http://www.newsforparents.org/experts_inclusion_pros_cons.html Con argument "The place where a child is educated does not make instruction effective. Rather, it is the content and method of instruction that are most likely to result in improvement in the child's language, social skills, and other behaviors." "Public schools are sometimes unable to provide the specialized education required for children... It is unrealistic to expect that regular education teachers will always have the specific training required for this population, be aware of the latest research, or be able to readily adapt the school's curriculum. In addition, children with special needs are sometimes assigned one-to-one aides who have little training or experience..." "Even with consultation from specialists, a regular school setting cannot always provide the intensive, focused, constant instruction these children require throughout the entire school day. Although schools may have a mandate to include all children, it is not uncommon that some eventually re-create special classrooms because the children did not receive the appropriate education or their behavior problems could not be addressed within the regular classroom." Topic: The Least Restrictive Environment for a Deaf Child is the Regular Classroom In the United States, legislation drives Special Education services. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the primary federal law that authorizes educational services for students with qualifying disabilities.  IDEA was reauthorized in 2004 as Public Law 108-446 under the 108th Congress.  IDEA outlines student placement issues through Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) requirements.  LRE means that, given supplementary aids and services, students are to be educated with their nondisabled peers in their neighborhood schools, to the maximum extent appropriate.  The language "maximum extent appropriate" leaves school placement decisions to be interpreted for each student. Pro Argument: LRE Inclusive Setting for Deaf Students Education in a public school is the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) for deaf students. There are several types of mainstream opportunities on a public school campus. Full inclusion allows the deaf child to be among all his peers for the entire school day. He would take classes alongside hearing peers in a regular education classroom. Inclusion with pullout services provides the deaf child with instruction in a mainstream classroom with additional services, such as speech and language. A Special Day Class (SDC) groups the deaf students in one classroom for instructional minutes. The deaf students still have access to all of the activities offered on campus with their hearing peers. “Whether due to their characteristics at program entrance or their academic progress, deaf children in full mainstreaming or inclusion settings tend to take more advanced courses than students in residential or special school settings.” (Marschark, L.

1. http://www.newsforparents.org/experts_inclusion_pros_cons.ht
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Con argument
"The place where a child is educated does not make instruction
effective. Rather, it is the content and method of instruction that
are most likely to result in improvement in the child's language,
social skills, and other behaviors."
"Public schools are sometimes unable to provide the specialized
education required for children... It is unrealistic to expect that
regular education teachers will always have the specific training
required for this population, be aware of the latest research, or
be able to readily adapt the school's curriculum. In addition,
children with special needs are sometimes assigned one-to-one
aides who have little training or experience..."
"Even with consultation from specialists, a regular school
setting cannot always provide the intensive, focused, constant
instruction these children require throughout the entire school
day. Although schools may have a mandate to include all
children, it is not uncommon that some eventually re-create
special classrooms because the children did not receive the
appropriate education or their behavior problems could not be
addressed within the regular classroom."
Topic: The Least Restrictive Environment for a Deaf Child is
the Regular Classroom
In the United States, legislation drives Special Education
services. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is
the primary federal law that authorizes educational services for
students with qualifying disabilities. IDEA was reauthorized in
2004 as Public Law 108-446 under the 108th Congress. IDEA
outlines student placement issues through Least Restrictive

2. Environment (LRE) requirements. LRE means that, given
supplementary aids and services, students are to be educated
with their nondisabled peers in their neighborhood schools, to
the maximum extent appropriate. The language "maximum
extent appropriate" leaves school placement decisions to be
interpreted for each student.
Pro Argument: LRE Inclusive Setting for Deaf Students
Education in a public school is the Least Restrictive
Environment (LRE) for deaf students. There are several types of
mainstream opportunities on a public school campus. Full
inclusion allows the deaf child to be among all his peers for the
entire school day. He would take classes alongside hearing
peers in a regular education
classroom. Inclusion with pullout services provides the deaf
child with instruction in a mainstream classroom with additional
services, such as speech and language. A Special Day Class
(SDC) groups the deaf students in one classroom for
instructional minutes. The deaf students still have access to all
of the activities offered on campus with their hearing peers.
“Whether due to their characteristics at program entrance or
their academic progress, deaf children in full mainstreaming or
inclusion settings tend to take more advanced courses than
students in residential or special school settings.” (Marschark,
Lang, Albertini page 147) The primary purpose of a school is to
educate the child.
One could also argue that full inclusion is the setting most
reflective of the larger world the deaf student will encounter.
The deaf child will have greater interactions with hearing
people through their peers and teachers.
Full inclusion with pullout services allows the deaf student to
be included in mainstream academic classes while providing
adjunct services. The deaf child will still have access to the
general education instruction. At the same time any additional
needs, such as speech and language, will be met. The deaf child
will continue to have significant interactions with hearing peers

3. and teachers.
The SDC classroom provides the most support to the deaf
student while remaining on a public school campus. The student
would take the majority, if not all, academic classes in a
separate classroom for deaf students. The deaf student that
needs the most support in communication would get intensive
services while still having access to the larger hearing
population. The student would get the services needed while
provided the opportunities to interact with hearing peers on a
regular basis.
There are various programs and models available to deaf
students on a public school campus. The choice of which is best
depends on the particular needs of the deaf child. They all
provide daily access to the larger hearing community through
hearing peers and teachers. The public school campus is the
LRE for deaf students.
Con Argument
The practice of putting deaf students into a regular
classroom is in compliance with IDEA and the LRE. Deaf
students are entitled to the same education as their hearing
peers. Inclusion or being placed in a regular classroom with
hearing peers is considered the least restrictive environment for
deaf students. While inclusion is wonderful and has been proven
to be beneficial to both deaf and hearing students; it does have
its share of problems.
One of the problems with placing deaf students in regular
mainstream classes is that deaf students don’t fully integrate
with their hearing peers and school at large. Studies have shown
that deaf students “in mainstream settings report problems of
self-identity, emotional security, and establishing friendships
(Kluwin & Stinson, 1993; Stinson & Lang, 1994; cf.
Furstenburg & Doyal, 1994. 138). Deaf students also have
difficulties and frustrations with interacting with their hearing
peers and may over time not want to attempt to communicate
with hearing peers, thus fostering dependence on teachers,

4. translators or aids, and fellow deaf peers.
Other problems with mainstreaming are that deaf students
have to be pulled out of their regular classes for various
reasons. This can cause further stigmatization and isolation.
Also being frequently pulled out of classrooms for speech
therapy or other needs reduces the time spent in the general
classroom, which makes it even more difficult for deaf students
to fully integrate academically and socially.
Besides isolation from their hearing peers, deaf students in
mainstream classes don’t get the quality education that they
deserve. Unfortunately most public schools can’t provide deaf
students with a quality education due to lack of funds and the
lack of properly trained staff.
Ultimately inclusion or mainstreaming works but it is not
for all deaf students. Ultimately it is up to parents to decide
which educational program best suits their deaf child’s needs.