‘Bringing everyone on the same journey’: Revisiting inclusion in higher education

Date

2018-03-15

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Source Title

Studies in Higher Education

Print ISSN

0307-5079

Electronic ISSN

1470-174X

Publisher

Routledge

Volume

44

Issue

8

Pages

1475 - 1487

Language

English

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Abstract

This study investigates inclusion in higher education, examining learning environments for students with physical disabilities (SWPD) and the challenges faced in promoting inclusive education, using an Australian university as a case study. Drawing from the social model of disability and interviews with 40 stakeholders, our findings suggest that despite marked progress towards inclusive education through reasonable adjustments for all, learning environments remain largely driven by adjustments for individual students, creating organisational and personal challenges. Four key challenges emerged: (1) staff perception about too many resources creating student dependencies; (2) staff training needs; (3) low representation of students with visible disabilities; and (4) moving inclusion beyond education into employment. Our findings emphasise the need to embed employability and skills development in all aspects of teaching and learning while moving towards inclusive education, to enable all students to develop professionally, and reinforcing calls for an inclusive workplace that values and accepts SWPD.

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Published Version (Please cite this version)