Inclusion- 1200 Words

Inclusion is a Must
Throughout history, students with disabilities have not always been included into the public education system. Along with the public education system, students with disabilities have not been included into the general education classroom. Today, laws ensure that every student is to be integrated into the general education classroom in the least restrictive environment as much as possible. Including students with disabilities into the general education classroom enables all students for better learning opportunities and the highest amount of success and is a strategy that should be used by all teachers. Certain teachers may find that the least restrictive environment for a student with disabilities cannot be found in the general education classroom.
Students with disabilities learn best when they are in their least restrictive environment which can be defined as the place that does not limit their ability to receive the best education possible. The least restrictive environment can be defined as the student’s right to be educated in the setting most like the educational setting for peers without disabilities in which the student can be successful, with certain supports provided according to the article “Including Students with Special Needs” (Friend, Bursuck 3). In the field of education, it is essential that all students receive accommodations and modifications to make the best learning opportunities possible. Integrating students as much as possible into the general education classroom is one of the best ways for students with disabilities to learn. It is one of the most important aspects of a child’s education. A child’s education should be based on his or her abilities, not to be focused on their disabilities.
In 1975, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act was passed; it gave students with disabilities the opportunity to participate in the public school system. Throughout the years and after many revisions, the EAHCA is now named the Individuals with Disabilities Act 2004. According to an article from “Including Students with Special Needs”, IDEA 2004 guarantees that every student with a disability is given a free and equal education educated in the least restrictive environment, nondiscriminatory evaluation, due process and zero reject-child find (Friend, Bursuck 12). IDEA 2004 mandates that general and special education teachers collaborate together to include students with special needs into the general education classroom as much as possible. IDEA 2004 does not make the term inclusion a law; mainstreaming and the least restrictive environment are included into the IDEA regulations (Hall, 358).
As a general education teacher, it is important to focus on good teaching for each and every child in the classroom. In addition to the general education classroom, the special education classroom and other related services are to be added, but not to be separate to the curriculum in the general education classroom. General and special education teachers are most definitely responsible for making accommodations and modifications as well as providing special services to students with special needs.
Some educators may find that including students in the general education classroom is not teaching them in his or her least restrictive environment. Students with special needs may need to be placed in a special education classroom to fulfill achievement and success. Also, some teachers may find that even the special education classroom is not the least restrictive environment and may push to have certain students placed in settings outside of the public school. Settings outside of the public school can be places where children live there, and hospitals just associated for people with special needs. Stated by Kaufman, students can learn from each other in both a positive and negative way; for some students it can reflect positively on the student. On the other hand, some educators find that students do not consistently learn from peer models, and opportunities to apply new skills do not necessarily result in the acquisition of new skills (Kaufman, 31).
The definition of success can differ from educator to educator. For example, one teacher may feel a student is achieving successfully in the general education classroom, but according to another teacher’s standard, that same student is failing in the general education setting. Many professionals do not debate whether inclusion should be practiced but rather how it is practiced. Over the years, teachers have argued that inclusion neglects more pragmatic goals such as student achievement, and effective instruction and criticized the lack of clear definition and logical arguments (Kauffman, 30). Some teachers may argue how to specify whether a student with disabilities is needed to be placed in a special education classroom. The argument of how and where you draw the line becomes an issue when IDEA 2004 does not distinguish between the requirements.
Each and every teacher has the opportunity to decide what the least restrictive environment should consist of for all students. There are no laws that set boundaries as to what defines the least restrictive environment. According to an article from Timothy Heron, the guidelines are vague in defining what constitutes a least restrictive environment (Heron 115). Depending on the severity of the disability, each student achieves his or her maximum potential of success in different areas. It all is determined by what the students needs are. The students “team” collaborates together to figure out what that is. The least restrictive environment provides communication and a strong social status to students with disabilities to associate with students who do not have disabilities.
Every teacher has different philosophies and beliefs about how students are to be educated. One strategy for accommodating students with special needs in the general education classroom is to follow the INCLUDE strategy. As stated in the book “Including Student with Special Needs”, the INCLUDE stands for: Identifying environmental, curricular, and instructional classroom demands, Note student learning strengths and needs, Check for potential areas of student success, Look for potential problem areas, Use information gathered to brainstorm instructional adaptations, Evaluate student progress (Friend, Bursuck 148). Strategies such as this can be vital for a teacher who does not exactly believe in practicing including students with disabilities to the general education classroom. It is a guide for students with disabilities to achieve the highest level of achievement.
It is important to evaluate every students needs accordingly. The least restrictive environment varies from student to student. Every child has the right to a fair and free education; students with disabilities have the right to the same education as to students who do not have disabilities. Educators have the responsibility to find the least restrictive environment for everyone to guarantee success. Students often learn from each other and whether a student portrays a disability or not, it is essential that each student receive the same education. A student that does not have a disability can learn from a student who does, and vice versa. Every student is held accountable for his or her education which means providing certain accommodations and modifications for students with disabilities and with those accommodations and modifications, student success can be achieved in the general education classroom.