INCLUSION

Inclusion

Essay: 1

Inclusion

Introduction

During the course of the study, different research journals and publications were critically explored and analyzed in order to get an insight of the term “inclusion”. Inclusion has been defined in several different ways. The absence of one single standard definition of “inclusion” has impaired communication and resulted in the confusion across, families, professionals, and agencies. However, public laws have suggested a criteria for the definition of “inclusion”, still the contrast exist among the people regarding the definitions. (Cook, 2007)The concept of inclusive education grew out of the concept of mainstreaming. Both concepts have at their foundation the idea of providing access to general education for students with disabilities. This similarity has confounded many in the field of education. Some educators see the terms main-streaming and inclusion as interchangeable. Other educators view them as entirely different concepts. Whereas conceptually the terms may represent similar ideas, in practice they seem to have clear differences.

Discussion

Inclusion is not defined in any federal legislature; as a result, the definition of inclusion has varied through several educational reform movements. School systems have defined inclusion according to the beliefs and philosophies of the districts. Dissent among parents and advocacy groups regarding inclusive practices is common. (Bursuck, 2009)This entry provides a brief history of inclusive practices and the continued differing opinions as to the effectiveness of including students with exceptional needs in the general education setting. For a purpose of discussion, a single definition of “inclusion” I have preferred is “it is an educational approach to cater the needs of the exceptional people with exceptional educational needs (such as people with physical disability)”.

The basic rationale behind the concept of inclusion is to provide these people with the opportunity to mingle with other non-disabled people and spend maximum time with these people, so that they develop a tendency to participate and contribute to society in equal terms. Inclusion is a very different practice. In inclusive settings, there are no eligibility criteria. (Friend, 2008)The general education teacher has primary responsibility towards the exceptional students in his or her class room. The exceptional students with disabilities are treated equally with the other students. Students with disabilities would not be removed from the general education classroom for failure to make progress. Instead, additional supports or instructional methods would be applied to accommodate the student's needs within that setting.

If changes in behavior occur, students would not be removed unless they posed a threat to themselves or to other students or in the event that the behavior caused consistent disruption to the academic progress of others. Instead of removal, assessments, such as a functional behavior assessment, would be performed to determine additional supports necessary to continue a student's participation in the general education classroom. Mainstreaming is primarily centered on altering the student to fit the environment. Inclusive practices are centered on altering the environment to fit the student's needs. (Frattura, 2006)In addition to a student's supports and services being delivered in the general education environment, inclusive settings include an expectation of ...