From the  [UK] Times, BBC:

A British report has found that many students with learning disabilities feel neglected and unprotected at school, and want safe areas where they can spend time during class breaks. More than half of students with severe learning disabilities in England are educated in mainstream schools.

The University of Cambridge study found that some young people felt worried or anxious between lessons, when they might get picked on, teased or bullied or when they simply did not know what to do with themselves. Many also found moving around a busy school or college site extremely stressful.

“[Pupils] told us how frightening it was to be on the stairs at busy times. Playgrounds, social areas or common rooms were often not seen as good places to go because young people felt that they might get picked on, teased or bullied when they were out of the classroom.

The students also said they wanted representation in student-run government organizations. The report said it was “noticeable” that students with disabilities were not included in such groups, and sometimes did not even know they existed.

The report –”What about us?” — comes from Cambridge’s education faculty and the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 15th, 2008 at 4:00 pm and is filed under advocacy, education, learning disabilities. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.  Email This Post