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I really enjoyed this TED Talk and the insight it gave me into Stella's life experiences. Her delivery, humour and opinions were witty and provoking.

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Stella Young: I'm not your inspiration, thank you very much

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Stella Young is a comedian and journalist who happens to go about her day in a wheelchair - a fact that doesn't, she'd like to make clear, automatically turn her into a noble inspiration to all humanity. In this very funny talk, Young breaks down society's habit of turning disabled people into "inspiration porn."

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What an amazing woman not because of her disability but because of her career, accomplishments and personality. I was particularly interested in the way she "labels" a disability and dislikes the term "disabled person".

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Susan Robinson: How I fail at being disabled

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Born with a genetic visual impairment that has no correction or cure, Susan Robinson is legally blind (or partially sighted, as she prefers it) and entitled to a label she hates: "disabled." In this funny and personal talk, she digs at our hidden biases by explaining five ways she flips expectations of disability upside down.

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My favourite educational TED Talk. Although this was not specific to disability and inclusive education, Rita aligns with my personal philosophy of teaching and education. I have worked for over thirteen years at a low socio-economic school and can relate to the challenges she shares. This TED Talk inspires me to be resilient and acknowledge the privlige I have as a teacher.

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Rita Pierson, a teacher for 40 years, once heard a colleague say, “They don’t pay me to like the kids.” Her response: “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.’” A rousing call to educators to believe in their students and actually connect with them on a real, human, personal level.

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Inclusive Environment and Personal Experiences

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Inclusive Environment and Personal Experiences

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Carly Findlay was one of the first Australian disability advocates I started to regularly follow on social media. I am currently reading a book she has edited called 'Growing Up Disabled in Australia' - a collection of chapters written by a wide range of authors. I am reading this book with a small book club of Year 5/6 students. I was first introduced to the social model of disability through Carly and I found this interview on Youtube extremely insightful.

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Life as an Adult with Ichthyosis (Carly Findlay's Story)

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This TED Talk provided insight into Judith Heumann and her campaign against discrimination. Listening to her story, I felt disbelief at the obstacles she faced and the systems in place to constantly challenge her right to succeed in life.

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Judith Heumann: Our fight for disability rights -- and why we're not done yet

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Four decades ago, Judith Heumann helped to lead a groundbreaking protest called the Section 504 sit-in -- in which disabled-rights activists occupied a federal building for almost a month, demanding greater accessibility for all. In this personal, inspiring talk, Heumann tells the stories behind the protest -- and reminds us that, 40 years on, there's still work left to do.

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There is always a way to make things accessible. An example of how an everyday item such as lego can be accessible. When there is a will there is a way.

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How I helped make Lego accessible to the blind

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As a child, entrepreneur Matthew Shifrin received a gift that changed his life -- a Lego set with instructions hand-written in Braille. In this charming and personal talk, he tells the story of his years-long mission to share the sensory experience he remembers with the larger blind community.

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Disadvantaged Students and Remote Learning

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Disadvantaged Students and Remote Learning

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A plea from families begging to have their children educated during remote learning. Having experienced this over the last two years, I have witnessed firsthand the struggles of remote learning with students who have additional learning needs and disabilities. I can acknowledge that remote learning is unprecedent in Victoria, but it also continues to highlight the struggles families have with children with disabilities, the support educational institutions can provide and that there is a long way for improvement and to do better.

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Disability advocates are pleading for specialist schools in Melbourne to be reopened, saying remote learning is "having devastating consequences" for many students and their carers.

Melanie Kent, who has two daughters with intellectual disabilities, fears multiple bouts of enforced remote learning are making it much tougher for them to develop the skills they require for employment after school.

Melanie Kent with her daughters Bianca and Isabella, both of whom attend specialist schools in Frankston. Credit:Penny Stephens

"I keep on telling the school, my aim is that once [daughter Bianca] gets to VCE level I want her to have a few options like TAFE or VCAL and I want her at a level where those options are open to her," Ms Kent said. "But every time we have a lockdown and she stops learning, she falls further behind."

Students in specialist schools were put at the front of the queue alongside VCE students when children made a staged return to face-to-face learning last year.

But they have not been given the same priority status in this lockdown, remaining in remote learning while year 11 and 12 students in Melbourne returned to face-to-face learning on Friday, as did all regional students.

Bianca's school, Naranga Special School, is closed this week for all but vulnerable students and those who cannot be supervised at home. It is running classes online. So too is Frankston Special Developmental School, where Bianca's older sister Isabella, who has Down syndrome and a more severe intellectual disability, is a student.

Ms Kent says her daughters are doing so little real study while remote learning that "it's pretty much a joke".

"They [the schools] have got to do something because they are required to but it's the bare minimum," she said.

The girls also struggle to connect with their lessons via a computer screen.

Remote learning is "having devastating consequences" for many students with disabilities and with autism, advocates say. Two organisations - the Association for Children with a Disability and Amaze, Victoria's peak body for people with autism - are pleading for an immediate return to on-site schooling for students at special schools.

"Over the last week, we are hearing of children becoming destructive and damaging things; children who are regressing, parents who cannot work, shop or care for others because of their child's very high supervision needs; and families - often with multiple children or parents with disability - that are not coping," Amaze chief executive Fiona Sharkie and Association for Children with a Disability chief executive Karen Dimmock said in a joint statement.

The associations also called for a "vaccine blitz" for teachers and staff in specialist schools, echoing a call last week from the Principals' Association of Specialist Schools.

But the association's president, Colac Specialist School principal Cameron Peverett, said it was important for specialist schools to stay closed in line with public health authorities' directives.

"Nobody on staff in special schools would want to be the one to bring coronavirus into that school; we are talking about vulnerable students, sometimes medically vulnerable," he said.

Acting Premier and Education Minister James Merlino acknowledged specialist schools had been given greater priority for reopening during some previous lockdowns, but said during some lockdowns they had remained shut.

"There was a period where our special schools were open fully and in previous circuit-breaker lockdowns we've had the settings that we have right now," he said. "I want to get all students back as quickly as possible, that's my focus as Education Minister and that's going to be based on public health advice."

There are about 29,000 students with disabilities in Victorian schools, including 12,600 in special schools, Department of Education data shows.

With Paul Sakkal The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day's most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.

Adam Carey is Education Editor. He joined The Age in 2007 and has previously covered state politics, transport, general news, the arts and food.

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Plea to reopen special schools amid 'devastating' loss of learning

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Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Disability advocates are pleading for specialist schools in Melbourne to be reopened, saying remote learning is "having devastating consequences" for many students and their carers.

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A tabloid article highlighting the abhorrent treatment of a student with a disability in the community. This situation demonstrates how much we still need to learn in terms of the way we treat all members of our community and provide an environment that is truly accessible and respectful.

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Wheelchair-bound university student reveals the disgraceful reason an impatient bus driver refused her entry and how he humiliated her when she was finally let on board

Sarah Richards was attempting to board a bus at Eight Mils Plains in Brisbane

Disabled woman could not access the ramp which was blocked by a garden bed

Frustrated driver said he was running late and was unable to reverse vehicle

Wheelchair-bound student says not the first time she has faced discrimination

A wheelchair-bound university student says she felt 'humiliated' when a council bus driver refused to deploy his ramp because he was running late and berated her when she was finally let on.

Sarah Richards has been in a wheelchair since she was two years old due to a condition called osteogenesis imperfecta - which means she has extremely brittle bones that break easily.

The 21-year-old from Brisbane has been using public transport to attend the University of Queensland since 2018 with few hiccups.

But she said there have been times when she felt discriminated against due to her disability - the latest occurring just last month.

The university student was waiting at the Eight Mile Plains stop when a bus pulled up but the door with the wheelchair ramp she needs was in front of a garden.

She alerted the bus driver but claims he became annoyed and demanded she wait for the next service because he was already 'running late' and was unable to reverse.

'I tried to get his attention, and let him know I needed this bus. But he basically indicated that he wouldn't let me on,' Ms Richards said.

'He was still allowing people to board through the back door, but wasn't allowing me to get on.'

Ms Richards said she pleaded with the bus driver before he finally decided to loop back around and let her board the bus.

'After basically begging him, he said he would go back and turn around,' she said.

'He was rolling his eyes and sighing, it was evident that he was very annoyed.'

Ms Richards said her horrible encounter with the driver continued when she finally boarded the vehicle.

'When I finally got in, he scolded me and said I should have been at the stop earlier,' she said.

'I said well next time you should park better.

'After I boarded, he then yelled at everyone 'hurry up, we are going to be late now'.

'It was humiliating. It wasn't fair that he was blaming me.'

'People who do not need to use wheelchairs wouldn't be spoken to like that and they wouldn't have to ask to be let on.'

Ms Richards said this was not the first time she has had a bad experience on public transport as a result of busses not parking properly.

'The previous time this happened was about a month ago and it was the same problem,' she said.

'It was humiliating. It wasn't fair that he was blaming me.'

'People who do not need to use wheelchairs wouldn't be spoken to like that and they wouldn't have to ask to be let on.'

Ms Richards said this was not the first time she has had a bad experience on public transport as a result of busses not parking properly.

'The previous time this happened was about a month ago and it was the same problem,' she said.

'The driver parked too far forward and could not let down the ramp.'

'He told me that I'd need to wait and get the next one. I argued with him and he finally let me on.

'He rolled his eyes at me and asked the other bus drivers to watch while he reversed.'

Ms Richards said bus operators Translink had apologised to her for the encounter but wants more training to help drivers better understand the needs of disabled passengers.

'It is complete discrimination in my eyes,' she said.

'I called Translink and they told me I should have been at the stop earlier. I did receive an apology, but they also told me I should be there earlier.'

'It is very frustrating. If this has happened to me, I'm sure it has happened to others.'

'I hope that Translink might do better in educating their drivers.'

Brisbane City Council has been contacted for comment.

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Disgusting reason a disabled student was denied entry to Brisbane bus

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Sarah Richards was attempting to board a bus at Eight Mils Plains in Brisbane Disabled woman could not access the ramp which was blocked by a garden bed Frustrated driver said he was running late and was unable to reverse vehicle Wheelchair-bound student says not the first time she has faced discrimination A wheelchair-bound university student says she felt 'humiliated' when a council bus driver refused to deploy his ramp because he was running late and berated her when she was finally let on.

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A tabloid article highlighting perceptions of disability in the community.

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Young woman with chronic pain calls out 'old people' slamming her for parking in disabled spots because she 'doesn't look disabled'

Rhiannon, from Melbourne, has called out people for questioning her disability

The social media influencer suffers from chronic pain condition, fibromyalgia

In a TikTok video, she slammed those who blast her for parking in disability spots

The clip has gone viral, with many others recounting their similar experiences

A social media influencer with chronic pain has called out 'old people' who slam her for using disability parking because she 'doesn't look disabled'.

Melbourne model Rhiannon suffers from fibromyalgia, a condition that causes widespread muscle pain and tenderness throughout the body.

Despite being legally entitled to use disability parking, Rhiannon says she is constantly harassed after stepping out of her car by people accusing her of breaking the law.

'I am legally disabled and as much as old people would like to square up with me about it, I'm legally disabled,' she says in video on her TikTok account, @Daddyrhi.

'See this [permit], this is really hard to get.'

'I park in my disabled parking, and put up my thing [permit] - tell me why this old f***er comes up to me and thinks that it is their business to go "you don't look disabled".

'I'm about to make you legally disabled in a minute, I will tell you that much.'

Rhiannon blasted busybodies for not considering that some disabilities are not physically visible.

'Do you want me to cut off my f****ing legs so that I look disabled enough for you?' she says.

'What the f****. Like, "oh let me get out of the car and be bent over and limping just so I fit your idea of disabled". Shut the f*** up.'

The clip has gone viral, racking up more than 128,000 likes, with many recounting similar experiences.

'I have a sticker on the back of my car that says "invisible disabilities are still disabilities". It happens constantly,' one person wrote.

'Feels. I have a life threatening medical condition and their like "oh you look perfectly fine",' another added.

'I have a certificate three in disability and it shocks me how many people get discriminated against because they don't fit the stereotype!' a third said.

Rhiannon, who has more than 49,000 followers combined on Instagram and TikTok, raises disability awareness over her social media pages.

In 2019, she detailed the treatment she required to help ease her agonising pain, which left her limbs swollen.

'Swollen is an understatement,' she wrote in her Instagram highlight reel, alongside a photo of an IV cords strapped to her tummy.

'The lumps that have formed are so painful I struggle to have my top over my stomach. I have to keep reminding myself it's worth it for the relief I'll be getting, but it's hard.

WHAT IS FIBROMYALGIA?

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Woman calls out 'old people' slamming her for using disabled parking

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Rhiannon, from Melbourne, has called out people for questioning her disability The social media influencer suffers from chronic pain condition, fibromyalgia In a TikTok video, she slammed those who blast her for parking in disability spots The clip has gone viral, with many others recounting their similar experiences A social media influencer with chronic pain has called out 'old people' who slam her for using disability parking because she 'doesn't look disabled'.

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An TED Talk identifying the learning that can take place from those with a disability. I feel like if this happened more in our community, we could create environments that are more accessible and inclusive of all our community members. For this school to truly meet the target students, then these key stakeholders need to have their voices heard.

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Marcus Adrian: What I learned designing a school for the deaf

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Does a school for the deaf need to be quiet? Architect Marcus Adrian explains how the answer put him on the road to identifying a key element of designing for accessibility -- understanding the spectrum of human ability and celebrating what people do well instead of focusing on what they can't.

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Disadvantaged Students and Remote Learning

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Disadvantaged Students and Remote Learning

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An article from The Age newspaper in Victoria confirming what I have experienced during remote learning. This article reinforces intersectionality in the disability sector.

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More than 10 per cent of Victorian students from disadvantaged schools were absent during the state's first period of remote learning in term two compared to just 4 per cent in advantaged schools, suggesting the coronavirus pandemic is widening the gap between high and low-performing students.

Many schools also struggled to keep their students' education on track, with one in five principals reporting "concern or strong concern about the lack of academic progress during remote learning". These concerns were strongest in regional schools.

Absentee rates increased week on week during the state's first phase of remote learning. Credit:Tanya Macheda

During the first lockdown, schools were granted a special exemption from the legal requirement to teach the full curriculum remotely, with many applying to skip subjects including Health and Physical Education, Sciences and the Arts. The same exemption has continued for the second lockdown period.

An independent report for the Andrews government on the state's first phase of remote learning found that students' experiences in that period were divided, with some thriving and receiving strong support at home while others lacked a supportive family environment and struggled to even log on to classes.

The report also warned of a risk that many students who were absent for long stretches might never re-engage with education. In some cases where students were not engaging, school staff visited children's homes because parents did not return calls or emails.

"Schools face serious difficulties in reintegrating these students into learning and school life," the report found.

Absenteeism rates increased every week that students were away from school, "indicating that some students became disengaged with remote and flexible learning as the weeks progressed". Absentee rates were significantly worse among secondary school students, rising to more than 14 per cent among students in years 7 to 10 by week eight of remote learning.

The report by consultancy Learning First was completed in June, after students had returned to face-to-face classes but before they returned to remote learning for several more weeks due to the state's second wave of COVID-19. It was released by the Andrews government on Friday.

Education Minister James Merlino said the government had always known the shift to remote learning was not going to be easy.

"We had to completely change the way our entire education system has operated for decades in a matter of a few weeks and this was always going to present challenges and opportunities for schools and school communities," Mr Merlino said.

The government is considering ideas to help students catch up on lost learning in term four and in 2021.

The report found parents gained unprecedented insights into their children's education, and developed stronger relationships with teachers, although some schools reported being put under "significant pressure" by parents to enable at-school attendance.

Teacher wellbeing was lower on average at schools with higher on-site attendance, as teachers struggled with the demands of social distancing, hygiene and catering for more students on-site.

Opposition education spokeswoman Cindy McLeish said the longer students were away, the more detrimental the impact on their education and welfare. She urged the government to open schools for all students from the first week of term four, not the second week as is planned.

The report was based on responses from tens of thousands of students and parents from more than 400 schools, and a series of regular surveys from school leaders.

Adam Carey is Education Editor. He joined The Age in 2007 and has previously covered state politics, transport, general news, the arts and food.

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Remote learning widens gap as disadvantaged students skip school

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This was published 10 months ago Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size More than 10 per cent of Victorian students from disadvantaged schools were absent during the state's first period of remote learning in term two compared to just 4 per cent in advantaged schools, suggesting the coronavirus pandemic is widening the gap between high and low-performing students.