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Planning to Improve Access to Education for Pupils with Disabilities
Guidance on Preparing Accessibility Strategies
Executive Summary
This document provides guidance to local authorities and those responsible for independent, grant-aided and self-governing schools (the responsible bodies) to assist them in meeting the requirements of sections 1 to 3 of the Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils' Educational Records) Act 1.
The Act requires these responsible bodies to prepare and implement accessibility strategies to improve over time access to education for pupils and prospective pupils with disabilities. These duties comes into force in October 2002 and will ensure that long-term strategic planning is carried out across school education in Scotland to improve access for all pupils with disabilities. Most education providers already have planning systems in place for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. The Scottish Executive would like them to build on and move forward existing planning.
At the same time, this legislation aims to ensure that those who do not currently plan for pupils with disabilities begin to do so. This Act will therefore help to promote a positive attitude towards disability in all Scottish schools and will help responsible bodies to ensure that they can meet their new duties under the amended Disability Discrimination Act 1995 - effective from September 2002.
This guidance advises on:
- the legal position and coverage of this planning duty;
- the three strands which accessibility strategies must cover;
- the main processes local authorities and non-local authority schools should consider in preparing accessibility strategies.
Further information and copies of this guidance are available from the SEN Unit at the Scottish Executive:
E-mail: anouska.stevenson@scotland.gsi.gov.uk ; Tel: 0131 244 7139, or on the Scottish Executive website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/publications
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