Inclusion is defined as the involvement of all students in all areas of schooling and learning,

regardless of their individual differences (Loreman, Deppeler, & Harvey, 2011). In the past
students with learning difficulties, behaviour disorders and/ or a disability we educated in
environments separate to their peers. As legislation has changed over the years so too has our
understanding of the abilities and special requirements of students with diverse learning needs.
With this has come inclusive classroom environments and a greater understanding of personal
characteristics that may impact on a student’s ability to learn. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
is an example of a learning difficulty that is estimated to affect one in 100 people (Autism
Spectrum, 2016). ASD is a developmental condition that affects, the way an individual relates to
his or her environment and their interaction with other people (Autism Spectrum, 2016).
‘Spectrum' refers to the range of difficulties that people with ASD may experience, with some
people with ASD being able to live normal lives, while others may experience learning challenges
that require specialist support (Autism Spectrum, 2016). Teachers must ensure they know and
understand a range of accommodation and modification strategies that will ensure the
participation of students with diverse learning needs and an inclusive classroom.

Australian education and human rights legislation has changed to significantly improve the
rights of all Australians and make schools and other educational institutions more inclusive of
students with diverse learning needs. The 1872 Education Act set the tone for inclusive
education within Australia. This Act stated that education is to be ‘free, compulsory and secular’
for all Australian children (Loreman et al., 2011, p. 38). However although this Act aimed to give
all children access to education, the framework restricted the ability of all students to succeed.
Students of this time were required to complete an end of year exam based on the content
covered throughout the school year. If they failed this exam, they would not progress to the
next grade and would be forced to repeat that year of schooling (Loreman et al., 2011, p. 38).
This system failed to acknowledge the challenges faced by students with diverse leaning needs,
with many of these students becoming stuck in a frustrating system that limited their ability to
achieve, therefore leaving them unable to reach their full academic potential.

Consequently this Act was amended in 1874 to exclude students that were classified as
‘ineducable’ (Loreman et al., 2011, p. 38). This caused frustration for the families of children
with diverse learning needs. The lack of knowledge and understanding of how to meet the
needs of these students, meant exclusion was the easiest solution and their right to an

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education was withdrawn. The injustice of this policy was not acknowledged until 1907 when
special education facilities for those excluded from mainstream schooling were developed
(Loreman et al., 2011, p. 38). This was a step towards acknowledging of the rights and abilities
of students with diverse learning needs.

In more recent years the rights of students with diverse learning needs are protected by the
Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992. This Act ensures students with disabilities
have the right to the same educational opportunities as their able bodied peers, making it illegal
for anyone including an educational institution such as a school to discriminate against a person
on the basis of their disability (Poed & Elkins, 2012, p. 40). The Disability Standards for Education
2005 further strengthened the rights of students with a disability. The standards aim to clarify
expectations and legal obligations as set by disability legislation, serving as a guide to
educational institutions, on how to act in accordant to the rights of their students with diverse
learning needs (Poed & Elkins, 2012, p. 41). Both of these pieces of legislation are representative
of the modern of inclusive education, meaning that inclusion cannot exist where students are
educated in separate environments to their peers.

As a result of legislative developments there have been many changes to the structure of the
education system that have supported a more inclusive approach to education, ensuring the
needs of students requiring additional support are met and positive learning environments are
fostered in all Australian schools. Examples of such developments within New South Wales
(NSW) public schools include the inclusion of support units and the development of Schools for
Specific Purposes (SSP). Support units consist of trained specialty teaching staff that support the
implementation of educational and management programs within mainstream public schools.
These programs aim to meet the support needs of students identified as having a disability, to
ensure they succeed within mainstream schooling (DEC, 2013). SSP’s deliver more intensive
support to students with moderate to high intellectual, physical, sensory and emotional
disabilities, in a specialised setting (DEC, 2013). Both developments demonstrate the changing
attitudes of governments and education professional toward inclusion.

With this change in legislation and inclusive school environments, has come a change in teacher
attitudes regarding inclusion. Positive teacher attitudes are essential to the success of inclusive
education settings. Changes in disability related legislation has come increased pressure of
teachers to create positive and inclusive classrooms (Loreman et al., 2011, p. 3). This has meant
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that teachers must not only respect the inclusive movement but also enthusiastically
understand how to differentiate pedagogy to meet the diverse need of their students (Loreman
et al., 2011, p. 3). Research has identified that teacher attitudes towards inclusion have become
more positive. A study of Australian teachers undertaken in 1987 showed teacher attitudes
toward inclusion were mixed with many lacking confidence in their ability and available
resources to teach students with diverse learning needs, while a similar study of teachers
undertaken in 2006 found that teachers were overall very positive about the inclusion of
student with disabilities and diverse learning needs in their classroom (Elshabrawy & Hassanein,
2015, p. 56). Much of this change in attitude has been affiliated with increased professional
development programs for teachers in inclusive education pedagogy and resources. (Elshabrawy
& Hassanein, 2015, p. 56). Consequently the growth in inclusive education and development of
resources and skills to assist teachers, will increase the confidence of teachers and the
outcomes for students with diverse learning needs.

Adaptions and accommodations to the classroom curriculum are essential to ensure all students
including those with additional needs are able to succeed in their studies and achieve their
personal best (Conway, 2011, p. 118). The challenge for teachers is to ensure that the
curriculum is empowering for every student. Providing an alternative curriculum is one example
of how modifications have been made to ensure the needs of all students are met. The NSW Life
Skills program for stages four to six is an example of this. Within this model, the mainstream key
learning area (KLA) curriculum is supplemented in a way that makes the learning outcomes and
assessment activities achievable for students with learning difficulties, a behaviour disorder
and/ or a disability (Conway, 2011, p. 120). Within the KLA of English, the stage six NSW syllabus
provides students with the opportunity to undertake a number of courses based on their ability
including English Life Skills, English Studies, Standard English, Advance English and English
Extension 1 and 2 (BOSTES, 2016). English Life Skills is an example of a course that students with
high support needs might undertake. The Standard and Advanced English courses are more
mainstream and with adaptions and accommodations made by the teacher, students with
additional learning needs, including students with ASD, can succeed in these courses.

Individual programing is an example of an accommodation tool that is used by teachers to aid in

the teaching of students with diverse learning needs within inclusive mainstream classroom
environment. Such programing can be affective in establishing educational goals for students

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with challenging learning needs and assisting teachers in their modification of the curriculum
and teaching strategies to achieve these goals (Loreman et al., 2011, p. 9). However Broderick,
Mehta-Parekh and Reid (2005) recommend that individual panning is only affective when this
strategy is adopted for all students in the classroom not just those with additional learning and
support needs (Loreman et al., 2011, p. 9). They argue that without this inclusive approach
students with additional learning and support needs can be ostracised (Loreman et al., 2011, p.
9).

Differentiated instruction has proven to be to be an effective in teaching English skills such as

reading comprehension to students with disabilities and high support needs, including students
with ASD (Hsu-Min & Yueh-Hsien, 2007). Differentiated instruction refers to the pedagogical
techniques used by the teacher to deliver the curriculum to a range of learners (Loreman et al.,
2011, p. 141). A variety of pedagogical techniques such as peer tutoring, cooperative group
learning, storytelling and procedure facilitation strategies such as anaphoric cueing and pre-
reading the question have all proven to be successful in aid students with in developing their
reading comprehension skills (Hsu-Min & Yueh-Hsien, 2007). It is important for the teacher to
use a range of these techniques to ensure the diverse learning needs of the students are met
and those with moderate to high learning support needs are not left behind in their learning. To
be able to read and understand written text is not only an important skill to master for success
in the KLA of English, but this skill also improves a student’s overall ability to learn, retain
knowledge and communicate with others, which can all possibly be challenging for students
with learning difficulties, a behaviour disorder or a disability.

Writing is also an important skill to perfect in a student’s academic career, particularly the
English KLA. Student with learning difficulties, a behaviour disorder or a disability, including
those with ASD, can struggle with aspects of writing, including: organisation, time management,
understanding the questions, developing a plot, handwriting legibility and word count (Meeks &
Geither, 2014, p. 13). Assistive technology is one tool that has proven to be affective in teaching
students with ASD and other disabilities to overcome the challenges of writing (Meeks &
Geither, 2014, p. 95). There are devices that can aid in the writing process, taking away the fear
of handwriting writing that can be caused by fine motor deficits (Meeks & Geither, 2014, p. 95).
Other computer programs can assist with structure, grammar, speed, thought expression and
idea development (Meeks & Geither, 2014, p. 95). By providing students with support needs
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with the appropriate technology they can improve their confidence and enjoyment in writing,
achieving not only in English but all KLAs.

Individual programing, differentiated programing and assistive technology are all examples of
strategies that can be used by teachers to create a more inclusive classroom environment,
particularly in the KLA of English. The more teachers learn and experiment with these strategies
the more positive view they will have towards inclusion and the greater the outcomes for
students with diverse learning needs including those with ASD.

Reference List

Autism Spectrum. (2016). Retrieved from

https://www.autismspectrum.org.au/content/what-autism

BOSTES, Senior Years (11–12) Syllabuses. (2016). Retrieved from

http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/

Conway, R. (2011). Adapting curriculum, teaching and learning strategies. In P. Foreman

(Ed.), Inclusion in action (3rd ed., pp. 114-178). South Melbourne, Australia: Thomson
Learning.

DEC, Learning-and-support. (2013). Retrieved from

http://www.dec.nsw.gov.au/about-us/careers-centre/school-careers/focus-areas/learning-
and-support/visit-our-schools

Elshabrawy, E., & Hassanein, A. (2015). Inclusion, Disability and Culture. Rotterdam,
Netherlands: Sense Publishers.

Hemmings, B., Kemmis, S., & Reupert, A. (2013). Practice architectures of university inclusive
education teaching in Australia. Professional Development in Education, 39(4), 470-487.

Hsu-Min, C., & Yueh-Hsien, L. (2007). Reading Comprehension Instruction for Students with
Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Review of the Literature. Focus on Autism and Other
Developmental Disabilities, 22(4), 259-267.

Loreman, T., Deppeler, J., & Harvey, D. (2011). Inclusive education: Supporting diversity in the
classroom (2nd ed.). Crows Nest, Australia: Allen & Unwin.

Meeks, L. M., & Geither, E. (2014). Helping Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder Express
their Thoughts and Knowledge in Writing. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Poed, S., & Elkins, J. (2012). Legislation, policies, and principles. In A. Ashman & J. Elkins
(Eds.), Education for inclusion and diversity (4th ed., pp. 39-60). Frenchs Forest, Australia:
Pearson Education Australia.
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