If you have a child with special needs, one word you are going to hear regarding education is "inclusion." This article deals with inclusion specifically as it applies to the US educational system, as mandated by the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. However the concepts explained here are not unique to US schools as inclusion is an education concept that is growing in practice around the world.
So what is inclusion and how does it affect your child's education? The subject is surrounded by misunderstanding and controversy and it is important for both educators and parents to understand the concept.
- All students are members of the community. Inclusion is based on the philosophy that all students, regardless of disability, are and should be a part of the school's culture. The belief is that a student that requires special services should have the services brought to the student, not the other way around.
- Special needs students are educated in their least restrictive environment (LRE). Most special needs students are capable of receiving education in a regular classroom. Placement of special needs students into special education classes puts them outside the school culture and creates division, fear, and ignorance.
- Special needs students are not necessarily required to meet the same standards as other students. They participate in activities with the rest of the class though may be given special considerations for their disabilities. For example, a student who is unable to speak would not be able to give an oral report when the other students do, but could make some other kind of presentation. A student who has difficulty writing, perhaps due to fine motor skill problems or vision problems, could be given extra time on a test or allowed to take the test verbally.
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Author: Andy Humphrey