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Title of Article TOWARDS A MORE INCLUSIVE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM
IN THE UK (1998/99 TO 2007/08): STUDENTS WITH AND
WITHOUT DISABILITIES
Name of the Journal Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education
Issue 2
Volume 2
Page Number 64 - 76
Year Published 2010
Submitted to Dr.Johan Eddy Luaran
Submitted by Nor ZakiahBt Ismail
1. Overview
This journal discussed on the implementation of Government Higher Education policy in
promoting the higher education system in the UK to be more inclusiveand to ensurethose
who have been under-represented in higher education including young people from semi-
skilled or unskilled family backgrounds and from disadvantaged localities, and people
with disabilities to have opportunities to study in higher education institutions (HEIs) and
have better employment in the future (Pumfrey, 2010 & Department for Education and
Employment, 1998). It is understood that over the year, there are increased in number;
the students with disabilities and without disabilities in the HEIs. This journal highlighted
on the correlation between HE policy and its implications in practice in relation to group
of with and without disabilities.
Based on the information stated in this journal, it focuses on changes over the ten
years period between 1998/9 and 2007/8 in the numbers included and the relative
academic standards of male and female students with and without disabilities who
successfully complete a first degree in UK higher education institutions HEIs.According
to Government Equalities Office (2010),the disability group being isolated due to the

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modifiable and environmental obstacles instead of from disability and it is important to
have equality of opportunity for this disability group. However, it is difficult to achieve
the equality of opportunity because of vast differences between resources and in order to
fulfill their different potentials, third party need to be involved.
Part of this journal also includes the disability and course competence standards.
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), 1995 states that people are categorized as
disabled whenever they have mental or physical deterioration and that deterioration
affects their daily normal life whichremain for long period of time. Skill (2009), said that
as stated in the Disability Discrimination Act, competence standard means an academic,
medical or other standard applied by or on behalf of the educational provider for the
purposes of determining the certain capability level of a person. It has become HEIs
responsibility to ensure that students with disabilities succeed to achieve the threshold of
the courses provided. The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) was established by the
Disability Rights Commission Act 1999 with the purpose to protect these disability
groups from being isolated and ensure they get their privilege in education. There are two
keys UK Government HE objectives set by the government in 1998 and aims to be
reached by 2010 as stated in the present paper which is to present analyses of descriptive
population data: 1)Increasing the Higher Education Initial Participation Rate (HEIPR) of
students with and without disabilities (50% of18-30 year-olds experience HE by 2010;
and 2) Maintaining HE academic standards of students with and without disabilities.
There is another context of inclusive higher education being explained in this
journal; the national context.Skill (2009), addressed on the changes in employmentin
whichdepend on the academic status of the individuals whether or not they have the
degree level qualification. As stated in the Labour Force Survey (Office for National
Statistics, 2005) over one-third was categorized as disabled. Since discrimination on the
disability groups matters to the government HE, all the parties who are involved in the
HEIs must hold the responsibility or specific duties towards these disability groups.
Referring to Discrimination Right Commission (2007), it had provided guidance on the
legally defined professional responsibilities of HEIs providers in Great Britain and was
later taken over by a new helpline supported by the Commission for Equality and Human

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Rights (CEHR), the Learning Skills Network, and also from Skill, the National Bureau
for Students with Disabilities. According to Skill (2007), the HEIs providers have to
provide the information and they must ensure the information provided fully facilitate the
individuals with disability to have opportunity to study in HEIs. Providing the
information about the disability equality schemes and the contact details of the disability
coordinators are the examples of useful information for the students to refer to.
2. Description of Methodology
This present study focuses on few aspects of inclusive higher education. Throughout the
research objectives, this study is looking into what are the changes over time in the
numbers, percentages and relative academic standards of non-disabled and disabled male
and female students successfully completing a first degree in the UK?; what are the
implications of the findings in light of the previous government’s policy of making HE
more inclusive?; What are professional challenges and how to indicate promising
practices likely to make HE more inclusive?; and what are promising avenues for further
research into the costs and benefits of a more inclusive HE system.
The approach of this study is qualitative. Based on the data collected, this study
applied the research design of content analysis based on the existingcohorts’ data. The
chosen method was to present descriptive statistical data based on the populations.This
study focuses on cohorts of successful male and female first degree students in UK HEIs
with and without disabilities. Changesbetween 1998/9 and 2007/8 in the relative numbers
and academicachievements of the groups involved are examined anddiscussed. This is a
continuation of ongoing research based on data from 1998/99 to 2004/05 involving 1,502,
658 studentswho had successfully completed their first degrees(Pumfrey, 2008). By
2007/8, the cumulative database of tencohorts of students successfully completed first
degrees hasrisen to 2,588,792.
There are four variables used in this study; cohort, gender, disability and degree
classification. These variables are represented by categorical data. As stated in the table
there are two cohorts; cohort 1(1998/99) and cohort 10 (2007/08), plus sum of cohort 1 to

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10the UK first degree classifications are: First class honours; Upper second class
honours; Lower second class honours;Third class/Pass; and Unclassified which refers to
degree notsubject to a classification such as medical and general degree.In terms of
disabilities, the following classifications are used:dyslexia; blind/partially sighted;
deaf/hearing impaired; wheelchairuser/mobility difficulties; personal care support;
mentalhealth difficulties; an unseen disability, e.g. diabetes, epilepsy,asthma; multiple
disabilities; and finally any other disabilitynot listed.
3. Evaluation
Based on my reading, the author does not address clearlythe significance of the
research questions. The reader has to review on the research objectives to look for the
main issue discussed in this study. The methods of data collection and analysis
areappropriate for the research questions as they make the study to have clear information
to fulfill the objectives of the study. The data of changes occur in number and percentage
of males and females students with and without abilitieswho successfully complete a first
degree in the UK HEsover the ten years period help this study to relate with
theGovernment HE policiesimplementation to see how far the policies gives impact on
the total number of students who successfully complete the first degree in UK HEs.The
study’s conclusionis not clearly stated in this study.
Less data presented to explain more on the another two research questions (based
on research objectives); What are professional challenges and how to indicate promising
practices likely to make HE more inclusive?; and what are promising avenues for further
research into the costs and benefits of a more inclusive HE system. This study will be
stronger in validity if the author includes the types of assessment conducted for all the
categories of the disability and the result will be precise.Throughout the assessments, we
know the weaknesses of both group male and female with or without disability and come
out with the appropriate methods of teaching by the HEIs provider in helpingthe students
to successfully complete the first degree in UK HEIs.

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4. Discussion of Implication
Based on this study, inclusive education is a wise idea to be applied in the
education. In order to ensure everyone get equal opportunity in education, inclusive
education must be practiced in all the levels of education (primary, secondary and tertiary
level). The discrimination towards the disability group must be avoided in order to bring
more inclusive higher education system.Every student matters (Pumfrey,2010).
Booth (2003) said that inclusive classroom is the situation where a person is being
accepted for who he is by the people surrounding him or her. Educators must provide the
equal facility to all the students based on their needs. Thus, the government must come
out with the policies which will force the Education provider to move towards the
inclusive education.
As being stated by UNESCO (1994), the policy on the budget priority must
bestrongly addressed as to improve education services so that children with poverty and
disability will have chances to study in school or Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
The implication that we want to see is more than the amount of fund spent for the
inclusive education (Pumfrey, 2010). In Malaysia itself, we are also intend to move the
education into inclusive. As being stated in Higher Education Action Plan(2007),
education for all. It reflects to this study which is to ensure all males and females with or
without disabilities will have the opportunity to have education. Research on the
inclusive education will be a source for the educators to see the different context and
concept of inclusive education and indirectly it will help the Government (Ministry of
Education) as well as educators to come out with a lot more policy to make education as
part of people’s life.