Sarah Rheinberger outlines need for inclusive NT education system, closure of specialist schools

An inclusive education researcher says designing a new, inclusive school system – and removing the dual mainstream-specialist structure – will bring educational ‘gatekeeping’ to its knees.

Educational “gatekeeping” among mainstream schools will be brought to its knees if specialist schools are phased out, a specialist says.

But inclusive education researcher and occupational therapist Sarah Rheinberger said the transition – which the Disability Royal Commission recommended to take almost three decades – must be handled with care.

Ms Rheinberger said specialist schools should only be maintained for a short-term period until a better, more inclusive education system was ready for students to move into.

She said it was not about integrating kids into mainstream schooling, but designing an entirely new system with the capability to cater for every student.

“When we’re ready for that, when we have our plan and we’re committing to that, that’s the time at which special schools become obsolete and so does mainstream.

“That old system – which is the dual mainstream-special system – will no longer be needed, because we have this amazing new system that caters for all children.”

Inclusive education researcher and occupational therapist Sarah Rheinberger.

In her research, Ms Rheinberger found many parents whose kids required additional classroom supports had fallen into “segregation acceptance”.

“It really spoke to not just caregivers accepting that some children should be in special education or segregated settings, but also society in general,” she said.

“There’s an underlying belief in our society that is reflected in our systems and our policies that some children don’t belong learning alongside other peers … if your needs are too high.”

Ms Rheinberger said much of the discourse around the closure of specialist school focused on giving parents the choice of where to send their kids.

She said she agreed with that rhetoric but questioned whether parents truly had a choice under the current education system.

“Is it really a choice when mainstream doesn’t provide for all children? Is it really a choice when schools are using restrictive practices and gatekeeping to guilt or to scare parents into sending their child to a specialist school?”

Originally published as Sarah Rheinberger outlines need for inclusive NT education system, closure of specialist schools