Collaboration

Inclusion in the Classroom

Ashley Crutchfield

Troy University

Inclusion in the Classrooms

The inclusion of students with disabilities in the mainstream of general education remains one of the most contested topics in public education today (Fitch, 2003, 233). Inclusion involves putting students with disabilities into a classroom with their typically developing peers. Research has gone both ways with inclusion, some researchers feel that inclusion is the best environment for students with disabilities and others feel that disabled students do not get the correct curriculum in a regular setting classroom. According to Fitch (cited in Vaughn and Klinger, 1998, 86), “the important lesson is that no one educational model will meet the needs of all students with learning disabilities: thus there is an advantage to providing a range of educational models”.

One of the debates about inclusion is the general education teachers abilities to teach disabled students. A lot of people feel that the general educator is not qualified in taking on disabled students in their classrooms. Usually the teachers and principals are the people who work together with families and related service providers to identify the support the disabled student will need (Foreman, Kelly, Pascoe, & King, 2004, 184). General Education majors are having to take courses that deal with special education and learning how to teach disabled students. Most classrooms are filled with children who have a wide range of abilities, and most teachers try to create an environment in which all children, those with and without special needs, thrive (Greenspan, 2005, 58). A teachers goal is to promote “functional-emotional” skills, which is the ability to attend, relate, gesture intentions, problem solve, develop and express creative ideas, and think logically. Teachers are becoming more and more well equipped to provide students with these skills. Teaching the students is not the only thing the teacher is their

to do, they must develop a trusting relationship with the students before they can teach them. The teacher must meet the child at his or her own level, which means work with the student one on one and make sure they do not get left behind in the lesson. Also, tailor the child’s learning environment, this helps build greater competency. Finally, interact with children in ways that help them to think and problem-solve at their own levels (Greenspan, 2005, 59). By gauging the level of involvement and responsiveness of people with severe, profound, or multiple disabilities, educators can design individualized interventions that aim to maximize and sustain social participation (Foreman, 2004, 184).

Teachers are not the only people who can help children successfully integrate into an inclusive classroom. Parents play a big role in their child’s life. Parents can help their children even more by working with the teacher to provide an individualized plan and curriculum to better the child. Also, many things can be done away from school to enhance a disabled child’s ability to learn. Keeping certain items around the house can better enhance a child’s processing skills, such as, materials that stimulate the senses, items of different shapes, colored blocks, simple objects, boxes, or paper towel tubes, balls and beanbags, materials to build obstacle courses, and open-ended material (Greenspan, 2005, 59). Any of these items can help parents work with their kids outside of the classrooms, which helps the teacher and the students, disabled and non-disabled, accomplish more throughout the school day. Forming a trusting relationship with your child’s teacher is the key to a successful inclusive-classroom experience (Greenspan, 2005, 59).

Most studies are done on inclusion in the elementary level classrooms, but more and more studies are now popping up about inclusion in the secondary level of students. Although,

secondary level presents challenges as well. The major challenge is the fact there is not enough research done on the secondary level of students. The less research that is accomplished, the less researchers can tell if inclusion is the best route to go for students. Inclusion on the secondary level has its advantages as well.

There are many potential advantages to educational inclusion on the secondary level. Perhaps most important, inclusion ensures access to the general education curriculum, an important consideration in recent IDEA amendments. Inclusion can also provide opportunities for expanding social networks and forming new friendships (Mastropieri & Scruggs, 2001, 265).

Secondary level inclusion has advantages and disadvantages just like elementary level inclusion but at least there is more research to back-up elementary level inclusion.

There are many characteristics of successful inclusive classrooms. Mastropieri and Scruggs state many of these characteristics, such as, administrative support, this support included both positive attitudes and resource allocation to facilitate inclusive efforts, also, support from special education personnel, this means that the general education teacher will be provided with assistance by co-teaching, instructional adaptations, and classroom assistance with paraprofessional. Also, accepting positive classroom atmosphere, this involves teachers having positive attitudes about children with differences in their classrooms and by having this kind of attitude makes the environment accepting. A negative environment can undermine inclusion efforts. Another characteristic is, appropriate curriculum, the teacher needs to have a curriculum that can accommodate many diverse needs. Secondary inclusive classrooms need effective teaching skills. These skills involve the SCREAM variables, structure, clarity, redundancy,

enthusiasm, appropriate pace, and maximized engagement. Inclusion also needs peer assistance. Teachers have a lot of curriculum to cover throughout the day and if the teacher takes advantage of peers who are able to help other peers than the teacher can get more accomplished. Finally, disability-specific teaching skills are needed for an inclusive secondary classroom. Teachers have to be able to exhibit skills targeted to the special learning needs of individuals students (2001, 266).

Another disadvantage of secondary level inclusion is the teachers attitudes of teaching inclusion students. Secondary level is different from elementary in fact that some considerations are particularly relevant for secondary inclusive classrooms, including an emphasis on higher level content knowledge, independent study skills, and the