People with disabilities and mental health concerns can face many challenges in the education environment which range from physical barriers, to obstructive policies, practices and attitudes. Fundamentally, it is important to understand that disability, mental health conditions and neurodiversity are normal part of human diversity and should not be viewed as a ‘problem’ for which allowances or alterations need to be made. Instead, barriers to access and participation should be seen as a result of social and environmental factors which need to be made more inclusive, locating the ‘problem’ within society rather than individual.
These health concerns are not always visible or obvious, making it important to teach in a way that includes students with a range of abilities and health statuses, even in circumstances where you are not aware of teaching students with disabilities or impairments.
Additionally, although there are a growing number of students registering with Monash Disability Support Services (DSS), many student choose not to disclose conditions due to a fear of stigma and discrimination (Li, Denson & Dorstyn, 2017).
Mental health can impact student’s education in a number of ways, from attendance and physical well-being to issues with concentration, self esteem, and decision making ability. As a particularly vulnerable population, university students are five times more likely to be diagnosed with a mental health issue than the general population (Usher & Curran, 2017), and 86% of students with a mental health disorder do not complete their course of study (Hughes, Corcoran & Slee, 2015).
A generally inclusive approach to education will benefit students with disability and mental health conditions, however DSS provides teaching tips and advice (Monash only) regarding specific student cohorts as well as an inclusive teaching toolkit for students with disability (Monash only).