These are the kinds of leaders and teacherswho are committed and confident in developing productivepartnerships with students

There is also nobetter time for our education system, our schools, ourteachers and our communities to Rosetta Stone realise that Moristudents, along with all students, have immense potentialfor success.We must develop an education system that isculturally responsive to the diversity of the learners whoparticipate in it.So how does the example of TeKotahitanga apply to special education and the opportunitiesfor children with disabilities?To make progress, we mustcompletely close the door on deficit explanations or on the failure of Mori learners and this is true forall learners. These explanations do not help.Instead, wemust focus on the potential of every learner. To do this, wemust ensure that we have effective and responsive leadersand teachers. These are the kinds of leaders and teacherswho are committed and confident in developing productivepartnerships with students, parents and communitiesMakingeducation work for all requires the concerted efforts ofmany. We must make the most of every opportunity.Government commitment to inclusionIn parliament inSeptember last year the Government unanimously ratified theUN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.Article 24 of that convention states that the rights ofpersons with disabilities to an education must be realisedwithout discrimination and on the basis of equalopportunity. But despite the legislative and policysupport for inclusion, a recent study in New Zealand reported exclusionary practices. Some students weredenied their rights to:* go to school;* be safe atschool;* have Rosetta Stone American English access to appropriate funding and resourcesat school ; or* be valued and holding equal status.Sothere is still a lot of work to be done.SpecialEducationAnd yet a seismic shift has taken place inspecial education. Children with special needs are no longerisolated and tucked away from their communities. Anexample of the change were seeing is at Papatoetoe SouthPrimary School in Auckland. Papatoetoe South serves adiverse community and has an inclusive centre for studentswith special needs. Principal Mark Barratt says they donttalk about students ability or disability they justfocus on meeting the needs of all students. PapatoetoeSouth has made it an absolute priority that all studentswill take part in school trips or learning experiences nomatter what. They involve parents, families and whnau atevery opportunity. And they help staff to focus on inclusionin their professional development. Another example, whichwill feature at this conference, is Arahunga Special Schoolin Whanganui. This school has transformed itself into ateaching support service so that all students can besupported to attend their local schools. The expertise andknowledge that "belonged" to the special school is nowavailable across all schools in the area being served. Soslowly, but surely, we are making progress. Wererecognising that all of our children and young people belongto local communities, and that the education environment hasto fit the child and their community. Rosetta Stone Chinese But theres muchmore to be done. Thats why the Government is currentlyreviewing how special education operates in Aotearoa.Now,more than ever, we need to know what works in specialeducation. The Special Education review is an opportunity tolook at whether the money in the system is being spent well.This is an opportunity to explore what works best, andits an opportunity to make decisions based on researchand evidence. Underpinning the review of specialeducation are the following principles:* Reachingpotential. * Fair and consistent access to resources andservices. * Value for money. * The right to highquality education and professional services. * Choice andparental involvement, and shared responsibility for workingfor the best outcomes. Concluding remarks As we thinkabout the future, let us think about how we can worktogether to produce an inclusive education system whichunleashes success for disabled students, for Mori, andindeed success for all.Giving every child a sense [ Rosetta Stone Software ] ofbelonging, value and worth enhances their overall quality oflife.I would like to congratulate you all on theextremely valuable work you do in supporting students andteachers. And in promoting inclusive education, and makingit happen. The values and beliefs around inclusion mustbecome actions. When we see and hear stories about inclusiveeducation in every classroom and early childhood centrethroughout New Zealand , we will be inspired. We will bemaking the changes that we need to make.Thank you againfor inviting me to speak with you today. And I wish you wellfor the rest of yourconference.