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Aline Dahruj

Special-needs education: Does mainstream inclusion work? - 43 views

Education

started by Aline Dahruj on 16 Feb 12
  • Aline Dahruj
    #1 Aline Dahruj on 16 Feb 12
     
    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/specialneeds-education-does-mainstream-inclusion-work-470960.html

    "You are Indians, and must remain Indians. You are not of the nation, and cannot become of the nation. We do not want you to become of the nation."

    This quote relates to the article because the Indian students from 1875-1928 were excluded because of their race from the white students, and today the children with special-needs are excluded because of they are separated into their own classes. Like the Indians, the special-needs children are seen as "below" the other students.
  • Amanda Rose
    #2 Amanda Rose on 24 Feb 12
     
    The inclusion of special needs students in mainstream classrooms presents a delicate debate. However, the following quote nails the appropriate manner in dealing with such a situation: "This isn't even an issue any more. The question is not whether to include children, but how to do it effectively. You need inclusions, not placements, and for that you need more resources, more training and a mandatory code of admissions." Of course for some core subjects at the higher level, inclusion may not be as easily manipulated, yet inclusion in art, music, and gym classes just to name a few, is definitely possible with the cooperation and possible extra training of teachers. Furthermore, the integration of all students will provide a valuable experience to associate with a diverse population setting of those who must reside together in society outside the walls of the classroom.
  • mnconnin
    #3 mnconnin on 25 Feb 12
     
    This article emphasizes just how difficult it is to properly accommodate special needs children. The problem is, "'special needs' remains a vast umbrella, under which huddle all kinds of children, from the primary-school pupil with a mild hearing problem, to profoundly autistic adolescents and children with complex physical disabilities," therefore some children can be included into regular schools without too many issues, while others really do need to attend a school that caters specifically to special needs. I think we are in a very tough place right now, "observers say that problems with the current system [is] deeply entrenched." As much as I agree with Lamb that, "the more we can get the two worlds together, the better," I do not always think inclusion is a good thing for all students. I think it is great for students to see the differences amongst people and how we can all come together, but some students really do need the extra attention. I think it is more important to give these special needs students the proper attention instead of being frugal about government spending. As the article stated, inclusion done properly is expensive and same with special needs schools. But, aren't our students worth it? Apparently not, considering education funding in general is always the first place our government makes cuts.
  • Elise Costa
    #4 Elise Costa on 25 Feb 12
     
    The parallel that this group made with Indians to special education is very interesting. In today's society this is still a prevalent issue. In regards to the native american indians, many of them do still have special school on reservations. This is happening to the special needs children. This is of course a "hot-button" topic; however, it definitely is worth the debate. I truly believe that we underestimate our children. Children can be so much more accepting and less judgmental than adults. I think that inclusion would help with acceptance and would reduce future judgement. In the article I thought that Peter Farrell described this very well: "What there is evidence of is that if children with special needs mix with others, it helps to make people in society more accepting of difference." There is so much truth to this statement. There will always be the bad apples that make fun of other kids, but that occurs whether there is a special needs child in the class or not. Many children, especially little girls, develop almost mother like qualities and protect other classmates.
  • Caitlyn Cozart
    #5 Caitlyn Cozart on 27 Feb 12
     
    This article brings up an intriguing debate. At the end of the article, the author states, "You do need specialised provision, but co-location is definitely the best way to do it." I agree with this statement completely. I agree that these individuals can not be completely excluded from other students of their same age. I think that students with disabilities need to learn at a young age how to interact with students without disabilities. They need to learn the differences throughout our diverse society. I agree that they do need to be together in order to better our society and help them build character.
  • Alee Douglass
    #6 Alee Douglass on 27 Feb 12
     
    "Meanwhile, "special needs" remains a vast umbrella, under which huddle all kinds of children, from the primary-school pupil with a mild hearing problem, to profoundly autistic adolescents and children with complex physical disabilities." I think that this article addresses a valid point about special needs education. I chose this quote from the article, because I think it is pertinent to how special needs is thought of in America. I am a strong believer in inclusion in classrooms, and I really wish more people had the view of Alan Dyson, a "professor of education at Manchester University, who has a specialist interest in the area" who states in the article that "The only thing these kids have in common is that they've been labeled special needs." I have volunteered in a classroom where there is a student with a feisty temperament, labeled special needs because of ADD, to a little girl with leg braces, a walker, and strong speech troubles. These students had little in common, and I think that it would have been helpful for them to be in separate classes where they could get the help they needed, not just a blanket of help trying to do the same thing for each of them. The article states that "the curriculum needs to be totally different for children with severe difficulties" and I absolutely agree.
  • Ashley Jacobs
    #7 Ashley Jacobs on 28 Feb 12
     
    When read the statement by Richard Reiser, "…The question is not whether to include children, but how to do it effectively…", it made me wonder about the student who gets "included" in regular schools but still needs the special attention to be able to learn effectively. These children may not get the attention they require because a non-special needs teacher has many other things to concentrate on or the resources are simply not available at the regular school. In addition, as mentioned in the article, there are many different levels of disability. Where do you draw the line? Who gets "included" and who doesn't. I agree with the quote, "Some people gain enormously from having their needs met in a specialized environment" because I am thinking about the students worked with as a volunteer at a school for children and adolescents with developmental disabilities. The student's at that school fell into so many different ranges of disability; some a lot more disabled, and others much less. Either way, many of them have experienced tremendous leaps and gains from being able to go to a school in which the facilities and faculty are optimized with this certain population, and it's needs, in mind. I'm not saying all integration is negative. For example, this particular school I'm talking about enrolls preschoolers with no disabilities in the same classes as preschoolers with disabilities so that they are "included" and not so isolated at that level. The thing is, not all inclusion can be as clear-cut as some of the supporters in this article make it seem.
  • Jordan Bender
    #8 Jordan Bender on 29 Feb 12
     
    I think that the best situation for students with disabilities to be included in the regular classroom. Students with disabilities are always told that they are different and that they don't fit in. Students with special needs can have a variety of disabilities but they should be worked into the mainstream classroom. I think teachers should be eager to accommodate and help special needs students. There are many things that teachers can do to help special needs students to help them feel included. They should have the opportunity to learn and experience an interactive classroom just like students who don't have disabilities. New technology has enabled special needs students to be able to do more things than ever before and if we continue on this path we can continue to better special needs student's experience in school.
  • Chelsea Townsend
    #9 Chelsea Townsend on 29 Feb 12
     
    The term "special needs" is a large umbrella term that covers a vast classification of children with disabilities. The children in special needs programs may be greatly different from one another. One child may only have a mild hearing problem, while another may have profound autism. Parents are worried that all children with disabilities are given the same attention, whereas some may need much more than others. The committee of Disability Equality in Education is working towards effectively integrating children with special needs into mainstream classrooms. According to Richard Reiser, in order to accomplish effective integration "you need inclusions, not placements, and for that you need more resources, more training and a mandatory code of admissions." Although some parents say that inclusion does not work, I believe that with the proper resources inclusion can be effective. I agree with the article that "if children with special needs mix with others, it helps to make people in society more accepting of difference."
  • anonymous
    #10 anonymous on 29 Feb 12
     
    Research have shown that children with "special needs" and sometimes "normal" children when they feel isolated in their classroom. The children are more likely to be stressed and depressed which can interfere with their education. According to Richard Reiser, "disadvantaged children should be given priority above all others. That would be the way to change the skew we have now. And there should be a limit on the use of special schools in any area. Some areas use them 10 times more than others." I completely agree with this quote and article because instead of labeling the "special needs" children teachers and instructors need to help them feel equal. Not every disability is the same and we as a community must be aware and teach others.
  • Tiffany Morgan
    #11 Tiffany Morgan on 01 Mar 12
     
    Special needs is just an administrative category," says Alan Dyson, professor of education at Manchester University, who has a specialist interest in the area. "The only thing these kids have in common is that they've been labelled special needs." I agree with this quote, kids with special needs have a wide array of different physical and mental abilities. One child might be hard of hearing while another might be severely mentally retarded. I think in extreme cases it would benefit students to be in their own school. But I feel that in most cases it is best for students to be in the same school and go on trips or have lunches with regular students. That way the regular students are exposed to people with disabilities and the students with disabilities have the advantage of interacting with students that are not in their disabilities classes.
  • anonymous
    #12 anonymous on 01 Mar 12
     
    Mainstream inclusion could be beneficial to the learning environment of a student without special needs. Inclusion can teach students how to be more respectful to people with disabilities and how to be more understanding. It states in the article, "They look at what our children achieve, and learn to have respect for them. " In the long run, students can be better prepared for normal interaction with people with disabilities in the event that this becomes part of their everyday life.
  • Aldreka Everett
    #13 Aldreka Everett on 01 Mar 12
     
    "In an ideal world, special education would not be a distinct system at all, but just part of an education system that gives due consideration to all sorts of kids, with all sorts of difficulties, in all sorts of schools." I think that this qoute provides a remarkable look into the way society treats our disabled students. Why are they not integrated into the education system? If these students are taught something a little more than sitting a room all day or just simply neglected and left out of the curriculum, they may provide various roles in society. "I've seen children stuck in a classroom, isolated, where staff have no support and can't call in a psychologist or language therapist."
  • Cassandra Hayne
    #14 Cassandra Hayne on 01 Mar 12
     
    The need to take a second look at special education is in dire need. Providing for students with disabilities can be difficult when attention and lack of resources dominate these kid's lives. There have been methods for creating separate schools for these children but you also run into the problem of socialization. The question is still debated to this day on whether it is better to separate kids with special needs into different schools so they can get adequate attention or find a way to help these students in regular public schools. If you separate the children it can be a segway into a cultural belief that these people should be separate in society. However, there would be a more narrow focus towards the child's specific development. On the other hand, putting the kids in public schools posses a problem the article points out, "…the Commons education select committee is sinking under record piles of paperwork as it conducts a wide-ranging enquiry into the future of special-needs education." I believe we must find a way to help these kids into public schools and avoid the abyss of paperwork before it is to late.
  • Aline Dahruj
    #15 Aline Dahruj on 01 Mar 12
     
    I disagree with the quote from the article because, although special needs children are different from normal functioning children, they still have things in common with the children who aren't special needs. it can actually benefit both the healthy children and the special needs children to be in the same class together. For the special needs children, it can be helpful to be around children who can help them learn. For the children without special needs, they have opportunities to teach the special needs children and for scaffolding, benefitting both parties. It is also beneficial for both types of children to be around children who are different from them, so they can learn from diversity.
  • daniela_a
    #16 daniela_a on 02 Mar 12
     
    I once had a teacher who was forced to have a "special needs" kid n our classroom. At first it was a little awkward getting use to the "usual" things she would do in front of the class. But little by little we got use to her and started treating her like a "normal" students. I think this was great for both the "normal" students and her. Some people go through life without having to deal with kids that have special needs and i think everyone should have so experience to be able to handle the situation right when it is in front of them
    "what there is evidence of is that if children with special needs mix with others, it helps to make people in society more accepting of difference."
    I think this quote is perfect and it hits a strong point in the article.
  • Lindsey Wilkinson
    #17 Lindsey Wilkinson on 02 Mar 12
     
    When considering all of the articles that we have read in class lately, I could not help but to think of Jefferson's theory of free public education for all and of common morals to instill in everyone. This seems to be overlooked when it comes to special needs students. The consensus seems to be free public education, unless you are more trouble than the average kid, then we need to stick you somewhere else to deal with you. I believe special needs could co-exist in schools with regular students and that the two could utilize mutual facilities while maintaining specifically needed ones in order to cut costs. I do appreciate the fact that this issue is being very talked about and is in the spotlight for celebrities and politicians alike. The more Americans care about this issue, the more government funds will be allocated for its benefit, and the more private and corporate funds that will be donated to help solve this issue. I think all of this press and debate is a good thing and that the efforts that are being made are fruitful even when they fail. Failure shows us what didn't work and allows us to try a new strategy, and from this I think that we can grow and find a solution.
  • Hope Kim Doit
    #18 Hope Kim Doit on 02 Mar 12
     
    I don't think including special needs in class is that debatable as it was before. Schools now offer accommodations for disabled students. They also have special programs that meet their needs. The big question is that whether or not the schools have the right accommodations and programs for the children or is there a balance of this program throughout all schools. In the article, Reiser mentioned that some special schools are used ten more times compared to the other area. There is an imbalance of application of these programs. Some schools may be aware that they are able to apply special education but they have not acted upon it.

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