Johnathan Bacak-Blog #3, the Pros and Cons

    The term inclusion is allowing students with special needs into the classroom with the general population and be provided that free appropriate public education that every child deserves. However, there are some concerns that go into inclusion and there are some good outcomes that come from it. Some educators, mainly the general education teachers, feel that they are not qualified, have no experience or past exposure, and the resources needed to accommodate a student with special needs in the classroom. This statement was addressed in the video, Including Samuel, when a teacher named Carol Ward had a student named Alana. Mrs. Ward has questioned how she presents material to a student who is not a special needs student to a student like Alana. With her lack of expertise and training, she has no idea what to do. Also, Alana’s science teacher has stated that she has had to double check her curriculum and had to remove and focus on material that’s more important. That brings up another factor when it comes to inclusion: will the material be watered down? From the Inclusion Pros and Cons notes, one educator states that, “we are testing more, not less. We are locking teachers into constrained curricula and syllabi more, not less.” This to me indicates that general teachers are scared that they will not be able to reach all students and have them prepared for school and state testing.

     On the flip side, educators argue that inclusion is the best source of special education for a couple reasons. The one that I think is more important than anything is to boost the confidence and of the child with a disability in the classroom and promoting their backgrounds. According to the textbook, Education for All, “inclusion was also seen as a way to respect the diversity of the school community.” Just because a student has a disability doesn’t mean they are not able to learn just like the rest of the general population or have a learning disability, and I think it is best that students with disabilities be in the classroom with the rest. They would be able to work with other students and it should be a confidence booster. In a segregated classroom, the idea can come across that these specific students are different than the rest of the students and that they may not belong. All students, regardless if they are special needs or not, deserve to be provided the best education possible. Teachers, with the help of special educators, can be successful in teaching students with disabilities if they are allowed to be in the classroom. The social interaction can play a huge role, and the confidence of the child can be improved drastically. The real world does not care if you have a disability or not, if you are hired to do a job you are expected to do it. It can apply to the schools, the teachers, and the students who are in the schools special needs or not.

    Having subbing in the schools and coming across many classes with inclusion practices and co-teachings with a special educator, the environment is more group oriented and active participation is better than in a regular classroom. Students with special needs can benefit from being in the regular classroom because it can provide that motivation to be better and show that because they have special needs doesn’t mean that they cannot perform the work given to them. Seeing your peers do something can relate to a disabled child because it shows that if they can do it why can’t they. To me, no student with special needs should be isolated from the rest of the students. It sends a message that they do not belong, or that they are not capable of doing the normal activities or follow the curriculum set for everyone else. As a coach, I have had students with learning disabilities and if I did not substitute in the school I would have never known they had IEPs or were special needs. If given the opportunity, a child can be able to perform or demonstrate that they are learning and they are comprehending the material, all they need is that one chance and that teacher that is up to the challenge.