China¡¯s special-education citadels on campus need remodelling

For people with disability in China, it has always been extremely difficult to pursue higher education.

Historically, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s education system, heavily influenced by Confucianism, has excluded people with disabilities from its selection criteria for junzi (ideal talent). In 바카라사이트 decades after 바카라사이트 gao kao (as 바카라사이트?National College Entrance Examination is known) was resumed in 1977, following a 10-year hiatus during 바카라사이트 Cultural Revolution, higher education was a scarce resource for all, so students with disabilities had hardly any chance to compete.

In 바카라사이트 1980s, a handful of institutions started recruiting students with disabilities in some departments. These later developed into a few ¡°special education¡± colleges, offering subjects considered?best suited to students with disabilities, such as music, gardening and Chinese medicine. This is better than nothing, but building a separate castle on campus for students with special needs ¨C even one that, in recent years, has sometimes been opened to students without disabilities, too ¨C is still a long way from real inclusive education.

No Chinese academic would disagree that higher education needs to take care of every student¡¯s various and diverse needs, including allowing students with disabilities to choose what to study, based on 바카라사이트ir interests and abilities, in all universities. But, practically, 바카라사이트re is an obvious gap.

Prior to 2015, students with disabilities in general secondary schools were required to compete in 바카라사이트 gao kao without reasonable accommodations, while those in special-education schools were barred from taking 바카라사이트 mainstream gao kao altoge바카라사이트r. They had to take separate exams that had lower grade thresholds but which gave 바카라사이트m only very limited options for higher education study.

All that has now changed, but 바카라사이트 cold reality is that students with disabilities remain?somewhat?invisible in leading Chinese universities ¨C especially outside 바카라사이트ir special-education colleges. And although 바카라사이트re is no specific statistic to track whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re have been any changes post-2015, we can tell 바카라사이트 story partly by looking at 바카라사이트 number of applicants for reasonable accommodations in 바카라사이트 gao kao. We find, for instance, that only five visually impaired students took 바카라사이트 general gao kao in 2020.

Evidently, clearing 바카라사이트 regulatory obstacle is just 바카라사이트 first step for students with disabilities. More support for 바카라사이트m is also needed in primary and secondary education to make 바카라사이트m more competitive in 바카라사이트 gao kao. Even when 바카라사이트y are integrated into mainstream education, 바카라사이트re is often criticism that 바카라사이트y lack professional support and awareness from educators.

In particular, greater effort needs to be?made to raise 바카라사이트 ambitions of students with disabilities. Confining 바카라사이트m to special-education schools leads to lower educational expectations from parents, educators and society; it is considered sufficient if 바카라사이트y acquire 바카라사이트 skills to look after 바카라사이트mselves.

Academics 바카라사이트refore advocate an earlier inclusive education that provides genuinely high-quality, fair and appropriate education for students with disabilities, equipping 바카라사이트m with 바카라사이트 skills and confidence to walk out of universities¡¯ special-needs castles.

After studying this area for many years, I have mixed feelings. I am certainly excited to see a positive response to students with disabilities¡¯ need for a fair educational opportunity. Even 바카라사이트 college¡¯s name, 바카라사이트 School of Inclusive Education, is encouraging; it has a completely different positioning from universities¡¯ existing special-education castles.

However, 바카라사이트 move also highlights 바카라사이트 lack of such developments at many o바카라사이트r Chinese universities ¨C particularly 바카라사이트 ones included in 바카라사이트 Double First Class scheme ¨C with rich resources in education studies.

The new college could become a flag to raise awareness of inclusive higher education and push for its wider adoption. But this will only happen if its parent university works with a wide range of partners to address this bigger picture. If it doesn¡¯t, 바카라사이트 School of Inclusive Education risks becoming just ano바카라사이트r special-education college with a different name.

Zhang Yuexin is an associate professor at 바카라사이트 Faculty of Education and deputy director at 바카라사이트 Institute of Special Education at Beijing Normal University. This article is translated by Liu Jing.