2015 Review of the Disability Standards for Education 2005
Submitted By:
ParaQuad Association of Tasmania Inc.
26- 28 Tolosa Street
Glenorchy TAS 7010
Elly Nicholls 03 6272 8816
A Model which works- for the inclusion of children with disability in sport
ParaQuad Association Tasmania is a not- for- profit organisation who assist people living with spinal cord injury and also others with physical disability. ParaQuad Assoc. Tas. is interested in the review of the standards as we assist children with disability to gain the same standard of education as able- bodied children. Also, some Tasmanian schools are highly inaccessible, others have varying degrees of accessibility issues. We are interested in how the standards can assist children with physical disabilities, attend and stay in schooling to gain formal education.
The Kids Sport Program (K Sport) gives children with physical disabilities the opportunity to participate in sport at their skill level and with their peers. The children have the opportunity to select what sport and recreation activities they would like to try. Parents are encouraged to join in with the children. The model used for the K Sport program by our joint organisation PDS Sports Tas. has been successful in generating inclusiveness, as the needs of children with disabilities are met first, and then their able-bodied school friends and siblings are welcome to participate in the activity. This not only addresses the needs of the child with a disability first, it also helps to ‘normalise’ the disability and the adaptations associated with sport and disability.
Children need physical and social interactions to keep them mentally and physically healthy; this is especially true of children with disability as they are often marginalised by society and don’t have the same opportunities as able-bodied children. The participation of children with disabilities in sport promotes inclusion, can assist physical conditioning, optimises physical function and contributes to the child’s overall wellbeing. (Murphy & Carbone, 2008, p.1). K Sport aims to address these needs by providing children with the opportunity to play sport. The children choose an activity suited to their needs, which encourages participation, and addresses social and physical requirements. Participation in a sport, which they enjoy, gives them a sense of belonging, meaning and purpose. If children with disabilities are not given the opportunities that other children are afforded automatically the United Nations (2008) states “The cost of this exclusion and discrimination is enormous in terms of lost opportunities and poor quality of life for individuals and their families”.
As the program is run by people with disabilities the leaders can relate to the children, and have a similar perspective towards disability as the children; therefore, the children are understood and feel accepted while participating in the program. Participation in a program such as K Sport also shows how regular participation in sport can lead to progression through skill development, which in turn can assist motor control, co-ordination etc. This progression is often helpful in the improvement of these skills where prior to sporting participation the skills were minimal or unrefined. The improvement of skills can also have a positive effect on emotions and provide a sense of achievement.
K Sport can provide encouragement for kids who can no longer attend due to turning seventeen. They may be encouraged to go and join an adult team or go and pursue a pathway in their chosen sport. Pathways within K Sport enables continued participation in sport after leaving school and into adulthood. Although they would no longer be a part of the K Sport program, they have gained the skills and knowledge in order to progress to a pathway and compete both nationally and internationally in their chosen sport. This is an opportunity for children with disability to potentially make a career of sport in a way they otherwise may not have been able to due to their disability. This shows the K Sport program can continue to positively contribute to the health and well-being of the individual, even though they no longer attend K Sport.
Some of these benefits include:
- Leaving school after year 12 can signal the end of stability and structure for some individuals however, the model is successful in providing support and skills necessary to continue participation in their chosen sport in an adult sporting environment, therefore continuing to provide stability, independence, a feeling of belonging and self- worth and achievement which positively contributes to the overall health and well-being of individuals.
- Being encouraged to attend adult sporting groups and continuing to participate in sporting groups also provides structure in daily routine, provides opportunity for individuals to be in the community and among peers so they are not limited to being at home resulting in isolation.
- Isolation can have a range of negative effects on individuals including social isolation, emotional isolation, feelings of exclusion, that their disability excludes them from the world and opportunities to experience life and the opportunities afforded to others.
Research has shown that participating in activities with others is essential for the forming of friendships, development of skills and abilities, to express creativity, achieve mental and physical health and to give meaning and purpose to individuals. (Murphy & Carbone, 2008, p.1). Therefore, inhibiting isolation and its effects on the individual.
The Disability Standards for Education make clear the rights of people with disabilities, stating that “persons with disabilities have the same rights to equality before the law in the area of education and training as the rest of the community” (Disability Standards for Education, 2006). The model used in K Sport ensures that kids with disabilities have the same right to participate in sporting activities just as able- bodied children do. This is shown through providing children with the opportunity to participate and also providing them with the choice regarding which sport they want to participate in.
“to eliminate, as far as possible, discrimination against persons on the ground of disability in the area of education and training”. The model also eliminates discrimination against children with a disability as the children are the focus of attention and are trained in a sport of their choice.
“to promote recognition and acceptance within the community. The model also promotes recognition and acceptance within community, of children with disabilities, as K Sport is based around getting community to recognise the need for sporting programs which are inclusive of people with disability.
Also, “that persons with disabilities have the same fundamental rights as the rest of the community”. Ksport ensures that children with disabilities have the same opportunity to sport and recreational activities as able- bodied members of the community.
Overall, the model works, for the inclusion of children with a disability to participate in sport. ParaQuad Association Tasmania recommends this model be assessed for implementation within the education system. A program such as this, we believe, could be beneficial to the education system as it helps to ‘normalise’ disability among children therefore helping to eradicate the stigma associated with physical disability. It also is inclusive of able-bodied children even though the focus is on the children with disability and ensuring they have the social and physical interactions they need. The model may also help children to think “outside the box” in relation to adapting sport to be an adapted sport for disability.
“Inclusive education is not a marginal issue, but is central to the achievement of high-quality education for all learners and the development of more inclusive societies.” (UNICEF, 2012).
Implementation of a program similar to K Sport, within the education system, would help raise awareness from within the system and help to increase acceptance of disability. This may result in decreased levels or discrimination and victimisation of those children with disability inside the schooling system. It would also assist in achieving ‘contemporary education’ as we would be forced to change our stigma towards disability which would be a huge achievement.
References
United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF). (2012). The Right of Children with Disabilities to Education. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/ceecis/UNICEF_Right_Children_Disabilities_En_Web.pdf
United Nations. (2008). Sport and Persons with Disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/wcm/content/site/sport/home/unplayers/memberstates/sdpiwg_keydocs
Murphy, N., & Carbone, P. (2008). Promoting the Participation of Children With Disabilities in Sports, Recreation, and Physical Activities. American Academy of Paediatrics, 121(5), 1. doi: 10.1542/peds.2008-0566
Disability Standards for Education 2005. (2006). Retrieved from https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/disability_standards_for_education_2005_plus_guidance_notes.pdf