Inclusion By Katie Koeslin

“Inclusion is consistent with multicultural educations, and [with] a world in which many more people have opportunities to know, play, and work with one another.” Mara Sapon-Shevin

The concept of inclusion takes the principle of least restrictive environment one step further. It states that the general education classroom is an appropriate learning environment for all (or most) children, and that special education services can often be delivered more efficiently and effectively in that environment.

Today more than 95% of students with physical, emotional, learning, cognitive, visual, and hearing disabilities receive some or all of their education in the general education classroom.

Levels of Inclusion….

Mainstreaming The selective placement of special education students in one or more “regular” education classes where the student must earn the opportunity to be placed there Example: Joining a general education classroom for art, music or physical education

Inclusion Bringing the support services to the child in the general education classroom rather than the child to the services in a separate room Example: Small groups for reading and math, with students disabled and non-disabled

Full Inclusion All children, regardless of their handicapping condition or the severity of their disability will be in a regular education classroom full time. Example: A child with autism being in a general education classroom all day (with support from a paraprofessional)

“Children with special needs are our gift “Children with special needs are our gift. They make us think outside the box and when we do, we realize these same strategies work with many other children in the classroom.” -Dayle Timmons

Benefits of Inclusion for…

The child with Special Needs Gives them a sense of belonging and does not single them out Provides a diverse environment that is stimulating and allows them to grow and learn Enables them to develop friendships with their non-disabled peers

Boosts their self-respect and self-esteem Provides positive peer-models so typically behavior problems will lessen Provides opportunities to be educated with same-age peers and to be exposed to the age-appropriate general curriculum

The General Education Student Provides opportunities to experience diverse students in a small classroom setting Develops an appreciation that everyone has unique characteristics and different abilities

Increases sensitivity towards other’s limitations Promotes respect for others different from themselves Develops feelings of empowerment and the ability to make a difference Increases abilities to help and teach all classmates Develops empathetic skills

Creates opportunities to put themselves in another child’s shoes Allows those who do not qualify for special education to the receive extra assistance without the label

The Teachers Helps teachers to recognize that all students have strengths Creates an awareness of the importance of direct individualized instruction Increases ways of creatively addressing challenges

Teaches collaborative problem solving skills Develops teamwork skills Special education teachers feel more a part of the school faculty

Society Promotes the civil rights of all individuals Supports the social value of equality Teaches socialization and collaborative skills Builds supportiveness and interdependence Provides children with a miniature model of the democratic process

When Inclusion Will Not Work: Settling for the child’s physical presence in the classroom instead of actual acceptance Insisting on inclusion at all cost (monetary or emotional) Giving priority to the inclusive education model over the individual needs of all the children

Providing the staff with little or no training Not including the paraprofessional in meetings concerning the child Not teaching the child’s peers about the nature of different disabilities and how to interact with those who have a disability

The Drawbacks of Inclusion It costs more than having separate special education classes because the students require extra support The general education classroom size has to be reduced in order to accommodate the needs of the child with the disability such as their physical and/or instructional needs The cost of the materials, adaptive equipment, technology, and the training for the staff is expensive

To Make Inclusion Work General education teachers need the proper training in how to teach children with special needs The child’s IEP goals must be able to be met within the classroom setting All children regardless of their differences or abilities have to be valued as a human being and have a sense of belonging

The general education students must be taught about others who have disabilities and how to interact with them Must have regular meetings, including everyone who works with the child Communication between the general education teacher and the special education teacher

Inclusion Can Be Done The general education teacher and the special education teacher can work together to provide an environment that benefits all students with learning strategies and opportunities to work and play with others that have different strengths and weaknesses from themselves

“All kids are gifted; some just open their packages earlier than others.” -Michael Carr

The Final Word

Full inclusion benefits the whole class when the special education student only has a mild disability because the student has good role models and the students who are not labeled EC get the benefits of the extra assistance When the student is severely disabled mainstreaming is the best for everyone because all the students have time to interact with their peers, but everyone is receiving the appropriate education