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The importance of an inclusive teaching environment
The importance of an inclusive teaching environment
Create an inclusive learning environment
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In today’s society, “teachers and principals are being held more accountable than ever before in the history of public education” (Winebrenner, 2006, p. 1). This is occurring as a result of the Individuals with Disabilities Act, or IDEA 2004, which “require[s] that children with disabilities be educated in the “least restrictive environment” [or LRE]” (Miller, 2014, slide 6). The learning environment must be conducive enough for children with special needs to receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE). According to Friend (2014), “it is presumed that the LRE for most students with disabilities is the general education setting, and educators must justify any instance in which a student with a disability is not educated there” (p. 14). These ideas began to emerge in 1954 when the “Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas decision clarify[ed] that “separate cannot be equal,” [and] some professionals began questioning whether separate classes provided students with disabilities with an appropriate education” (Friend, 2014, p. 10) and as result, this led to early research of inclusive environments in education. …show more content…
Inclusion is “the practice of effectively placing and working with students with disabilities in the regular classroom” (Royster, Reglin, and Sedimo, 2014, p. 1). Rea, Mclaughlin, and Walther-Thomas (2002) refer to inclusion as, “providing all students, including those with significant disabilities, equitable services with needed supplementary aids and support systems in age-appropriate classrooms in their schools in order to prepare these students to lead productive lives in society” (p.7). As stated by Kimberly Schoger in her journal article, Reverse Inclusion
If one looks at the word “Inclusion”, its definition states that the word means being a part of something or the feeling of being part of a whole. By looking at this term, one gets a sense about what inclusion education is all about (Karten p. 2). Inclusion education is the mainstreaming of Special Education students into a regular classroom (Harchik). A school that involves inclusive education makes a commitment to educate each and every student to their highest potential by whatever means necessary (Stout). Their goal is for all children, disabled or not, to be able to attend a typical classroom.
According to Stout (2001) the concept of inclusion can be differentiated into mainstreaming, inclusion and full inclusion each describing the amount of time special education students become part of a normal education classes. “Inclusion is a term which expresses the commitment to educate each child, to the maximum extent possible, in the school and classroom he or she would otherwise attend” (definitions section, para. 2). This commitment is based on the belief that special needs students would profit from the regular classroom environment (Noll, 2014, p. 225). According to Stout (2001) research based evidence supports this belief as “Recent meta-analyses confirm a small to moderate beneficial effect of inclusion education on the academic and social outcome of special needs students” (Research section, para. 3). There are many who also believe that inclusion is good for the overall class as it can teach empathy, and “teaches us to think about we rather than I” (Sapon-Shevin, 2008, p227). There are others however, who feel that “Contrary to some egalitarians, a good society honors those who through intelligent good will, artistic talent, athletic prowess, or plain honest hard work make our lives better” (Carpenter, 2008, p.235) and therefore believe that it is ok to think of “I” and not we.
What is inclusion? Inclusion learning is the idea that regardless of a child’s disability they are considered access to a regular education setting that will provide the learning aides needed for that child to learn successfully. The debate of inclusion learning has been on the table for many years. According to the U.S. Department of Education's report to congress in the 2006 school year there were 701,949 children between the ages of three and five years old being served for special needs under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA)(17). The IDEA was introduced in 1997 as an amendment to the 1975 Education for All Handicapped Children Act. This amendment was to “to ensure free and appropriate education for children of all learning and physical disabilities in the least restricted environment” (Individuals with DisabilitiesEducation Act Amendments of 1997). One of the purposes of the IDEA law was “...
Least restrictive environment (LRE) is among the six standards enacted by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), to govern the education of students with various special needs and disabilities (Jacob, Decker, & Hartshorne, 2010, p. 106). The other five principles are; free and appropriate public education, individualized education program, parent participation requirement and the protection of rights of children with disabilities and their parents (Farris, 2002, p. 1). This principle supports the education of students with disabilities together with non-disabled learners to the greatest extent that is appropriate. This means that the special needs student should be allowed access to the education curriculum, extra and co-curricular activities and any other program that non disabled scholars benefit from. The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) is among the public school districts that offer least restrictive environment opportunities for special needs students. This paper which is an interview with the special education coordinator of the San Francisco Unified School District; addresses various issues concerning least restrictive environment.
The idea behind least restrictive environment is that all students should have the opportunity to learn, if possible, in a mainstream classroom. If learning in a mainstream classroom is not possible, students who have special education needs must be put in an environment that is the least restrictive. However, there exists a lack of clarity when it comes to the specific language presented in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which has led to school districts having various different interpretations regarding least restrictive environment (Alquraini, 2013). This week I sat down with Shirley Cummings, Special Education Coordinator for the Aqua Fria Union School District, and we
“The 1% of US students with labels of severe disabilities including mental retardation have been historically excluded from ‘inclusive’ education” (Bentley, 2008, p. 543). Laws such as PL 94-142 and “No Child Left Behind” (as cited in Bentley), say that ‘public school students with all types of disabilities be educated in the least restrictive environment—‘to the maximum extent possible…with children who do not have disabilities’ the majority of these students with special education labels, such as, mental retardation and multiple disabilities are still isolated in special education classrooms (Bentley, 2008, p. 545). Wehmeyer (as cited in Bentley), points out that mere access does not promote authentic participation (Bentley, 2008, p. 546). Burkowski et al (as cited in Webster and Cater), “Friendship has been defined as a bond between two individuals that is stable across time and involves mutual affection, mutual preference and having fun together” (Webster and Carter, 2007, p. 201). It is up to parents, teachers and other paraprofessionals to seek ways to facilitate and encourage the types of positive interactions that will foster these types of friendships. If done successfully all students will benefit and there will be true inclusion.
In order for inclusion to be implemented properly it is important that teachers, parents, and administrators to know the definition of inclusion. An inclusion program means that the student spends all or most of their school time in the general education classroom rather than a self-contained classroom. However, the students will still receive the support and interventions they would have received in a self-contained classroom. There are different types of inclusive classrooms where different types of teaching occur. There is co-teaching where there is both a general education teacher and a special education teacher that co teach. Both will work with students that have an individualized education plan (IEP) and the student will receive more support. In addition, an inclusive classroom can have a general education teacher but has the special education teacher as a resource or aid, which qualifies as a collaborative model of inclusion.
The idea of inclusion or mainstreaming has been around the education community for a long time. Both of these ideas involve including students with learning disabilities in regular classrooms to be taught by regular teachers rather than special education teachers. The difference between the two is that inclusion allows for a learning disabled student to be in a classroom for the majority of their day and mainstreaming allows or a learning disabled student to be in a regular classroom for a set amount of time if they have shown that they (the special needs student) can keep the same pace as the students in the regular classroom. Both inclusion and mainstreaming that include special needs students in regular classrooms could easily be modified to help students without learning disabilities to excel at their education. Including students from a lower class level in a higher-class level could benefit both the higher level students as well as the visiting students.
Full inclusion is like communism. It looks good on paper and may even sound good, but does not actually work to benefit all involved. Full inclusion is the idea of including every student with a disability, regardless of severity, into the general classroom. While it sounds like a great idea, it would not benefit every student with disabilities, every time and could hinder the education of non-disabled students. Full inclusion is not feasible for all students with disabilities.
Inclusion in classrooms is defined as combining students with disabilities and students without disabilities together in an educational environment. It provides all students with a better sense of belonging. They will enable friendships and evolve feelings of being a member of a diverse community (Bronson, 1999). Inclusion benefits students without disabilities by developing a sense of helping others and respecting other diverse people. By this, the students will build up an appreciation that everyone has unique yet wonderful abilities and personalities (Bronson, 1999). This will enhance their communication skills later in life. Inclusive classrooms provide students with disabilities a better education on the same level as their peers. Since all students would be in the same educational environment, they would follow the same curriculum and not separate ones based on their disability. The main element to a successful inclusive classroom, is the teachers effort to plan the curriculum to fit all students needs. Teachers must make sure that they are making the material challenging enough for students without special needs and understandable to students with special needs. Inclusive classrooms are beneficial to students with and without special needs.
Inclusion of all students in classrooms has been an ongoing issue for the past twenty-five years (Noll, 2013). The controversy is should special education students be placed in an inclusion setting or should they be placed in a special education classroom? If the answer is yes to all special education students being placed in inclusion, then how should the inclusion model look? Every students is to receive a free an appropriate education. According to the Individual Education Act (IDEA), all students should be placed in the Least Restrictive Learning Environment (Noll, 2013).
Inclusion is the main issue within the inclusive learning environment, if a child doesn’t feel included within their environment then their learning will be effected by this. The Oxford English Dictionary defines inclusion as “the action or state of including or of being included within a group or structure” (Oxford English Dictionary 2011: Inclusion) This means that every child should feel involved and included, no matter of there different learning abilities or levels. This can mean children who have special educational needs, such as dyslexia, physical disability or metal disability. Inclusion should provide opportunities for all children, no matter of their age, race, gender, disability, religion, ability or their background, to be involved within their learning environment. Each child should feel like they belong and feel like they are...
In first being able to define inclusive education, it is necessary to understand the diversity of the student population. Disability comes in my varying forms and can be physical, sensory, intellectual, mental health and emotional, developmental, and non-visible (e.g. asthma). If disability was the only agent to consider in the diversity scenario things would be easier for teachers but there are a number of other classifications of students to consider: Gifted or talented; English as a second language (ESL); Indigenous students; and many other classifications which fall under the societal/family/personal heading (Ashman & Elkin, 2012).
Inclusion does not only benefit the student, but the parents, teachers, school and the community. It is about understanding additional needs rather than ignoring them and allowing the student every chance that students without difficulties/disabilities have available to them
To begin with, full inclusion in the education system for people with disabilities should be the first of many steps that are needed to correct the social injustices that people with disabilities currently face. Students with disabilities are far too frequently isolated and separated in the education system (Johnson). They are often provided a diluted, inferior education and denied meaningful opportunities to learn. There are many education rights for children with disabilities to p...