All Students Deserve an Equal Opportunity Education

The policy document promulgated at TAFE NSW - North Coast Institute that seeks to address the needs of students with a disability is the Students with Disabilities Policy – TAFE NSW . The selected policy seeks to ensure that the needs of students with disabilities are met in all aspects of vocational education, training and services offered by the NSW TAFE Commission, and that all students have equal education opportunities in the least intrusive and most advantageous learning environments. The selected policy specifically seeks to address the provision of services available to students with disabilities who are seeking to or undertaking studies at TAFE. As will be shown the TAFE NSW Policy is derived from the fundamental right of all individuals to an inclusive education.

The influences within society that drive and shape the development of the legislation which informs the policy document are founded at the highest level by international Conventions for children and disabled persons. All students rights to undertake learning in an inclusive educational environment is articulated in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with a Disability and the Convention on the Rights of the Child . As a party to the Conventions Australia has an international human rights law obligation to respect, protect and fulfil the rights stated within, which includes the right to inclusive education. As stated in the case of Oberti v Board of Education “inclusion is a right, not a special privilege for a select few” .
Through ratification of the Conventions the Australian Government has expressed its commitment to an inclusive education system in a multitude of policies and documents, including the National Education Agreement , Australian Pro...

... middle of paper ...

...osis of a disability for access to services and support. The TAFE NSW Disability assistance program requires a student to be diagnosed and classified. This classification then provides a variable level of support to the student. This is ironic that the Department responsible for educating the majority of students in New South Wales uses labels for students to qualify for assistance, and hence qualify for equality. Until we as Educators and as citizens reflect on our ableistic beliefs, and eradicate them from our belief system, true inclusive education and general community inclusiveness will not take place. If we can remove ableism and embed inclusive learning in all facets of education we will be in a better position to adhere to our international Convention obligations, as well, and more importantly, to our moral and ethical obligations as members of society.