Inclusion
...is a movement to merge regular and
special education so that all students can be educated together in a general
education classroom. Because of the lack of consensus, inclusion is a hotly
debated topic in education today. Mainstreaming and Inclusion are used
interchangably for many people. This is where the confusion may lie. For
the purpose of this paper I will be using the term inclusion. I interpret
this
to mean: "meeting the needs of the student with disabilities through
regular education classes, with the assistance of special education." (Dover,
section 1) Included in the definition of inclusion, it is important to note
that
there are a continuum of placement options for the child. I found the main
difference between mainstreaming and inclusion to be the approach taken
towards each one. Mainstreaming asks the question: "WHERE can this child
be successful?" Whereas, inclusion asks: Where does this child or regular
classroom teacher need support?"
The Individuals With Disabilities Act (IDEA), was signed into law in
1975. IDEA requires that schools educate students with disabilities in the
least restrictive environment possible, and it also ensures to the maximum
extent possible, children with disabilities be educated with those who are
nondisabled. This implies that the least restrictive environment is the
general education classroom.
Historically, we have separated exceptional children from the rest of
society. This act has served to reinforce society's view that to be
exceptinal is to be bad. The truth is, separate is not equal.
In this paper I intend to address what complications surround the
practice of inclusion, and also to give examples of how inclusion has been
beneficial to students.
WHY NOT INCLUSION?
Even for those that support inclusion philosophically, there are...
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