Have you noticed?

6th September 2002, 1:00am

Share

Have you noticed?

https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/have-you-noticed-79
From this month, the Disability Discrimination Act comes into force in schools. We will be in breach of our responsibilities if we:

* treat a disabled person less favourably than a non-disabled person for a reason relating to hisher disability, without justification; or

* do not make reasonable adjustment to arrangements for admissions to school or to the provision of education and associated services, without justification, so as to prevent a disabled person from being placed at a substantial disadvantage.

Sounds clear enough, doesn’t it? But who qualifies as a “disabled person”, what could be cited as “justification” for less favourable treatment, when is an adjustment “reasonable” and how “substantial” does a disadvantage have to be?

As with all new legislation, the answer to these questions will be determined by the courts. Every early case will be a test case - and the respondents will be - you’ve guessed it - the governing body.

With mainstream schools under increasing pressure to admit pupils with special needs and disabilities, we must make every effort to ensure that inclusion is a genuine and wholehearted process. Balancing the needs of these children and the rest of the school population is yet another challenge for schools and governors.

Want to keep reading for free?

Register with Tes and you can read two free articles every month plus you'll have access to our range of award-winning newsletters.

Keep reading for just £1 per month

You've reached your limit of free articles this month. Subscribe for £1 per month for three months and get:

  • Unlimited access to all Tes magazine content
  • Exclusive subscriber-only stories
  • Award-winning email newsletters
Recent
Most read
Most shared