Life to Live

The history of people with disabilities in Australia - 100 years

A resource guide prepared by: Disability Services Australia Ltd

Education


Education for children with disabilities has changed considerably over the past 100 years since Federation.

In the first 50 years of last century, a large number of schools were established throughout Australia for children with specific disabilities. Most of these schools were operated by charitable institutions or voluntary organisations.

During the 1970s, however, the State Governments began to take on responsibility for education provided in Australia's special schools and to establish special education units within regular schools to enable children with disabilities to attend.

Today, special schools continue to provide education for students with disabilities who require intensive support. More commonly, though, children with disabilities are attending regular schools, with the assistance of special support services.


Historical Background

The earliest Australian schools for children with disabilities were established in the 1860s for children who were deaf or blind. By 1940, there were eleven schools of this kind throughout the country.

It was not until the 1920s that schools for children with other disabilities, such as intellectual disabilities, were established. At about the same time, special classes were created in a number of regular schools to cater for the needs of these children.

By 1939, only 11% of the estimated 22,000 children with intellectual disabilities were receiving school education - mostly those children with lower levels of disability.

From the 1920s onwards, a number of "hospital schools" were set up for children with significant physical disabilities. There were twenty such schools established over the next two decades.

The trend to educate children with disabilities in special schools continued until well into the 1970s. By then, there were some 1800 special schools throughout Australia.

Prior to the 1970s, most special schools were privately operated by voluntary organisations or associations. This was to change during the 1970s with State Governments taking a more active role in the education of children with disabilities.

By the late 1970s, the number of children being educated in special schools had risen to around 25,000.

Changes in Education

Changes in attitudes towards education for children with disabilities date from around the 1960s. In 1964, ACROD (Australian Council for Rehabilitation of Disabled) recommended the integration of children with disabilities into regular schools, as opposed to special schools. Another important milestone was a report published in relation to education in South Australia in 1971. It strongly recommended integration and the establishment of a greater number of special classes within the regular school system. A similar recommendation by the Schools Commission in 1976 led to government funding and the appointment of a Minister for Special Education. Additional training for teachers in special education was also provided.

By 1980, all States of Australia were encouraging, as far as possible, the education of children with disabilities within regular schools. Whilst there had been instances of integration in education even as early as the 1950s, particularly with special classes within regular schools, the new direction was to include children with disabilities among regular classes at their local school.

Education Today

Special schools continue to provide education for students requiring intensive support. They may also assist students to move into regular school classes where appropriate by providing additional teaching support. More often, children with disabilities are attending regular schools, whether in regular or special classes.

Further Reading

The history of special education in Australia is detailed in the following publications:
Edging to Integration: An Australian Experience (Stan Doenau 1984)
Schooling for Students with Disabilities (M.M. De Lemos 1994)

Case Study:
Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children

The Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children, as it is known today, was among the first institutions in Australia to provide education for children with disabilities.

Established in Sydney in 1860 as a school for children who were deaf, the institute welcomed its first pupils who were blind in 1869.

Similar schools were established in Victoria (1860), Queensland (1883), South Australia (1874) and Western Australia (late 1890s).

During the course of its history, the Institute has broadened its services to include:
* home support services for young children with a hearing or vision impairment
* preschools for children who have a hearing or vision impairment
* special schools for children who use Auslan (see Australian Sign Language); children who have cochlear implants (see Medical Advances/Health); children who have a vision impairment; and children who have an intellectual disability in addition to a hearing/visual disability.
* support services to independent schools for children who have a hearing or vision impairment.
* braille and large print production services.
* an adaptive technology centre which provides technology to assist education of children with a vision impairment.
* a centre for research and professional development in association with the University of Newcastle.

All of the Institute's educational programs focus on the importance of communication. They are designed to teach children to communicate effectively, have confidence in their abilities and to be independent.

A unique feature of the Institute's preschool programs is that children without disabilities also attend.

Case Study:
Australian Initiatives in Special Education - Schonell Special Education Research Centre

The Fred and Eleanor Schonell Special Education Research Centre was established in 1951 at the University of Queensland. It began as a teaching and research centre to develop educational methods for teaching children with learning disabilities.

The Centre was the initiative of Fred Schonell, Foundation Chair of Education at the University, and named for Fred and his wife Eleanor. Both Fred and Eleanor were dedicated to special education for children with disabilities and published over 150 documents on the subject throughout their careers.

In 1954, the Centre established a journal to extend its interest in the areas of human development, disability and education. The International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, as it is currently known, is read in over 20 countries.

By the 1970s, the Centre had become prominent throughout Australia for its research and teaching excellence in the areas of special education, intellectual disability and Aboriginal education.

Case Study:
Alice Betteridge - Historical Inspiration

Alice Betteridge was an exceptional Australian.

Born in 1901, the daughter of George and Emily Betteridge of Sawyer's Gully NSW, she became the first deafblind student at the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children, and also the first person with this kind of disability to be educated in Australia.

At the age of two, Alice became both deaf and blind as a result of the meningitis virus and until she attended school, touch was her only means of communication.

It was Alice's teacher at the Institute, Roberta Reid, who found a way to communicate with her through language. By placing Alice's hand on her shoe, then repeatedly tapping out a pattern in her hand, Alice learnt the word for "shoe" through sign language.

After the discovery of language, Alice progressed rapidly in her education. She was taught braille and began to read and, subsequently, to learn more about the world
around her.

After completing her education, Alice remained with the Institute, at their request, for a further 9 years. Following this, she moved back to her family home until her marriage to Will Chapman - a penfriend who was also blind. They lived in Melbourne for 9 years until Will suffered a sudden heart attack and died. Returning to Sydney, Alice continued to lead a full life, remaining close to her family and travelling overseas.

In 1948 Alice fulfilled a dream to meet Helen Keller during her visit to Australia. An American who was also deafblind, Helen Keller gained world renown for her achievements which included a university education.

Alice died in 1966 at the age of 65. She is remembered for her intelligence, her determination and her cheerful personality which endured throughout her life.

Discussion and Further Reading

Questions to Explore in Class

1. What have been the main changes in education for people with disabilities over the last 100 years?

2. What are some of the services which special schools can provide?

3. How are people with disabilities being included in regular schools?

Creative Ideas

* In small groups, discuss ways in which technology can assist people with disabilities to participate in regular school classes.

* Consider doing work experience at a special school.


Further Reading

Edging to Integration: An Australian Experience - by Stan Doenau 1984

Schooling for Students with Disabilities - by M.M. De Lemos 1994

Education of the Deaf and Hearing Impaired: A Brief History - by Barbara Lee Crickmore

A Girl Like Alice - by Valerie Thompson.

Helen Keller: A Life - by Dorothy Herrmann