Each person is willing to be an independent person. Person who has freedom to know, to feel, to do and to live together would make a nation independent.

The main characteristic of the independent nation is people freely develop their individual life and deeply involved their social life. Hence each person is a country leader who has roles and responsibilities to lead his or her country having freedom for all people in terms of independent living in their societies.

A nation, independent living is signed by celebrating an independent day. Indonesia, every 17 of August all people whoever and wherever with diverse backgrounds, cultures, ethnics, languages, religions, characteristics including poor-rich, children-adults, female-male and abilities-disabilities celebrate the Indonesia Independent Day. By this history, Indonesia as a state, this year has celebrated the freedom for 64 years. It means that year by year Indonesia society should have freedom becoming more independence to run their individual and social life as freedom is the rights for each person in a state.

In that regards concerning people with disabilities’ life, the question is what the meaning of Indonesia independent day for them is. People with disabilities are part of Indonesia society. They do not segregatively exist and live but they inclusively exist and live in their societies. They are a community with disabilities but People with disabilities are not an exclusive society.

As a person and as a human who has the rights,  in particular as part of the society and the nation so that each person with disabilities is also willing to be an independent person having freedom to run his or her individual and social life.

However, the weak of information and understanding about what is disability, who are people with disabilities and how interact with them make most people most focus on their disability rather than focus on their human as a person. Therefore, labeling, stigmatization, over-protective, ignorant attitudes make    people with disabilities get additional restrictions and becoming more vulnerable people.

For instance, children with disabilities still find it difficult to access education. Most parents doubt to bring their children with disabilities going to school. In one hand, this is a reality that children with disabilities do not have enough freedom to decide their education. In another hand, basically that the education system in Indonesia applies inclusive system based human rights as clearly stated in article 31 Undang-Undang Dasar 1945 and the education policies and regulations concerning on 9 years basic education and education for all. Moreover the most important, Indonesia is one of signatory of Millennium Development Gold for free basic education and Convention on Rights of Person with Disabilities March 2007. It might be concluded that inclusive education system in Indonesia has applied since 1945 when Indonesia had the freedom and celebrated the independent day 17th August 1945.

64 years were gone, and it seems people with disabilities are still left behind. Adults with disabilities fight very challenging to look for jobs. Women with disabilities face multi disabilities as a woman and as person with disabilities. Teenagers and young people with disabilities   do not have any spaces to show their talents and express their hobbies. I would say that in the restrictive condition people with disabilities and their organizations have more fighting spirit and never stop to fight their rights and always show their obligation as part of the society.

As the result, recent years, the government and organizations show their effort to concern on disability issues. The bright movement that the government encourage all stakeholders to give equal opportunities for people with disabilities having education, job and other activities such as recreation, hobbies, arts, sports, etc. It is a great effort, the society get more information and understanding to people with disabilities. However, the equal opportunity is not enough, does not make people with disabilities have freedom and able to have their rights and run their obligation in their society who have openly taken action and participated in disability issues. It can be showed that the opportunity constantly restrict the freedom of children with disabilities. For example, a school accepts a boy with hearing disability, but his class teacher and friends always speak fast and do not know should speak face to face. Another example, a young woman with physical disability is hired as an office staff but she does not have access to transportation reaching the office.

That is to say, each person with disabilities is able freely to be an independent; the stakeholders do not only give the equal opportunity but also should follow by providing accessibilities to meet the need of people with disabilities.

64 years Indonesia has had its independent life. It could not declare if there is still part of Indonesia people who are disabled have not had their independent life. Consequently, I would bring to a close that Independence and disability is not people with disabilities difficulty but  those are the society and the nation problems.

Where do children get their educational right? Referring that each child has right to education and each child has access to have education. So starting in golden year age, each child must have a good education.

Mostly parents think that a good education is in schools. Therefore, parents send their child going to a school that is a place where each child has their educational right. As their right, children with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, ethnics, cultures, gender and conditions, should be without problem to be enrolled in the school; should be without difficulty to reach their class; should be without barrier to take part in learning activities.

That it to say that based on educational right, education must provide a space which can makes a child feel freely and friendly in learning. With this regard, education must remove educational barriers so that each child with diversity can meet their need in learning.

In reality, there is still many children face difficulty to have their educational right. Children with special cases, such as sickness, disabilities, poorness, and ethnic minorities, in conflict and nature disaster areas still have limited access going to school. Education is fully human right perspective but in a real situation, it is not friendly for children with special cases. In term of this issue, I would say that education in actual fact has not affirmed to all children who have right to education, though recently The Government has applied an inclusive education approach since year 2003 throughout Indonesia.

What’s the key point of inclusive education and why The Government has published regulations and policies concerning on inclusive education which should be implemented in schools. Despite the facts that, some educational stakeholders have the same views and give full supports in applying inclusive education regulations and policies. However, a number of educational bodies and communities do mind, and assume that inclusive education is still far a way from educational system in Indonesia having many barriers to implement it. Nevertheless, the key point of inclusive education is an approach that looks into how to transform education systems in order to remove the barriers that prevent pupils from participating fully in education (www.unesco.org). Based on UNESCO definition, The Government believes that the inclusive education is a good vehicle in order to achieve completely basic education and to reach education for all (EFA).

There is a successfully story of applying the inclusive education in Indonesia. For around three academic years, The Government has implemented the way of inclusive education by removing cost barrier to school. With this way, poorness children

Do not have any barrier to go to school having their education right. Think simply that the inclusive education has been around us. Another truthfully story that since Ibu Kartini with her fight and effort, girls have had the same right to go to school. Through the spirit historical of Ibu Kartini, Girl children have a great opportunity using their education right.

A school has been inclusive setting. “Bhineka Tunggal Ika” is known by Indonesia People Are aware and can be proofed that in the class a teacher manages class with diverse students as each student is unique. Hence, teachers have roles and responsibilities to identify the learning style and to accommodate the need of each student.   

It is not appropriately if the inclusive education is only understood as an education approach for specifically students with disabilities or special needs. The inclusive education is an education approach for all students. The important point that all student who are children with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, ethnic minorities, cultures, genders, condition, in conflict and nature disaster areas. In this sense, the inclusive education affirms to all students so student with disabilities or special needs as part of diversity get benefits from this approach. Students with disabilities or with special needs can go nearest from home to school; they can make friends, playing and learning together. Students without disabilities or without special needs can be motivated and learn appreciating their disabled or special needs friends.

As a result, the perspective of education has been inclusive but the system of education is going to learn becoming inclusive. While, the hard works are still in the process providing facilities and equipments, building support systems and services, the soft works we can start using 3 S “1. Starting now, “) starting our self, 3) starting simple” in creating inclusive learning strategy based on student centre. The view that the inclusive education is around us, is near us so that we should take it not leave it. By applying the inclusive education, we strengthen the application of “Bhineka Tunggal Ika”. By implementing inclusive education, we ensure that children with diversity have right to education.

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