The government says that quality teachers are crucial to improving learning outcomes. Yet they still pursue policies that don’t put these teachers in front of our most marginalised students.
There are significant challenges in making old cities like Rio more accessible, and there are missed opportunities around the Paralympics, but it’s not all bad news.
Technology has had a particularly visible impact on the Paralympics. But the the most important thing is to let the athlete’s ability come to the fore.
An Access World News database search says everything you need to know: Type in ‘Deflategate’ and you’ll get nearly twice as many hits as ‘Paralympics.’
The classification system is what keeps the Paralympics fair. Although it’s not perfect, it’s the best system we have, and it’s continually being improved.
The Paralympic Games started off as a way to motivate and rehabilitate returned servicemen and women after the second world war, and has evolved tremendously since then.
Today’s violence and prejudice against people with disabilities goes back to the practice of institutionalization, which started in Europe and the United States a century ago.
The achievements of the Paralympians, and societal shift towards more inclusivity and the celebration of diversity, has had a dramatic effect on the lives of people living with disability.
Professor of Social Inclusion - UTS Business School - Centres for Business and Social innovation, and Business Intelligence and Data Analytics, University of Technology Sydney
Associate Professor, Rehabilitation, Ageing and Independent Living Research Centre and Occupational Therapy Department, School of Primary and Allied Healthcare, Monash University