Intellectual Disability And Social Policies Of Inclusion

This book explores why, after forty years of funded policies of social inclusion, persons living with an intellectual disability are still separated from the social fabric of neoliberal societies. David Treanor shows how the nature of the reform process is driven unnecessarily by the economic neoliberal paradigm, the cultural misconceptions of intellectual disability, and the inattention accorded to personal relationships between persons living with and without an intellectual disability. Treanor utilizes John Macmurray’s personalist philosophy, Julia Kristeva’s ontology of disability and Michele Foucault’s concept of bio-power to explain this phenomenon. The concepts in this book challenge current approaches to social inclusion and have radical implications for future practices.

As a social justice endeavor, one of the goals of inclusive education is to bolster the education of all students by promoting equal opportunities for all, and investing sufficient support, curriculum and pedagogy that cultivates high self-concepts, emphasizes students’ strengths rather than weaknesses, and assists students to reach their optimal potential to make a contribution to society. Dedicated to the identification of international strategies to achieve this goal, Inclusive Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities presents examples of theory, research, policy, and practice that will advance our understanding of how best to educate and more generally structure educational environments to promote social justice and equity. Importantly, this discussion transcends research methodology, context, and geographical locations and may lead to far-reaching applications. As such, the focus is placed on research-derived educational and psycho-educative practices that seed success for students with intellectual disabilities in inclusive educational settings and the volume showcases new directions in theory, research, and practice that may inform the education and psychosocial development of students with intellectual disabilities globally. The chapter contributors in this volume consist of 31 scholars from ten different countries, and they come from a great variety of research areas (i.e., teacher education, educational psychology, special education and disability policy, special needs and inclusive education, health sciences). This volume, with a series of subsections, offers insights and useful strategies to promote meaningful advances for students with intellectual disabilities globally.

What happens when a group traditionally defined as lacking the necessary capacities of citizenship is targeted by government programs that have made 'citizenship inclusion' their main goal? Combining theoretical perspectives of political philosophy, social theory, and disability studies, this book untangles the current state of Western intellectual disability politics following the replacement of state institutionalisation by independent and supported living, individual rights, and self-determination. Taking its cue from Foucault's conception of 'biopolitics', denoting the government of the individuals and the totality of the population, its overarching argument is that the ambiguous positioning of people with intellectual disabilities with respect to the ideals of citizenship results in a regime of government that simultaneously includes and excludes people of this group. On the one hand, its members are projected to become ideal-citizens via the cultivation of citizenship capacities. On the other, the right to live independently and by their own choices is curtailed as soon as they are seen as failing with respect to the ideals of reason and rationality. Therefore, coercion, restraints, and paternalism, which were all supposed to end with deinstitutionalisation, are still ingrained in services targeting the group. In equal parts a theoretical work, advancing debates of critical disability theory, social theory, and post-structural philosophy, as well as an empirical engagement with the history of intellectual disability politics and the ways in which present day politics target the group, this book will be of interest to all students and scholars of disability studies, disability politics, and political theory.

Draws on a unique 3-year action research study that surveyed daily life and residents' experiences. Provides evidence-based strategic and practical suggestions for ways that staff and organisations can improve quality of life for residents. Authors from La Trobe University, Australia.

"This book has an unusual format, and its intentions and underlying constructions are stimulating. This is a critical text that should be required reading for all students of health, disability, social medicine, therapy and nursing programmes. At the price, currently £19.99, it represents excellent value for money and is affordable for individual students to purchase." Learning Disability Practice "This could have been a triumphant book; instead it is a sober one, and far more useful for it … Based on an around-the-world tour of countries where the concepts of normalization and Social Role Valorization have been influential, the book offers a comparative account of the ways these ideas have worked out in seven different national contexts more than thirty years after their introduction." From the Foreword by John O’Brien, The Centre on Human Policy, Syracuse University, USA "In addition to its useful comparative approach this text demystifies and clarifies a number of complex issues." Iain Carson, University of Manchester, UK How do services in different countries vary across the lifespan? What lessons can the different countries learn from one another? Based on the author’s own experience from over thirty years in the field, this thought-provoking book offers a comparative study of services for people with intellectual disabilities in seven countries: England, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and the USA. Through the author’s discussions with people with intellectual disabilities, parents and families, and those involved with services at a professional and academic level, the book provides a critical reflection on intellectual disability services across the lifespan. Each chapter contains the following key features: A brief ‘Instant Impacts’ reflection of an incident or a person encountered in the country concerned A short history of services in the country and a summary of the current service system A detailed look at services through the age range, including issues around screening and pre-birth Drawing on the author’s own experience of being a parent of a child with intellectual disabilities, ‘Adam’s World Tour’ boxes include a summary of the author’s views on the likely services Adam might receive in the country concerned Intellectual Disability is key reading for students of social work, learning disability nursing, social policy and community work, as well as those training to work with people with intellectual disabilities in health and social care services. Because of its unique approach, however, it is as relevant to families of people with intellectual disabilities as it is to professionally qualified practitioners and policy makers.

Law, policy, and practice in the United States has long held that students with disabilities - including those with intellectual disabilities - have the right to a free and appropriate public education, in a non-restrictive environment. Yet very few of these students are fully included in general education classrooms. Educational systems use loopholes to segregate students; universities regularly fail to train teachers to include students; and state regulators fail to provide the necessary leadership and funding to implement policies of inclusion. Whatever Happened to Inclusion? reports on the inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities from national and state perspectives, outlining the abject failure of schools to provide basic educational rights to students with significant disabilities in America. The book then describes the changes that must be made in teacher preparation programs, policy, funding, and local schools to make the inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities a reality.

The book approaches the topic of disability, inclusion and inclusive education in a holistic way including both academic and psycho-social perspectives. It also focuses on the contemporary status of disability studies with a multidisciplinary dimension. The experiences and challenges of children with disabilities and the different dimensions of inclusive education have been situated appropriately by including at the outset, a chapter on 'Disability Studies: The Context'. Chapter on 'Sociology of Disability' accentuates the tone and perspective of the presentations of the authors and editor. The research findings presented in the book indicate grounded realities and suggestions for transactional strategies which are plausible in the Indian context. It has never been timely to publish a book that helps professionals who work with schools, special education teachers, and counsellors to analyze disabilities from a socio-psychological perspective keeping the protagonist at the centre. Case narrations situated in the Indian context enrich the presentations giving voice to the marginalized children/adults with disabilities. This work serves as a comprehensive reference for the most prevalent disabilities at school education level covering the conceptual understanding about each disability, their psycho-social perspectives, implications for classroom transactions, suggestions of transactional strategies along with a brief explanation of assistive technology that can be used in case of each disability.With Right to Education Act (2009) in place, a diverse range of readers, from special educators and other teachers in schools, prospective teachers pursuing their pre service teacher education programmes, teacher educators and researchers in the field of disabilities and inclusive education will all find this volume useful, as a reference material with long shelf life.

This book will introduce the reader to international perspectives associated with post-secondary school education for students with intellectual disability attending university settings.