Inclusion in Schools

[simpsons_fanatic742]

The idea of inclusion, in not so many words, is the inclusion of children with disabilities into a mainstream classroom. There are many arguments and situations involved in this discussion and one that has many professionals and parents divided.

Some of the main points I have come across involving inclusion are:

1) Children with Disability need special provisions and more attention devoted to them which makes their situation not fit for a mainstream classroom.

2) If they were to enter the mainstream classroom, the teacher would have to give more time to help these children, which could hinder the learning of the other children in the class.

3) Children with disabilities deserve to be in these classrooms and have the right to get the learning that other children do.

4) Teaching Assistance could be used to help make the transition easier.

I’ve read many articles and studies related to inclusion and I’ve come across so many different opinions that it is hard to get an opinion myself. I'm studying Child and Youth Studies in University right now and I have come across this debate many times and there seems to be new arguments, for and against inclusion, every year. I’ve even read that the parents of children with disabilities are also at a divide as to what they want for their children. Some parents deem that their children have the right to inclusion, but some parents wouldn’t want their children in these classrooms because they fear that their kid will not get the attention they need in order to have success in school.

My question is this: What side are you on in relation to Inclusion in Schools?

 

[ABMorales787]

No. Hell no. Terrible idea. Back in the 7th grade one of our classmates had a learning disorder. He was 4 years older than us and we always treated him well, but there were some subjects that needed to be covered that he just could not take. Biology. I'm pretty sure you know where I'm going here. Sexual reproduction. He started covering his ears and making noise. I understand his disability, but if he can't handle this stuff, it shouldn't be forced onto him, just so he could be among normal people. He can do that without going to a mainstream school and learn it at his own accord.

 

[One Punch Doug Crashin]

The idea of inclusion, in not so many words, is the inclusion of children with disabilities into a mainstream classroom. There are many arguments and situations involved in this discussion and one that has many professionals and parents divided.

Some of the main points I have come across involving inclusion are:

1) Children with Disability need special provisions and more attention devoted to them which makes their situation not fit for a mainstream classroom.

2) If they were to enter the mainstream classroom, the teacher would have to give more time to help these children, which could hinder the learning of the other children in the class.

3) Children with disabilities deserve to be in these classrooms and have the right to get the learning that other children do.

4) Teaching Assistance could be used to help make the transition easier.

I’ve read many articles and studies related to inclusion and I’ve come across so many different opinions that it is hard to get an opinion myself. I'm studying Child and Youth Studies in University right now and I have come across this debate many times and there seems to be new arguments, for and against inclusion, every year. I’ve even read that the parents of children with disabilities are also at a divide as to what they want for their children. Some parents deem that their children have the right to inclusion, but some parents wouldn’t want their children in these classrooms because they fear that their kid will not get the attention they need in order to have success in school.

My question is this: What side are you on in relation to Inclusion in Schools?

As someone with Special Needs myself I can attest to most of this. I was one of the rare cases that Mainstreaming worked. My district had "Levels" where the smarter kids would be Level 3. those were the hardest. Level 1 was the easiest. I was Level 2. Some of my classes however were level 1. Level one classes had two types of teachers. The main teacher there was to teach while the other teacher went around to help whoever needed it.

I know a lot of people tend to disagree with Mainstreaming kids with Special Needs but once given the chance those kids will be the hardest working kids you will ever see.

 

[Via Armbar]

I think that this a per case scenario. Every special needs student is unique and not all would fall into the same categories. As there are different levels of needs, there would be no way to either include or disclude every special needs student and choices would have to be made based on the students requirements. My girlfriends sister is a high functioning autistic and she has a mix of classes. Some she takes with other students based on the areas in which she has little problem with, and other classes with students more on her level. This makes it easier on both teachers and students, giving them an equal balance.

I would however like to see stronger funding for special needs schooling. I live in a pretty heavy popluated area and the amount of schools set up for students with special needs is very little, and the ones that are available are having trouble with funds as it is.

 

[Remix]

I'm going to tackle this from the perspective of sonone with (mild) learning dificulties and higher functioning autism. Which is an easy viewpoint for me, because it's true.

1) Children with Disability need special provisions and more attention devoted to them which makes their situation not fit for a mainstream classroom.

as a rule, yes we do. However, as long as those requirements are not unreasonable and are doable there's no reason that this should prevent kids with learning difficulties from participationg in main stream schools. In every school I've been to they've had a SEN department and have (and indeed are) dealing with kids much worse than me. Obviously there are limits to what can (and should) be done, but if kids can survive without special school then they should. Not least because it's cheaper on the tax payer (assuming that they're going to a state/public school).

2) If they were to enter the mainstream classroom, the teacher would have to give more time to help these children, which could hinder the learning of the other children in the class.

Indeed, the teacher would have to make allowances for SEN kids. Whether that's giving the kid handouts (if their note taking is shit) speaking a bit slower, clearer, and into a microphone for a deaf kid, or explaining the work to aforementioned child they should. Where this arguement fails however is that if teachers are spending all their time with the SEN kid and neglicting the others (which they absolutely should not be doing) there's a problem.

3) Children with disabilities deserve to be in these classrooms and have the right to get the learning that other children do.

I guess. I'm not fond of 'X deserves Y' arguements. Morals, rights and ethics are flexible, and in any case, they should not be applied globally.

4) Teaching Assistance could be used to help make the transition easier.

It can, it does and it is. While I was at primary school I got sometihng like 5 hours a week of teaching support, which was spent observing me play at lunchtimes (playing alone is what got me reffered to the edpsych in the first place), making sure I could keep up in the classroom, and making sure I was ok at school in general, these (minus the observed playing) carried on to secondary school, where they helped my english skills improve, ensured that I was keeping up, understood the work, got the required exam arrangements in place. even in Uni i have it where I get one hour a week making sure that I'm keeping up and not spending all day every day alone in my room. TAs are a key reason why Teachers dont spend their entire time focussing on SEN kids rather than the rest of the class.

My question is this: What side are you on in relation to Inclusion in Schools?

I'm guessing that I've made that clear.

No. Hell no. Terrible idea.

Hell yes, not it's not. However I'm going to assume that there's a reason you think that, so I'll debate that when you've explained yourself.

Back in the 7th grade one of our classmates had a learning disorder.

personal experience. Always a good reason to come to a conclusion. No sence in reading about what other people have concluded to form your opinion.

He was 4 years older than us and we always treated him well, but there were some subjects that needed to be covered that he just could not take. Biology. I'm pretty sure you know where I'm going here. Sexual reproduction. He started covering his ears and making noise. I understand his disability, but if he can't handle this stuff, it shouldn't be forced onto him, just so he could be among normal people.

and here, I agree with you. Some people have learning disabilities too severe for mainstream schooling. this sounds like one of those people. If they can keep up, and do not dirupt the learning of others then they shouldn't be in mainstream education.

He can do that without going to a mainstream school and learn it at his own accord.

1) if he cant cope at school how's he going to cope in the real world? 2)If he doesnt interact with normal people until he's able to cope with the stress of it all, how is he going to learn? (bear in mind that most of our personality is formed when we're very young, and a great deal of our interpersonal skills are formed from our school relationships (which is when he wont be interracting with 'normal' people) 3) inreracting with normal peo[ple in a controlled seting =/= interracting with people in a real world setting. I dont agree with the Kid's parents for putting him in main stream school, but I can understand why they did it.

I'm guessing that the Kid had autism to some degree as well as learning difficulties (he reminds me of another person who went to my school (explaining the credit crunch to him, as well as why some random thing at disney world wont be opening again was kind of iritating).

 

[Razor]

I agree with Armbar, there. I think this needs to be on a case by case basis.

Say we have a highly functioning autistic person who just needs easier subjects. He can handle everything else, and doesn't act out. He just has a harder time going about learning things. Congratulations, you have easier classes for a reason. Let him be with his fellow students that are taking those classes.

Now, say we have a student with very low functioning autism. A person that needs that special, individual care. Why should we automatically say "Yeah! Mainstream him! He's no different than the rest of them!" ..The fact is, he is different than the rest of the student body, and he needs accommodations. So, give them to him.

The principle of Equality is a fine principle as it stands. Help everyone get by, no matter what their specific disability or race or creed or sex or sexual orientation. That's fine. But equality should not be seen merely as "Let's stick everyone together." Equality should be seen as "Let's work to help everyone get what is best for them." Sometimes, quite honestly, a mainstream classroom just isn't what a mental handicapped person needs or is what is best for them.

 

[Tastycles]

It's definitely per case. I had special needs in primary school, but they ended up helping me rather than hindering me to be honest with you. The people who have something that causes them to fall behind or not to understand topics should probably be in mainstream classes but with extra assistance. If that assistance isn't available, then it probably isn't wise to put kids who will probably end up being disruptive with everyone else. You have to look at all the factors of both the student and the school before being able to judge. I know in my primary, we had the kids with special needs (not me, the ones with more traditional special needs) doing their SATs twice, because they did so well in their special ones thanks to the assistance they got and then were allowed to do the same ones as everyone else. That is level of inclusion that should be aimed for.