2. DEFINITION
Inclusion is defined as “a term which expresses
commitment to educate each child, to the maximum extent
appropriate, in the school and classroom he or she would
otherwise attend.”
- The Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC)
3.
4. CONS TO INCLUSION
• Distracting to other students
• Fewer teachers
• Teachers lack training and resources
Hi there! My name is Allex Semersky and today I am going to discuss the benefits of inclusion with special education students in a general education classroom, as well as the benefit it can hold for individuals both with and without disabilities
Inclusion is defined by The Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) as “a term which expresses commitment to educate each child, to the maximum extent appropriate, in the school and classroom he or she would otherwise attend.”
This has been a highly controversial topic, some argue that inclusion may cause disruptions and be distracting to students without disabilities. Additionally, it is stated that students with disabilities may not truly get the help they need in a general education classroom.
there are fewer teachers, and less one on one support when compared to a self contained classroom. Also, for individuals with disabilities it may be hard to adjust to the generalized setting, they may feel singled out or fearful to share their beliefs and ideas with peers.
It can also be hard for students with more severe physical disabilities, as they have different accessibility needs. Often times these teachers that work in a general education classroom lack the necessary resources and training to educate a child with a disability, thus having negative results on both the special and the general education students.
Though these are all fair points the field of special education has progressed, we now utilize RtI, also known as response to intervention. This is a three tiered system to aid in the early identification and support of individuals with learning and behavioral needs.
This first places as many students as possible in a general education classroom, Tier one, and allows them the opportunity to thrive. If this proves to not work efficiently with their needs, they may be moved to tier 2 or 3. About 80 percent of students will make up this first tier.
I believe that we should at least provide every individual the opportunity to attempt education in a general education setting, and if this does not work, we should effectively communicate with both the teachers and the parents of the individual to create a plan that works best for the student and his or her individual needs.
Often times, the students that will be placed in an inclusive class are students that are part of the second tier of the Response to intervention plan. These students may spend part of their day in a self-contained classroom, and part of it in an inclusive general education classroom.
Inclusion increases the expectations of there students and models what is expected of each and every individual. This allows these students to perform in the Least Restrictive Environment possible, while learning both conceptual as well as social skills.
Inclusion also has long-term benefits for individuals with disabilities. It has been noted to result in higher achievement of IEP goals, increased creativity, enhanced skill acquisition, increased inclusion in future environments, and many more.
One of the biggest benefits of inclusion is it allows individuals the feeling of belonging. This allows students to set higher goals for themselves and serves as a motivator. By successfully working in a general education setting, students show that they are taking the right steps to work well with others both in and out of the school environment.
Many schools have work study programs for individuals with disabilities, students will go to a local business for a few hours out of the day and work as an employee. This allows students to experience real world problem solving and learn life skills, such as counting money and successfully interacting with others.
For example, one of my good friends from high school, Katie, had downs syndrome, and for two hours each day she would go and bag groceries at the local jewel. This taught her how to learn responsibility and interact with other customers and employees appropriately.
Inclusion also promotes increased parent and school participation; they must work hand in hand with each other to best target the needs of each student. As the student gets older they also have a growing say in his or her own education. However, inclusion does not only benefit individuals with disabilities.
For students without disabilities, inclusion helps individuals better understand the varying needs of their peers while maybe forming some unexpected friendships along the way. Inclusion promotes diversity and aids in decreasing in the stigma associated with the word “disability”
Often times when people think about the term disability they are scared or pity the individual. It is almost taboo to talk about, especially when it comes to the disabilities that are not shown on one’s outward appearance. Inclusion allows society to see that these are simply differences in individuals of which we should all appreciate.
When I first started high school I had never once met or talked to an individual with a disability, I had attended private grade school where we did not have services that could accommodate for that. My freshman year, I had various classes with individuals with disabilities, and worked in the adaptive pe class.
This experience allowed me to work hands on with students in the special education program and taught me more about the world I had turned a blind eye to for so many years. I formed incredible friendships and really got to hear and understand these student’s opinions on special education as well as inclusion in today’s society.
We live in a world that is constantly changing, thus we must adapt ourselves to fit the ever changing needs of students. Despite the controversy with inclusion, I believe that it is something that we as a society should utilize as often as possible, because of its benefits on all members of todays generation.
