placement for children with disabilities in their neighbourhood school, in a regular classroom. As a result, B.C. began the process of closing segregated schools.
School Act Ministerial Orders – Province of British Columbia
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In March 1987, the B.C. government established a Royal Commission on Education that recommended that the rights of students with disabilities and the rights of their families be clarified in the School Act. The School Act was revised in response to the Royal Commission, establishing the right to a full school program, not separated from other students, in their neighbourhood schools for all school-aged students.
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As a result of the Royal Commission on Education, the B.C. School Act was revised to ensure that all students would have the right to be educated in their neighbourhood schools.
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Over 300 participants—including 92 governments and 25 international organizations—met in Salamanca, Spain, with the purpose of furthering the objectives of inclusive education. They developed a Framework for Action stipulating that all children should attend their neighbourhood school.
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A manual was published by the B.C. Ministry of Education with information regarding policies, procedures, and guidelines on special education.
B.C. Ministry of Education – Special Education Services (PDF)
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21st Century
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In 2016, the B.C. Ministry of Education issued a Policy Statement on Inclusion promoting an inclusive education system in which students with special needs are fully participating members of a community of learners.