Inclusion
What is Inclusion?
Inclusion is the educational practice of welcoming, respecting, and educating every students with all types of diversity, with or without disabilities, language challenges or special talents in the regular classroom where they can learn better when teaching is tailored to their abilities and interests.
According to National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), inclusion is: “based on the belief in every person’s inherent right to fully participate in society. It implies acceptance of differences and access to the educational experiences that are fundamental to every student’s development.”
Inclusive education defined as:“the practice of welcoming, valuing, empowering and supporting diverse academic and social learning among students of all abilities.”
Pros and cons of inclusion
Pros of inclusion for students with disabilities
· greater opportunities for social interactions
· greater academic achievement
· independence in daily routine/ skills
· better behaviour, speech and communication skills
· friendships
· positive peer role models
· enhance school staff collaboration with families and parent participation
· opportunity to attend home school, with their siblings and neighbours give more sense of belonging to their own community.
· less expensive
Pros of inclusion for students without disabilities
· learn acceptance of diversity and individual differences
· better behaviour, more polite, respectful, caring and responsible in the classroom and on the playground.
· meaning friendships
· Inclusion prepares children for adult life in an inclusive society
· peer tutoring
· greater access to resources for everyone
· students encounter higher expectations
Cons of Inclusion
· less planning time
· less one on one support
· distractive environment
· not always a guaranteed success
· the quality of education for normal children has potential to decline
· kids with special needs may struggle to meet their needs in a regular class as extensively as they might in a special education classroom.
· the educators need special training to work with special need students in inclusive classroom
· lot of work for homeroom teacher
· lack of timely support
thoughts and feelings about inclusion
I believe inclusion is a wonderful idea and it's a great gateway to improve students social and emotional skills to create equity, acceptance of diversity, ability and sense of belonging in our classroom. Inclusion work well for everyone if schools are staffed to support, special education group operating at background, trained educator with well-planned differentiated instruction to work with individuals based on their needs, but a lot of collaboration and planning is needed.
Recent Research supports inclusion:
1. An article called “Full Inclusion” in Public Schools: Is It Best for all Special Needs Kids? Published in School house Consulting on April 7, 2012 by Paul W. Bennett supports the “Full inclusion” — the idea that all children, including those with severe disabilities, can and should learn in a regular classroom has also taken root in many school systems, and most notably in the province of New Brunswick. Since the 2006 adoption of Halifax law professor Wayne MacKay’s report on Inclusive Education, New Brunswick has aggressively pursued the “everyone must be educated in the mainstream classroom” model of inclusive education. (http://educhatter.wordpress.com/2012/04/07/full-inclusion-in-public-schools-is-it-best-for-all-special-needs-kids/)
2. The Learning Disabilities Association of Canada (LDAC) and one of its founders Yude M. Henteleff continue to claim that the “fully inclusive classroom” is “only one of the right ways to meet the best interest of the special needs child.” (http://educhatter.wordpress.com/2012/04/07/full-inclusion-in-public-schools-is-it-best-for-all-special-needs-kids/)
3. A True Story “Emily Included” written by Kathleen McDonnell (2011). This is an excellent book based on true story makes you think and experience how it feels like to be excluded and gets special insight that being differently able can bring.
Effective Instructional practices to engage all learners
1. Differentiated Instruction
2. Universal Design for Learning
3. Individualized Instruction
4. Cooperative Learning