Celebrate equality and inclusion with the International Day of People with Disability.
The International Day of People with a Disability is a very important reminder of the need to improve the participation of people with disability in all aspects of society, senior lecturer in disability policy at the University of Sydney, Dr Ilektra Spandagou said.
“Admittedly, there is a lot of good practice in Australian schools and many students with disability experience inclusive education practices. However, this is not universal and a number of inquiries and reports in recent years have highlighted substantial areas of concern that cover enrolment, participation, reasonable adjustments and bullying and harassment, amongst others.
“A recent study that surveyed 745 families, students and advocates across Australia found that 70 per cent reported experiencing one or more examples of gatekeeping or restrictive practices.
“Such practices do not adhere to the relevant legislation of the Disability Discrimination Act and the Disability Standards for Education. This year’s International Day of People with a Disability theme of ‘transformation towards sustainable and resilient society for all’ is indicative of the important task ahead,” he said.
For more information about International Day of People with a Disability, visit www.idpwd.com.au.