Inclusion: a special education approach - Research Paper Example

?Running head: INCLUSION: A SPECIAL EDUCATION APPROACH Inclusion: A Special Education Approach INCLUSION: A SPECIAL EDUCATION APPROACH 2 Inclusion: A Special Education Approach Introduction One approach in meeting the needs of students with special educational conditions is inclusion. This approach allows students with special needs to spend a lot of their “school time” with students without disabilities. Implementing this approach varies from school to school and depending on the special needs case of the students. Inclusive education is different from “mainstreaming” and “integration”, because these two are intended primarily for special educational needs, focused on getting learners ready to join mainstream schools (Fetter-Harrott and Steketee, 2008, p.63). This demonstrates that inclusion is in contrast to “mainstreaming” and “integration” because inclusion is focused on a child’s basic right to participate in social institutions like schools, and the school’s obligation to accept and nurture the child’s learning development. Inclusion does away with the idea of utilizing special schools or classrooms to separate students without disabilities from students with disabilities (Willis, 2009, p.12). Schools that practice inclusion are rare, and they no longer place a distinction between special and general education. What they do is restructure the whole system to facilitate an atmosphere of learning together. The main idea is to provide students with opportunities to interact with each other to develop their social skills while making them feel that they are no different from the rest of the students (Reiter and Vitani, 2007, p.323-4). Under this set-up, students with learning disabilities spend most of their learning periods under regular classes with regular students. Some might take extra intensive lessons that are meant for students with disabilities, but this does not mean they are to be excluded from regular classes. They might receive extra assistance from teachers, but not in a way that would interrupt or disturb the whole class (Fetter-Harrott and INCLUSION: A SPECIAL EDUCATION APPROACH 3 Steketee, 2008, p.64). Below are some specifics of what could be a successful inclusion education set-up. Staff Some special education schools offer a wide array of programs, but these programs are difficult to implement since the necessary staff and personnel for special education are not plenty. Disabilities are already a burden for students, and affirming their condition to other people is an additional burden on their shoulders. Advocates of special education programs should look for ways to encourage these students with disabilities to gain confidence in disclosing their conditions to obtain the assistance they require. Teachers are considered the building blocks of any school, much more in a special education institution. It is vital to emphasize the role they play in educating a group of student with disabilities. Their general capabilities and skills are necessary factors in how well students develop and progress in their learning (Fetter-Harrott and Steketee, 2008, p.64-5). It is therefore necessary for a teacher in special education to facilitate lessons by questioning, probing, interacting, prompting, and encouraging methods (Reiter and Vitani, 2007, p.325). Probing questions such as “Can you show me how you knew it is the right answer?” encourages a more interactive atmosphere in the classroom. A teacher should be able to provide activities that address different learning styles that allow students to learn at their own pace and make their own choices. For example, spelling activities could be in forms of colored inks to write the words, magnetic letters to form the words, or cutting and pasting letters from magazines (Willis, 2009, p.27). A good teacher should also have small huddles with the students for a more personalized touch in educating. Special assistance could be given to some students in INCLUSION: A SPECIAL EDUCATION APPROACH 4 special cases, but teachers should keep in mind that striving to help students with disabilities act and learn just like any regular student is the main goal of inclusion (Fetter-Harrott and Steketee, 2008, p.65). They should keep in mind that as early as possible, students should understand that special assistance will not be available for the rest of their lives and the earlier they learn to manage their own development, the better it is. Inclusion is a special education approach where teachers should pave the way for students to be able to stand on their own, eventually (Reiter and Vitani, 2007, p.327). Curriculum and Classroom Set-up There are several ways to ensure success in inclusion education. First, schools must ensure that students are kept active at all times. Constant interaction should be encouraged. Second, students should be allowed to make choices, allowed to commit mistakes, and learn from them. Third, involvement of parents is important, and this goes for both regular and special students. Fourth, students with disabilities should be allowed to learn and work at their own pace, provided they are monitored by teachers and encouraged to perform to the best of their abilities. Fifth, alternative assessment methods should be in place to effectively monitor the progress of learning, particularly for students with disabilities. Lastly, students need to go through successes and failures, with a clear understanding of goals that are challenging, measurable, attainable, and specific (Willis, 2009, p.39-41). An ideal set-up for inclusion is where students with disabilities are placed among others within their age brackets. Placement of students based on learning capacity and progress should not be encouraged. This is because encouraging a sense of belonging is necessary to motivate wholehearted learning by active participation and interaction. In line with this, encouraging INCLUSION: A SPECIAL EDUCATION APPROACH 5 friendships is vital. Teachers should nurture relationships between a student with disability and a student without special needs. One way to do this is to assign a “buddy” to accompany a student with disability at all times --- like on school buses, on playgrounds, or in the cafeteria. This not only ensures camaraderie, but serves as a learning experience for every student that communities are made up of diverse individuals, and that everyone is of the same footing. This helps foster an atmosphere of equality, removing barriers due to certain differences. This encourages cooperation and discourages superiority when students reach higher grade levels (Hughes, 2008, p.21-3). Learning should be based on several activities to answer to every learning style of the students. At no time should individual differences be considered a taboo subject, and issues or concerns should be openly discussed and resolved. Teachers should formulate activities that will promote individual skills and encourage students to help each other. Physical therapy equipment should be available. For example, a student who normally uses a wheelchair can stand among other students when the class activity calls for it. This encourages the student to feel that he or she is just like anyone else (Reiter and Vitani, 2007, p.329). Legal Provisions Inclusion should be the primary option for students with disabilities. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 all push for the improvement of living conditions of people with disabilities. These regulations make clear that students with disabilities must be protected against discrimination, and should be educated, as much as possible, just like any regular student. These policies rejected the idea of segregation and encouraged the concept of inclusion. Developments INCLUSION: A SPECIAL EDUCATION APPROACH 6 in accordance to this concept include a federal requirement in the U.S. that every student should be provided with the least restrictive setting in learning, which, as stated above, paved the way for inclusion. In 2006, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities called for ensuring the implementation of inclusive education system at every school level. Even the UNESCO Salamanca Statement called on governments to prioritize inclusion schools. There are several policies that support the rights of people with disabilities particularly in freedom from discrimination. Schools that implement inclusion are one way of realizing the goals of these laws (Hughes, 2008, p.88 and Willis, 2009, p.116). Budget Budget or fund sources is one of the major concerns in implementing inclusion set-up in schools. For one, accommodating students with disabilities in regular classrooms requires additional specialized staff to support the special needs of such students. Providing individual supports and coordinating services to special students calls for additional money that a lot of schools do not have. Especially in this tight economy, despite the provisions granted by laws to provide funding to such school set-up, it is not easy to acquire the necessary funds to even start an appropriate accommodation for students with disabilities. For example, for students who use wheelchairs, schools must be equipped with ramps to ensure that there will be no difficulties in the mobility of these students --- and this is just a small part of the issue. Lack of funds obstructs smooth progress in acquiring professional assistance to keep teachers, specialists, and the whole school updated on the best and latest practices of inclusion (Reiter and Vitani, 2007, p.332-3). In the U.S., public education funding is the responsibility of the state and local government. However, economic factors influence all existing education policies. One should INCLUSION: A SPECIAL EDUCATION APPROACH 7 understand that special education costs more than general education. Not only is the cost of special education higher than general education, the number of students with disabilities increases over time. Still, for general knowledge, there are three sources of funds for special education purposes --- local government, state, and federal government. Federal sources include the IDEA, the Carl. D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act, Head Start Program, Chapter 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Improving America’s Schools Act, and Medicaid. State sources base the funds on the following special education formulas: 1) flat grants per classroom or teacher; 2) excess cost percentage; 3) teacher salaries percentage; 4) weighted student, and; 5) weighted classroom or teacher. Local government funding, on the other hand, can be from inter-agency funding and support. Several states have inter-agency schemes from different sectors to minimize costs and stretch the finds for special education. These schemes involve juvenile court, mental health, social services, law enforcement, employment, rehabilitation, health, and education sectors. They pile funds from several other sources to support the costs of special education. Some communities also have programs that support the funding of inclusive education (Reiter & Vitani, 2007, p.333 and Willis, 2009, p.119). Conclusion There are several barriers in implementing inclusion in schools, including funding. With the laws and policies in place, it is not impossible to reach a point when this will be a widely-accepted norm within the country. Once achieved, inclusion will not only provide a brighter future for students with special education, but also a meaningful insight to regular students who experienced inclusion. References Fetter-Harrott, A., Steketee, A. M., & Dare, M. (September 01, 2008). Boosting Inclusion for Students with Disabilities. District Administration, 44, 10, 63-65. Hughes, C., & Carter, E. W. (2008). Peer buddy programs for successful secondary school inclusion. Baltimore, Md: P.H. Brookes Pub. Co. Reiter, S., & Vitani, T. (January 01, 2007). Inclusion of pupils with autism. Autism, 11, 4, 321- 333. Willis, C. (2009). Creating inclusive learning environments for young children: What to do on Monday morning. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Corwin Press. Read More