The document discusses the rationale for inclusion of students with special needs in general education classrooms. It identifies three main benefits: students with disabilities learn social skills from non-disabled peers, non-disabled students learn tolerance, and students with disabilities demonstrate higher academic performance. It also discusses inclusion in Jamaican schools based on the upcoming National Disability Policy, and the need to prepare pre-service teachers for inclusion through courses and field experience to increase their self-efficacy and knowledge around special needs. Finally, it provides guidance around using person-first language and appropriate terminology when referring to disabilities.

1. Rationale
Teaching Students with Special Needs
in General Education Classrooms

2. Why Inclusion?
McCarthy (2006), as well as Bateman & Bateman
(2002), identify three main benefits of inclusion:
1. Students with disabilities learn social skills from
non-disabled peers
2. Non-disabled students learn tolerance to persons
with disabilities
3. Students with disabilities demonstrate higher levels
of academic performance in inclusive settings

3. Inclusion in Jamaican Schools
 There are students in our schools with diagnosed
disabilities
 Due to limitations in access to assessment there are
many children with undiagnosed special needs in our
schools.
 The National Disability Policy ( to be passed in
parliament this year) stipulates that no child shall be
denied access to any public education institution on
the basis of a disability.

4. Preparing for Inclusion
 Studies by McCray & McHatton (2007& 2011) and
Sherma et al. (2013) indicate that pre-service
teachers generally showed low-levels of self-efficacy
toward inclusion.
 Research strongly indicate that teacher preparation
courses in special needs help to increase self-
efficacy in this area. (Jung, 2007; Cooper et al.
,2008)

5.  Courses with field experience had a greater impact
on the attitude of pre-service teachers towards
inclusion. (Jung, 2007)
 Pre-service teachers exposed to longer courses had
greater perceived levels of self-efficacy towards
inclusive teaching (Ahsan et al., 2012).

6. What about the faculty?
 In a study of over 200 faculty in a teacher
education programme, over 37% rated their
knowledge of preparing pre-service teachers for
inclusion as somewhat or extremely poor (Cooper
et al. 2008).

7. Let us prepare

8. Person First Language
 Person first language respectfully puts the person
before the disability.
Eg. Say “a person with a disability” instead of “a
disabled person”
Say: “The student who is autistic” instead of “the
autistic student”

9. Terminology…Case 1
 Nella’s mother contracted rubella during
pregnancy. Nella was born at 32 weeks after a
difficult labour and weighed 4 ½ lbs. Nella may be
considered _____________.

10. “AT-RISK”

11. Case 2
 Jamie lost a limb in a motor vehicle accident. He
has been fitted with a prosthetic limb and carries
out all his activities without any challenges. He
however has difficulty running. Jamie has a
_____________.

12. “disability”

13. Case 3
 Sheena has been diagnosed with epilepsy. She is
however very active and is not affected in
performing her everyday tasks. She has a seizure
about once per year. Sheena has
________________

14. “An impairment”

15. Case 4
 When Sara attended the conference there was no
sign language interpreter therefore she could not
participate. Her friend Joe had to stay outside
since there was no ramp to accommodate his
wheelchair. Joe and Sara were
_________________.

16. “Handicapped”

17. How do refer to a person who does
not have a disability?
 A normal person
 A regular person
 A healthy person
 A person without a disability

18. “A person without
a disability”

19. ***GOOD JOB!!!