Inclusion

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Inclusion
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Arguments against inclusion

• Teachers already deal with class sizes that are
  too large, how can they be expected to also meet
  the intense needs of students with disabilities?
• Regular education teachers are not trained to
  teach students with disabilities.
• Regular education doesnt have the resources
  necessary to meet the needs of students with
  disabilities.
• Students with disabilities may disrupt the
  classroom so much that the other students cant
  learn effectively.
• Students with disabilities may be dangerous to
  students without disabilities.
• Regular education students should not be expected
  to teacher students with disabilities.

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Possible pros to inclusive education

• When inclusion occurs from an early age, students
  (both with and without disabilities) dont seem
  to think much about the differences that they
  each possess.
• Students learn to accept and to help one another
  (e.g., cooperative learning).
• Students with disabilities learn normal ways to
  behave and interact with their same age peers.
• Students with disabilities may achieve more
  academically, socially, and behaviorally than
  teachers ever thought possible.
• 2, 3, and 4 may apply to students without
  disabilities as well.
• Teachers learn to teach diverse groups of
  students, broadening their teaching strategies
  (i.e., teachers learn to adapt their teaching to
  the students rather than insisting that students
  adapt to their teaching or leave that setting).

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Effective implementation of incusion

• The philosophy of inclusion must be explored and
  discussed by all school staff prior to its
  adoption.
• All school staff must take an active part in the
  process of converting to inclusion.
• Inclusion takes time. Teachers must understand
  and accept that the initial days (years) of
  inclusion will be bumpy and will take some
  problem-solving.
• School districts who force inclusion on the
  schools and the teachers will have more
  difficulty than if the transition to inclusion is
  gradual and inclusive (no pun intended) of all
  staff.
• Inclusion becomes more popular over time as
  teachers and students begin to see the benefits.
  The time period for a smooth transition from
  non-inclusion to inclusion seems to be 2 3
  years.

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Bad inclusion

• Inclusion is very difficult to implement
  effectively.
• Dont be romanced by the outward or surface
  appearances.
• It can look great while students with
  disabilities are not learning new skills.
• If it looks too pretty students may not be
  learning a lot.
• An educational assistant, teachers, or
  facilitator can often be an intrusion or a
  barrier to natural interactions between students.

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• You shouldnt have to earn your way into society.
  You can earn your way out (murder, rape, other
  crimes, etc.) Lou Brown
• Myth of segregation There is something special
  about special education.

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Segregation/exclusion involves

• Lack of speech and other communication models.
• Lack of social models
• Lack of natural supports
• Lack of peer interaction (natural, repeated
  opportunities for learning)

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Models of inclusion

• Consulting teacher model (can be difficult to
  implement)
• Co-teaching/team teaching
• Special ed teacher teams with regular classroom
  teacher they train each other.
• More often successful
• Downfall can be too many kids with disabilities
  in one class.

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Challenges

• How can we expand and deepen the persons
  friendships?
• How can we increase the persons presence in
  local/school life?
• How can we help the person have more control and
  choices in his or her life?
• How can we enhance the reputation the person has
  and increase the number of valued ways he can
  contribute to community/school life?
• How can we assist the person in developing
  competencies?
• During the past 30 years, people with
  disabilities have been treated more humanely and
  with more acceptance.
• Major barrier ignorance, indifference,
  discomfort, not the disability.