Blog Post #2: Danielle Leigh

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) does not require inclusion. However, the law does require that children with disabilities must, to the maximum extent appropriate, be educated in the least restrictive environment.  Through my experience in Warren and in Hubbard I got to see the gradual shift from students with exceptional learning needs (ELN) being isolated in resource rooms to fully included in general education classes.  This was a major change for a lot of teachers and students and with change comes a lot of skepticism.  As a society, in today’s world, the thought of change to many, is frightening. When people are frightened their openness to anything new is diminished.  I think for most people the biggest obstacle they have to overcome in promoting acceptance and integration of students with ELN is change and being educated about the topic.

While in Warren I was a part of many district and building changes, one of them being including all kids as much as possible.  Because Warren’s special education department gets audited frequently by the state they were always up to date on the law and making sure it was being followed.  Although it was not easy for all teachers when full inclusion started, over time (three years) when teachers were provided with more support, education, and experience this challenge became easier and an expectation for all teachers and students.  With the change came positive peer relationships and educational gains with all students.  Both typical and students with ELN benefited from being in the classroom together.  Many of my students who were emotionally disturbed did better in the generally education classroom because they had the opportunity to see how typical peers behaved. This is also supported by Wolfensberger study that inclusion helps, “To establish and/or maintain personal behaviors which are as culturally normative as possible.” (Wolfensberger, 1972).

Also, while I was in Warren I was fortunate enough to be part of a state pilot program.  The state picked districts in Ohio to be part of a program, facilitated by the districts state support team, that allowed special education parents and intervention specialists to come together to better support one another, with hopes to eventually hold meetings with general educators and parents of typical students. This approach is also supported by many researchers that said parents with special education students did not feel supported (Johnson, Duffett, Farkas, & Wilson, 2002; Gargiulo, 2012).  I think this program if it takes off, would greatly help integrate students with ELN in schools and communities.

In my current district, although I was not there for the implementation of all students, but from talking and providing support to many teachers it was done poorly.  It was difficult for me to make the adjustment that not everyone viewed students with ELN should be in the general education classroom as an expectation.  Often times I was educating the principals on special education law, as they admitted they did not have much background or knowledge on special education.  Because all teachers and principals were not educated or prepared to have all students in their classes it became a negative experience for many teachers and students.  This created a major divide between the special education department and general education department.  Hopefully, like all change, with time, it will become an expectation in the district.

Through my experience I believe the culture of a building may be one of the most important changes in the success of integrating students with ELN in a district/school.  I have noticed throughout my career with many principals, the impact a leader can have on the school environment. Who principals are as people, what they believe, and what they know and are able to do, significantly influences the teachers to change in the school.  Comparing the two districts I have been in, the principal’s education of special education has significant impact on special education in the building.  The integration of students with ELN in schools needs to become an expectation not an option and we need to better educate administration and teachers.  With that being said more professional development needs to be provided for teachers.  This is also stated in IDEA as a support and service to include “support and training to staff that work with that student.”  Once schools make the change the community becomes more accepting to the change. According to the U.S. Department of Education, “The importance of holding all students, including students with disabilities, to high standards cannot be overemphasized.” Right now, because the nation is mandating all students be included and holding students with ELN to a higher standard, our society is already changing.  When students in today’s schools grow up they will be more comfortable with individuals with disabilities in society.