Disabilities_Act

Disabilities Act Old Act - Did not really deal with education fully but more with services provided in the community for the community. This has not been entirely successful in itself as after all these years there are still only 3 restaurants that a disabled person can eat in, in Ashford. Will the new act just be a paper exercise only or will it be enforced' The other factor to take into concern is no amount of legislation can change the public's attitude and prejudice will still be encountered. As recently as 3 months ago I went for a meal with a friend where the waiter insisted on asking me all the questions as if my friend had lost his ability to talk along with the use of his legs. New Act Good Points The general vision is very good and this is a good start towards total inclusion in colleges. Although the responsibility is on the teacher to have knowledge of different conditions this could relate to staff training and offer staff the opportunity to learn about conditions they could encounter in everyday life not just work. Bad Points Timescale is not practical with the provisions that need to be made; no extra financial help is given also. Wording of the act is very open to individual interpretation with "grey words" such as reasonable and treated less favourably. Definition of disability has increased to include mental health, which is hard to monitor, and diabetes. How would a person suffering from diabetes feel about being classed as disables' We are relying on student honesty to admit any conditions they may have this is not always easy with the inclusion of mental health problems as a disability, not all mental health problems are given a label. Labelling of individuals is not always productive no matter what the environment. Point to Consider What stand will the unions make when protecting teachers who are made responsible for learning about conditions. Will they force the college's to take more responsibility themselves' Will this change the impact of the act overall' LSC may initiate this act fully as a way of stamping their mark on the education authority, or may take the other view especially if the unions have become involved. It may be in their advantage to support the teachers rather than the education institutes. With the introduction of 14+ students into colleges it maybe that a college will have to work across several acts the children's act and disabilities act being just a few. Will some acts contradict each other causing even more confusion' If we can exclude a disabled person with behaviour problems because of their problem when someone without a diagnosis would be are we actually discriminating against the other students without a condition' My Teaching My department always asks during initial interview if there is any medical condition, which can hamper their entry into the classroom and include in the question diabetes, severe asthma etc. Is this doing enough relying on individual honesty' All post 16 are included within this but I work on a vocational course where the student has to be assessed within the workplace to pass we may be accused of discriminating if the student does not have a placement, especially if local industry is not made to make the same previsions for disabled people. Conclusion In principle the new act is very good and could lead the way for a total more inclusive environment for disabled individuals. The problem lies with the new definition of what is included under the umbrella of disability and the very grey wording and definitions of discrimination within the act.