Faculty of Education

Assessment Task Cover Sheet

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Assessment received:

Unit Co-ord./Lecturer Dr Christopher Rayner

Elspeth Stephenson
Student ID 161809
Student Name Neneh Webb
Unit Code ESH303
Unit Name Inclusive Practices in Education Settings
Assessment Task
Assessment Task 1: Essay
Title/Number
Word Count 1856

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to the work of others and I have complied and agreed to the University statement on Plagiarism and Academic Integrity on
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Unit code and title: ESH303 Inclusive practices in education settings

Neneh webb 161809

Assessment Task 1: Essay

Nowadays, rather than marginalising students with diverse needs by referring

them to exclusive specialist schools, all students are being given the opportunity to
engage in education within all sectors of the education system; this is widely known as
inclusive education (Allen & Cowdery, 2012). Teachers may require additional support
and professional learning opportunities to enable them to effectively develop and
implement inclusive practices within the classroom; however despite the extra training
and planning attributed to effectively providing an inclusive learning environment, the
results and benefits to students are immeasurable (Foreman, 2011).
Inclusive education can be defined as the adaption of regular teaching processes
to ensure the equal access of all students to education, including students who are at risk
of being marginalised due to disability or diversity (Carrington & Macarthur, 2012).
Inclusive education endorses teaching students to understand and respect diversity, along
with striving to ensure that all students experience a sense of belonging within the
school environment (Rose, 2010). Inclusive education, first introduced in the
Scandinavian countries as normalisation, defies the out-dated practice of committing
students with disabilities to a specialist school, as forbearers in education have come to
recognise the unjustness in the practise of segregating these children and keeping them
from attending mainstream schools (Poed & Elkins, 2012).
By working diligently to ensure inclusivity is practised within their classrooms,
teachers work towards fulfilling the educational goals expressed by the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation [UNESCO] in the Dakar framework
for action (2000), which include ensuring that all students have access to education
which is relevant to their lives and responsive to their individual needs.

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Unit code and title: ESH303 Inclusive practices in education settings

Neneh webb 161809

Assessment Task 1: Essay

Students with learning difficulties may have a particular learning disability, but
more commonly their difficulties have arisen as a result of background factors such as
poverty or lack of support for their individual learning (Westwood, 2008). According to
Westwood (2004) students with learning difficulties can be best assisted by teachers who
have a good understanding of learning processes and overall pedagogical content
knowledge; strategies to assist these students may include modifying teaching styles and
curriculum content to incorporate individual students interests and competences.
When teaching English as Additional Language (EAL) students, it is important to
remember that these students may come from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds
and have arrived in Australia under a variety of different circumstances; EAL students
may include migrants, refugees or international students (Hongyan & Maithus, 2012).
According to Graf (2011) simple strategies can be employed by teachers of EAL
students to ease the students transition into the classroom, including learning to
pronounce and spell the students name correctly and seating the student with another
student who can speak the primary language of the student (if no such arrangement is
possible then it may be beneficial to appoint a buddy to the student).
Article 26 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (United Nations
general assembly, 1948) addresses the fundamental right of all individuals to access an
education which promotes acceptance and tolerance of all people regardless of diversity.
The promotion of acceptance and understanding of others may be endorsed by inclusive
education, as it promotes awareness of diversity within the community (Carrington &
Macarthur, 2012). Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights details that
everyone is permitted the opportunity to engage culturally within the community (United
Nations general assembly, 1948); this article of the declaration serves to strengthen the

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Unit code and title: ESH303 Inclusive practices in education settings

Neneh webb 161809

Assessment Task 1: Essay

case for inclusion in mainstream schools, particularly as if students with diverse needs
were to attend specialist schools they could be potentially isolated from the community
(Friend & Bursuck, 2012).
The Salamanca Statement (UNESCO, 1994) recommends that all children be
enrolled in regular schools, except in the case of extreme circumstances which prohibit
successful inclusion; the Salamanca Statement also states that schools with an inclusive
approach are at the forefront of modifying discriminatory attitudes and eventually
creating more inclusive communities. Article 23 of the Convention on the Rights of the
Child (UNESCO, 1989) outlines the importance of children with a disability being given
the best chance of social integration; the greatest opportunity for a child with diverse
needs to achieve this goal would be to receive their education in a mainstream school
(Carrington & Macarthur, 2012). Article 28 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
dictates the right of every child to an education; Article 29 articulates the right of all
children to develop their own personality, individual talents and mental and physical
abilities to the greatest possible level (UNESCO, 1989).
The Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth of Australia, 2006)
convey the benefits of inclusive education, stating that by the education provider holding
a non-judgemental and supportive view of all students (including permitting students
with a disability to participate in education on the same basis as other students)
childrens talents and strengths will develop. The Disability Standards for Education
apply to all education providers, working to enable students with a disability to attend a
school of their choice. However, in the case of the school facing unjustifiable hardship in
order to admit a particular student other arrangements will be made for the student
(Commonwealth of Australia, 2006).

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Unit code and title: ESH303 Inclusive practices in education settings

Neneh webb 161809

Assessment Task 1: Essay

The Melbourne Declaration (Ministerial Council on Education, Employment,

Training and Youth Affairs [MCEETYA], 2008) recognises the importance of inclusive
education in Goal 1 of the Declaration Australian schooling promotes equity and
excellence. Through the description of Goal 1, it is communicated that all students
should be treated equally and be given every opportunity and all assistance required to
ensure that they are able to achieve at their highest level academically, socially and in all
areas of life regardless of disability, socio-economic disadvantage or other diverse
factors.
There are three domains of teaching which are identified by the Australian
Institute for Teaching and School Leadership [AITSL] (2012); within each domain there
are a set of standards relating to the specific domain. Directly relevant to inclusive
education are the following: Standard 1 within the domain of Professional Knowledge
know students and how they learn relates to understanding the strengths and
weaknesses of each student, along with their personal characteristics and interests.
Standard 2, (within the same domain) Know the content and how to teach it is also
relevant to inclusive education, as the way in which the content is taught has been
proven to have a great effect on students learning. Within the domain of Professional
Practice, Standard 3 Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning along with
Standard 4 Create and maintain supportive learning environments also serve to ensure
that an inclusive learning environment is provided for all students, seeking to guarantee
that all students are given the opportunity to engage in activities appropriate to their own
developmental level; it is also a requirement that teachers implement strategies to handle
challenging behaviours, and to ensure that all students are involved within the
classroom. The third domain Professional Engagement comprises two standards which

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Unit code and title: ESH303 Inclusive practices in education settings

Neneh webb 161809

Assessment Task 1: Essay

focus on the importance of professional development for teachers and the significance of
interacting efficiently with colleagues (AITSL, 2012).
The review of funding for schooling (Department of Education, Employment and
Workplace Relations, 2011) reports that in 2010 4.9 % of students met the state and
territory eligibility for disability funding; this statistic is in contrast to the 8.8 percent of
Australians aged 5-15 who identified as having a disability, indicating that only
approximately half of students with a disability are supplied with funding to support
their educational needs. With a lack of funding to purchase resources and provide
support staff to assist students with disability or diversity the main liable option is for
teachers to develop their understanding of support strategies to best assist these students
(Mastropieri & Scruggs, 2007).
Differentiated Instruction involves teachers adjusting the curriculum content
where needed to fit with the requirements of individual students, taking into account
student diversity along with other factors such as socio-economic background, as
opposed to expecting students to adapt to the learning content regardless of their
individual needs (Hall, Strangman & Meyer, 2003). According to Tomlinson (2001),
there are three parts of the curriculum which can be differentiated: Content, Process and
Products. In terms of Content teachers consider modifying the ways in which learning
content is presented; task descriptions might be modified to ensure that instructions are
clear and concise, and the learning outcomes may be modified to adhere to students
individual developmental levels. In relation to Process student groupings should be
flexible and altered regularly; the teacher should practice good classroom management
and be familiar with a range of strategies in order to ensure that student learning is
promoted at all times. The final area of the curriculum which may be differentiated

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Unit code and title: ESH303 Inclusive practices in education settings

Neneh webb 161809

Assessment Task 1: Essay

Products requires teachers to make an initial assessment of students development and

then regularly structure assessment into the classroom to ensure that all students needs
are being met by the implementation of curriculum differentiation strategies (Tomlinson
& Imbeau, 2010).
Differentiated Instruction may be implemented within the classroom to assist
students with a diverse range of needs. EAL students, and students with learning
difficulties would benefit from curriculum differentiation as it would allow them to learn
at their own pace, to receive task instructions in a manner which was uncomplicated and
easily understood (Westwood, 2008).

Differentiated Instruction would allow these

students to potentially have aspects of their own interests and cultures included in their
learning as the content is altered in order to be more engaging to individual students
(Graf, 2011). By allowing flexible grouping during cooperative learning experiences
these students would have the opportunity to engage with students with a range of
differing ability levels (Hall, Strangman & Meyer, 2003); regular assessment
incorporated into learning tasks would ensure that the students were appropriately
challenged in their studies (Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2010).
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) aims to provide access to curriculum
content for all students. In contrast to Differentiated Instruction, UDL seeks to create a
curriculum which is inclusive of all students with diversity from the onset, rather than
individualising curriculum content for students (Hall, Strangman & Meyer, 2003). UDL
promotes the use of mixed media to express learning content, which would benefit
students with learning difficulties who may experience difficulty when decoding written
text, similarly EAL students may not yet be able to read English proficiently; as such a
spoken or simplified task description may assist both of these types of diverse learners

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Unit code and title: ESH303 Inclusive practices in education settings

Neneh webb 161809

Assessment Task 1: Essay

(National Center on Universal Design for Learning, 2012). There are three principles
represented within the UDL framework which communicate the importance of flexible
methods of presentation, expression and engagement in order to promote ultimate
student engagement (Burgstahler, 2007).
The wealth of information available in support of inclusive education may be
described as overwhelming, deeming it certain that inclusivity is the learning approach
of the future. Current legislation and policies support the implementation of inclusive
practices within educational facilities, with much academic literature available to assist
teachers in developing strategies in order to ensure that inclusivity is practised within
schools. If inclusivity is embraced within the education sector, it is definite that students
of the future will become more accepting of others and will be well equipped to handle
challenges in life.

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Unit code and title: ESH303 Inclusive practices in education settings

Neneh webb 161809

Assessment Task 1: Essay

References
Allen, K., & Cowdery, G. (2012). The exceptional child: Inclusion in early childhood
Education. (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Ashman, A., & Elkins, J. (Eds.). (2009). Education for inclusion and diversity. (3rd ed.)
[CD]. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Education Australia.
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership [AITSL]. (2012). Australian
professional standards for teachers. Retrieved from
http://www.teacherstandards.aitsl.edu.au/OrganisationStandards/Organisation
Burgstahler, S. (2007). Universal design of instruction (UDI): Definition, principles and
examples. Seattle, WA: University of Washington.
Carrington, S., & Macarthur, J. (2012). Teaching in inclusive school communities.
Milton, QLD: John Wiley & Sons Australia.
Commonwealth of Australia. (2006). The disability standards for education. Retrieved
from
http://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/disability_standards_for_edu
cation_2005_plus_guidance_notes.pdf
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. (2011). The Review of
Funding for Schooling: Final Report. Retrieved
from http://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/review-of-funding-forschooling-final-report-dec-2011.pdf
Foreman, P. (2011). Inclusion in action. (3rd ed.). South Melbourne, VIC: Thomson.

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Unit code and title: ESH303 Inclusive practices in education settings

Neneh webb 161809

Assessment Task 1: Essay

Friend, M., & Bursuck, W. (2012). Including students with special needs: A practical
guide for classroom teachers. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Education.
Graf, M. (2011). Including and supporting learners of English as an additional
language. York Road, London: Continuum International Publishing Group.
Hall, T., Strangman, N., & Meyer, A. (2003). Differentiated instruction and implications
for UDL implementation. Retrieved from
http://aim.cast.org/learn/historyarchive/backgroundpapers/differentiated_instructi
on_udl#.UyGiiOeSyyc
Hongyan, L., & Maithus, C. (2012). Experiences of clinical tutors with English as an
additional language (EAL) students. Nursing Praxis In New Zealand, 28(3), 412.

Mastropieri, M., & Scruggs, T. (2007). The inclusive classroom: Strategies for effective
instruction. (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.

Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs. (2008).

Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians. Carlton
South, VIC: Author.

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Unit code and title: ESH303 Inclusive practices in education settings

Neneh webb 161809

Assessment Task 1: Essay

National Center on Universal Design for Learning. (2012). Learner Variability and
Universal Design for Learning [Online seminar presentation]. Retrieved from
http://udlseries.udlcenter.org/presentations/learner_variability.html?plist=explore
Poed, S., & Elkins, J. (2012). Legislation, policies and principles. In A. Ashman & J.
Elkins (Ed.), Education for inclusion and diversity. (4th ed.) (pp.37-62). Frenchs
Forest, NSW: Pearson Australia.
Rose, R. (2010). Confronting obstacles to inclusion: International responses to
developing inclusive education. Hoboken, NJ: Taylor & Francis.
Tomlinson, C. A. (2001). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms.
(2nd Ed.) Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Tomlinson, C., & Imbeau, M., (2010). Leading and managing a differentiated
classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development.
United Nations General Assembly. (1948). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Retrieved from http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/
United Nations General Assembly. (1989). Convention on the rights of the child.
Retrieved from http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/ProfessionalInterest/crc.pdf
United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation [UNESCO]. (1994).
The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs
Education.

Retrieved

http://www.unesco.org/education/pdf/SALAMA_E.PDF

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from

Unit code and title: ESH303 Inclusive practices in education settings

Neneh webb 161809

Assessment Task 1: Essay

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation [UNESCO]. (2000).

The Dakar framework for action. Education for all: Meeting our collective
commitments.

Retrieved

from

http://www.unesco.org/education/wef/en-

conf/dakframeng.shtm
Westwood, P. (2004). Learning and learning difficulties. Camberwell, VIC: ACER press.
Westwood, P. (2008). What teachers need to know about learning difficulties.
Camberwell, VIC: ACER press.

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Unit code and title: ESH303 Inclusive practices in education settings

Neneh webb 161809

Assessment Task 1: Essay

ESH303 Inclusive Practices in Education Settings

Assessment Task 1 Essay feedback

Assessment Criteria

High Distinction (80-100)

Distinction (70-79)

Credit (60-69)

Pass (50-59)

Evaluate the implications

of relevant legislation and
standards that relate to
inclusive education for
Australian school teachers

A professional critical analysis of

legal frameworks and teacher
standards relevant to inclusive
education was provided

An up-to-date and thoughtful

critical analysis of legal
frameworks and teacher
standards relevant to inclusive
education was provided

Demonstrated an accurate
understanding of a range of
legal documents and teacher
standards relevant to inclusive
education

A sound working
understanding of key legal
documents and teacher
standards relevant to inclusive
education was demonstrated

Analyse the diversity of

Australian school students
needs and abilities

A thorough and professional

analysis of the diverse educational
needs of students was provided

A well-informed analysis of the

diverse educational needs of
students was provided

An accurate understanding of
the diverse educational needs of
students was demonstrated

A sound appreciation of the

diverse educational needs of
students was demonstrated

Reflect on models used to

cater for student diversity

A professional synthesis and critical

reflection on various approaches to
cater for student diversity was
provided, with a careful evaluation
of the evidence for the models
effectiveness in teaching practice

A well-informed critical
reflection on key approaches to
cater for student diversity was
provided, with pertinent
consideration of the evidence
for the models effectiveness in
teaching practice

A clear explanation of strategies

to cater for student diversity was
provided, with consideration of
the appropriateness of the
models for teaching practice

A valid reflection on strategies

to cater for student diversity
was provided

Present an argument in
written essay format with
in-text and reference list
according to the APA style
(6th Edition)

The overall presentation was

exceptional: a wide range of
relevant literature, including cutting
edge publications, was critically
analysed; referencing and
presentation was at a professional
standard and powerfully
communicated

The overall presentation was of

a high standard: a wide range of
relevant literature, including
cutting edge publications, was
thoughtfully explored and
accurately referenced, with next
to no typographical errors, and
persuasively communicated

The overall presentation was

very good: a wide range of
relevant literature, including
recently published material, was
discussed and very well
referenced, with minimal
typographical errors, and very
well communicated

The overall presentation was

satisfactory: drew support
from a range of relevant
sources which were well
referenced, with few
typographical errors, and quite
well communicated

Name:
Comments:
Grade:

Assessor:

Date:

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