Inclusion/ A Contemporary Challenge. What is your perspective

The debate surrounding inclusion as previously stated, is one that is emotionally charged. The emotions can range from anger, to disappointment, to extreme happiness or frustration. These emotions can cause mistrust and contention between the parents and the educators.

            When we are looking at why children should be in an inclusion classroom, according to Exceptional Lives (2015), children with special needs were more likely to graduate from high school and had better communication skills and a larger percent went on to gain a post-secondary education. In Education for all (2008), many of the students that were interviewed had been in an inclusion classroom were going on to gain post-secondary degrees. These children were more included with their peers, had better language skills, improved behavior and better self-esteem.  Many of the students advocated for themselves because they were treated more as equals than if they were in strictly a special education classroom. Students that are in a classroom with individuals that have disabilities, are more likely to accept these individuals they will be able to form friendships and develop positive attitudes, acceptance, and tolerance for the individuals with disabilities 

            Fueling the debate for not having children in an inclusion classroom, the administrators are using the general education classroom to try and save money and not provide the needed services to these individuals. As I am learning more and not being in a classroom, I am gaining the insight of other teachers. I talked to Jessica, who teaches at a charter school and she has one child, who, she feels, should be in a special education classroom. She stated he is further behind the other children and it distracted the others when she has to go back to the beginning and show him again. She also feels that going through a general education degree program, she is not qualified to teach this particular child. In this setting, a team teaching effort would be effective for this student and the other students. As some parents and administrators had said, they were concerned that if the student was not in a special education class the services needed would be either, no longer available or they would be more difficult to obtain. As Jessica stated, she feels this individual is not receiving the services needed and is not receiving the one on one attention that he desperately needs.

            My perspective, I am for inclusion of children with disabilities in the general education programs and extra-curricular programs. I believe these children deserve the same rights as the typical child. I understand it is going to take work on everyone’s part, but they are individuals with interests just like anyone else. With the required services and the work of the parents, staff and service providers, anything is possible. In the videos from this module about Sam and Are you happy? The Story of Morgan Warren both of these children were treated with respect from their peers and included in extra-curricular activities. Morgan was shown singing at what looked like a choir concert. These kids should be included, to the fullest extent that they are able to.