The medical model of disability takes the position that the disability itself is the problem. The social model suggests that the problem lies with a society that doesn’t always make necessary adjustments to meet the needs of everyone, including people who have a disability.
The world should accommodate everyone’s needs and give an equal chance to all. But it doesn’t. This is especially true when the disability can’t be easily detected, when it affects how a person sees the world rather than how the world sees them.
College support systems do everything that they can to make learning and college life accessible to everyone, but sometimes, I wonder if some aspects of support go too far. If wraparound support amounts to wrapping students in cotton wool, it risks enabling behaviours that may not be greeted with such compassion in the world outside.
I’ve seen countless young people in mainstream curriculums who have autism spectrum conditions (ASC) and I’ve adjusted my own planning and behaviour to offer the most inclusive environment that I can. Of course, autism, like many other less visible disabilities, has some common behavioural themes, but I learned early on that if there are 200 people with autism, then there are 200 different types of autism.
What I struggle with is how much I should alter my expectations of students. In a sector which prides itself on preparing young people for the world of work, am I doing my students a disservice by allowing them to believe that their particular needs and behaviours will be accommodated in the future? Should I be toughening up and supporting them to build strategies to adapt their behaviours in order to fit in, rather than stand out, in life beyond the college gates? In some circumstances, should I be a bit more medical and a bit less social?
These questions crop up on a regular basis. Should I have allowed a student with ASC to remain in the same seat when we were moving about in a random partnership activity because I knew that this change in arrangements would be extremely troubling to him? It’ll be unlikely he’ll be able to choose whom he works with in real life.
Should I have allowed a student who refused to remove her coat, even when she was clearly overheating, to remain in it? I didn’t want her to suffer, but how would that behaviour wash in a job interview?
Should I have given a student with ASC who missed deadlines one more extension, because she was clear that study stops when she leaves class?
If we are truly aiming for a person-centred approach, we have to think about what is most helpful for that person - not just for now, but for years to come. This might be their only chance to build those skills. We have to find a balance between adapting to promote inclusivity, and providing training for a less inclusive world. It’s a complex subject to discuss, but it’s a conversation that must be had.
Sarah Simons works in FE colleges in the East Midlands
@MrsSarahSimons
This is an article from the 24 June edition of TES. This week’s TES magazine is available in all good newsagents. To download the digital edition, Android users can click here and iOS users can click here
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