What is Inclusion

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph. One of the newest and most controversial terms in education today is "inclusion." Simply defined, it means including disabled students with non-disabled students in every aspect of education, from the same classrooms to the same social activities and support groups. It is a practice that has its own jargon, instructional practices and legal requirements. Disabilities, a phenomenon that encompasses stereotypes, myths, negative attitudes, and inappropriate behaviors, are a major barrier to the successful education and integration of children. This article is available in The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol2/iss1/5 Introduction What is Inclusion? By: Jeremy Peters One of the newest and most controversial terms in education today is "inclusion." Simply defined, it means including disabled students with non-disabled students in every aspect of education, from the same classrooms to the same social activities and support groups. It is a practice that has its own jargon, instructional practices and legal requirements. Disabilities, a phenomenon that encompasses stereotypes, myths, negative attitudes, and inappropriate behaviors, are a major barrier to the successful education and integration of children. Implementation of inclusion is not that easy. Disagreements frequently occur between educational professionals, parents, students and the law. Many believe that inclusion should be geared towards everyone with a disability, while others believe it should be specific for each child depending on needs and circumstances. Disagreements also arise about how much extra attention should be given to an inclusive child. Inclusion is a philosophy where the belief is that everyone has a basic right to participate fully in society. It is a term that accepts differences. Inclusion is a practice that requires collaboration, teamwork, flexibility, a willingness to take risks, and support from a whole array of individuals, services, and institutions. It is designed to prepare all students for productive lives as full, participating members of their communities. Inclusion can be rewarding for all people involved. When correctly carried out, inclusion has benefits for all of the students and teachers involved in the process. Inclusion is not a fad. It is here to stay, becoming a trend for the future with numerous courtcases to back it up. Inclusion does not mean dumping children with special needs in a classroom without proper support and services. Thoughtful planning, continual monitoring and sufficient support are all part of successful inclusion programs. Inclusion is not an easy process. Parents, educators, peers, and administrators are all partners in the inclusion process and need to be involved together for a successful program. An Inclusive Classroom Inclusive classrooms look different all the time because the environment is created by interactions between the teacher and the students. It requires many students doing different things with people helping them. It is a classroom that has students moving from one environment to another. It often looks like pandemonium and is sometimes messy, but in a true inclusive situation, the children are smiling, there is work continually going on and the teacher is happy to be there. Students in an inclusive classroom spend a lot of time in learning centers, making choices on their own, including what to work on. Small groups are often used in inclusive classrooms. Students know that other students will be doing different activities and they accept that, knowing that they are still learning the same lessons. Peers are always helping and supporting each other. Inclusion leaves a great deal of time for social interactions. Nevertheless, those interactions are not harmful or disallowed, but part of the curriculum. It is a classroom that reaches beyond the capabilities of the teacher and depends on the resources of the community for new learning styles and techniques. That community and the class are student-centered. Students have a high level of responsibility for creating that community. They help structure the rules and are expected to follow them and meet the desired outcome outlined in the curriculum.