Inclusion:Is It Wrong?

When teaching a class with a child who requires special needs the teacher needs to take the situation delicately. All students need to be treated the same way (obviously), but how do we accommodate all types of learners? The answers to these questions are simple: treat each child as an individual. That is to say that when foundations do research on students with disabilities and conclude that for the majority of the students do well when "mainstreamed" there is still ten percent that is not doing well. Each child's case should be taken into account.

Research that has been conducted shows that the main idea about inclusions is that it is a working idea. The thoughts around inclusion are that it works for all students no matter what the disability or special need that the child has.

"The largest study of educational outcomes of 11,000 students with disabilities, the National Longitudinal Transition Study, showed that when students with disabilities spent more time in a general education classroom they were more likely to score higher on standardized tests of reading and math; have fewer absences from school; experience fewer referrals for disruptive behavior; and achieve more positive postschool outcomes such as a paying job, not living in segregated housing, and with having a broad and supportive social network. These results were true regardless of students’ disability, severity of disability, gender or socioeconomic status".

This statement although seems to show the positive effects of inclusion, the reality of it is is that not ALL students will benefit. It should be a common practice for the students and parents and teachers to decide what classes the student will benefit from the most.

A parent blogged about this question and they stated, "For years my son needed to be in a self-contained class. He suffered from debilitating anxiety. The smaller quieter class setting gave him a safe place to learn at his own pace. When he was forced into inclusion in middle school, he suffered terribly. I cringe every time an expert says everyone benefits from inclusion. Oh really? You haven't met my son. And the idea that special needs students aren't ostracized in an inclusion classroom is bunk. The minute the other kids realize yours is different, the feeding frenzy begins."

Here is where the truth really comes out. Not all students are going to be okay with the inclusion classroom. Sometimes the separate special needs classes and the general education classes are good.

http://www.rogers2.smmusd.org/teachers/witt/WRLC_STEM_Lab/Articles_Website_for_teachers_files/Why%20Inclusion%20Works%20For%20All.pdf
http://www.schoolbook.org/posts/760-is-inclusion-the-best-approach-for-special-education-students