by Gabriela Rosell
Special Education professional
Early Learning Specialist
grosell@unsl.edu.ar
In the last few years, young people from San Luis have been taking part of a reality that was denied by previous generations. Young people with disabilities were seen with classmates and friends on September 21th in Potrero de los Funes and El Trapiche, two of the villages were students go to celebrate the Students’ Day. These teenagers with disabilities are integrated, and in this way they are paving the way towards inclusion.
This is another piece of evidence showing that the school integration process goes beyond the classroom boundaries, and helps build a more pluralistic and egalitarian society. Even when the international legal framework -as well as the current legislation in Argentina and San Luis - promotes the inclusion of people with disabilities in regular schools, we know that families of disabled people find absurd pitfalls and obstacles every day.
As a society, we need to think and analyze that these limitations are the product of the interaction between the disabled person’s level of functioning and the environment. Each of us is part of the environment, and from our place, we can and we must promote inclusion.
Today, young people at school are going through a positive experience together with their disabled class mates, which positions them favorably in relation to inclusion. While sharing a roast and by offering natural support to the needs of their "peers / friends" with disabilities, they are teaching us through the example of their behaviour.
For kids today, the diagnosis hardly matters; their teammates are, above all, people -"Carlos’, ‘Estela’, ‘Juan", a companion. Just observe these groups full of joy, music and youth, and you will realize that something good is happening to us.
Happy Students’ Day for all!
On the required resources
Money is one of the obstacles that families and schools face today when it comes to carrying out the process of school integration, which is particularly worrying. Typically, students with special educational needs, their teachers and peer groups require support from a specialized teacher (integration teacher). Some families have the support of healthcare companies -as established by the Act No. 24 901 "System of Basic Benefits in Habilitation and Comprehensive Rehabilitation on Behalf of Persons with Disabilities" -, which cover 100% of the fees corresponding to the integration teacher or team of external support. Some healthcare companies generally ignore or purposefully violate these rights, and often deny full coverage. If families sue them, they win, because the law is absolutely clear in this aspect. Act No. I-0013-2004 (5586), in its article 1, "Approval of the Agreement of Accession between the Board of Comprehensive Healthcare System for Persons with Disabilities and the Govt. of the Province of San Luis" is the legal tool aimed protecting the rights of disabled people. The Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities and the UN Enforcing Protocol entered into force in 2008 through the Act No. 26,378. It aims at encouraging governments to ensure full and equal rights for people with disabilities.
It is clear that if people do not know their rights, they can hardly complain about their violation. Get advice for your family.
For inquiries and complaints, contact
Red Confluir http://www.redconfluir.org.ar - Phone 011-4343-0243.
Department of Health Insurance
http://www.sssalud.gov.ar - Toll free 0800-222-72583
National Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities
http://www.cndisc.gov.ar - Toll Free 0800-333-2662
