You are here:

Synopsis

A law change in the 1980s gave mentally-handicapped children the right to be educated at New Zealand state schools. This 1991 doco examines the pros and cons of mainstreaming special needs children, by looking at the schooling of severely brain-damaged child Jessica Palmer. Teachers both for and against mainstreaming are interviewed, alongside Jessica's parents. Palmer's teacher Sue Dunleavy admits there have been noise issues at times, but thanks to Jessica's presence her classmates have "learnt acceptance and caring and understanding, and it's taken the fear away."

Credits (7)

 Tom Finlayson
 Neil Newcombe
 Lorelei Mason

Post a comment

   
I am:
 

Please keep your comments relevant to this title. Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Comments

No one has commented yet. Go on, be the first!

Produced by

 Images Ink

Source

Favourite:

You need to be logged in to add to your favourites.

Related Titles (5)

 Miles and Shelly Go Flatting

Television, 1993 (Full Length)

Life for two disabled people

 Being Eve - Being a Couple

Television, 2001 (Excerpts)

Another angle on school-life

 Open Door - Back Up

Television, 2006 (Full Length)

People with special needs on adventure courses

 Attitude

Television, 2005

Show for and about differently-abled people

 The Party's Over

Television, 1992 (Full Length)

Also helmed by Tom Finlayson