INCLUSION

Inclusion

Inclusion

This paper summarizes two articles on the topic of inclusion. According to the authors of the first article, (Hubbard, 2006) many educators and many school professionals define it directly or indirectly as the location in which students with disabilities are educated. That is, they note that inclusion is the practice of placing students with disabilities in general education classes. Individuals who use this definition also sometimes talk about full inclusion and use this term to refer to keeping students with disabilities in general education settings all day, with no services offered in a separate location such as a resource room or special education classroom. Recently, this definition of inclusion has been expanded to also encompass the practice of placing students with other special needs, including those who are English language learners, in general education classrooms.

According to the author of the second article, (Marcus, 2005), the dilemma with this definition of inclusion is that it presumes that the mere act of changing the location in which students with disabilities or other special needs are educated somehow makes them true members of their classroom learning communities. Many situations exist to demonstrate that this is not the case. For example, in an elementary school priding itself on being inclusive the students in Ms. Robinson's third-grade class are participating in language arts instruction.

Personal Opinion

Whether or not mainstreaming/inclusion is the best ideology from the perspective of the student with special needs remains the topic of much heated debate. Opponents of inclusion argue for a continuum of educational placement, noting that the least restrictive environment does not require full inclusion in a general classroom for all special needs students, some of whom may benefit form a separate classroom and the focused attention of a specialist teacher. Opponents also argue that the most important equity issue is the quality and not the place of instruction. The identification and funding issues have also figured significantly in the mainstreaming/inclusion debate—students who need special education, as well as the corresponding funds and personnel that are required, must be clearly identified to ensure they receive appropriate services. Special services will be compromised or lost unless both funding and students are specifically targeted.

Advocates of inclusion argue that the labeling of students and physically separate education is inherently discriminatory and unequal, that special education has become a convenient way for general educators to avoid their responsibility to teach all students and so reduce ...