Disadvantages Of Disabled Students Essay

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1. Introduction
This essay is concerned with the disadvantages faced by disabled students in UK secondary schools. The main ‘barrier’ I will focus on throughout is ‘negative labelling’ which often develops negative perceptions and stereotypes. This creates barriers to equity for disabled children as they are denied access to educational opportunities which their peers may have. In 2017, it was reported that there are around 13.3 million disabled people in the UK (Disabled Foundation Living, 2017). This high statistic highlights the need for more research into the inequitable experiences faced by disabled students.
Educational disadvantage is a complex issue which encompasses several extents such as gender, ethnicity, poverty and family life. …show more content…

However, complications arise when we attempt to put this attitude into practice within national contexts, where there are opposing opinions as to the priorities for educational policy. This is particularly challenging as progress is likely to require changes in practice and thinking within every level of the education system, starting from those responsible for policies through to school leaders and teachers. Therefore, policies must be well thought through, effectively implemented and monitored for impact over time. An example of this is displayed in appendix one which represents how teachers interpret policies and attempt to create an inclusive environment but fail in doing so. This seclusion may come from the label of ‘SEN’ mentioned above. Moreover, ‘Teacher education’ is an important aspect which will briefly be mentioned throughout this essay, in terms of ‘reproducing inequality’, perhaps lack of knowledge is a possible reason for this. Existing negative labels in education affect teacher perceptions and those perceptions inevitably have an impact on how disabled children are treated in

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