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Exploring learning disabilities: supporting belonging
Exploring learning disabilities: supporting belonging

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6 Summary of Session 4

It may have come as a surprise to you to learn that children with learning disabilities could legally be denied an education until as recently as 1970. Before this time, parents fought hard to create educational opportunities for their children, and this helped to create the system of special schools that continue to exist today. While national and international policy has emphasised that children with special educational needs and disabilities have a right to an inclusive education, there continue to be many barriers to achieving this.

Have you changed your views of inclusive and special schools now you have completed this session? Below is the same question you were asked at the start of this session – will you give the same answer?

Activity 8 What’s fair?

Timing: Allow about 5 minutes

Click the link below to answer the poll on how you think the country’s education budget should be spent.

Link: Deciding how to use the country’s education budget [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)]

Once you have submitted your choice you can then see how others have voted.

In this session you explored:

  • the history of education for people with learning disabilities
  • the benefits and challenges of delivering inclusive education
  • the role of special schools
  • the experiences of the education system for people with learning disabilities

You are now halfway through the course. The Open University would really appreciate your feedback and suggestions for future improvement in our optional end-of-course survey, which you will also have an opportunity to complete at the end of Session 8. Participation will be completely confidential and we will not pass on your details to others.

You can now go to Session 5, which will look at employment and the world of work for people with learning disabilities.