Amanda Johnson / Inclusion -A Contemporary Challenge. What Is Your Perspective?

According to Gargiulo and Metcalf (2013), inclusion is the movement toward, and the practice of, educating students with disabilities and other learners with exceptionalities in general education classrooms alongside their typical peers with appropriate supports and services provided (p. 8).  Inclusion is not only the physical placement of students but should also include a sense of belonging. This requires educators to not only think about the where but also the how students with special needs should be educated (Jimenez and Graf, 2008).  In a perfect world, inclusion would correctly and effectively be practiced everywhere, benefiting everyone. However, we do not live in a perfect world.

I am pro inclusion, both in and out of the classroom.  For starters, inclusion is a legal right. The IDEA 2004 states that “children with disabilities are, to the maximum extent possible, to be educated in classrooms alongside students without disabilities”.  Inclusion is also a civil right; children with disabilities have a right to go to the same school as their friends, neighbors, and siblings.  No child should be denied anything based a disability or difference.  Inclusion not only meets the needs of children legally but also socially and academically. Inclusion provides chances for relationships and socialization to acquire. It also provides a sense of belonging AND models proper social, behavioral, and academic skills as well as acceptance of diversity (Karagiannis and Stainback, 1996).

In the YouTube videos Are You Happy? The Story of Morgan Warren and Including Samuel show the positives that’s inclusion holds when practiced in a well-resourced and supportive classroom.  Morgan not only succeeds in a general classroom academically but also socially. She forms relationships and is expected to take responsibility for herself and actions just like her peers. Samuel is known for ‘liking the Red Soxs, the color yellow, and spaceships’ and not as ‘the kid in the wheel chair’. Stories like Morgan and Samuel show that inclusion can be beneficial for disabled as well as non-disabled students. It allows all children to interact and develop a sense of belonging not only in the classroom but in the community as well, hoping to prepare them for the ‘real world’.

There are some barriers that may hinder inclusive practices. The funding to support students’ needs in an academic setting can be quite heavy. Not every teacher buys into the inclusive classroom and sometimes lacks accountability when it comes to collecting data and teaching a lesson with ALL the students’ needs involved.  Occasionally there are low if not zero expectations with students with disabilities to succeed academically and socially in the general education classroom. The fear of disruption in the classroom management can play a big factor of negative outlook on inclusive classrooms. Lack of knowledge and training plays a big factor that causes a negative outlook on inclusion. A lack of leadership and a top-down approach to implementing an inclusive program can lead to negative outcomes (Mamlin, 1999). General educators may not know how to accommodate their lessons and/or classroom management to fit the needs of all students, even students with disabilities (Gargiulo and Metcalf, 2013).

Collaboration is the key to overcoming the barriers of inclusion. For inclusion to work effectively the general educator and the intervention specialist need to work together to create a safe and efficient environment for ALL students. Collaboration is needed to make sure all individualized education programs are well-designed, students (with or without disabilities) are considered in decisions that affect all students, and even when teaching about diversity to include disabilities, to avoid labeling and segregation (Jimenez and Graf, 2008).  One of the most important determinants of inclusion success is the attitude of the general education teacher and their collaboration with the special education department.