Inclusion can be broadly defined as providing the same model of instruction for students with disabilities as is provide for students in the general education program. Elements of No Child Left Behind require that students are provided with an appropriate education in the least restrictive environment. Parents are in agreement with this because they do not want their children seperated from the general population. In addition NCLB requires that in order to meet Adequate Yearly Progress, all subgroups must demonstrate proficiency in indicated areas. Consequently, it is impossible for students with disabilities to meet this standard unless they are provided with instruction on the material that will be on state required assessment.
I have found that most recent graduates of special education teacher education programs are very knowledgeable about the elements of inclusions. In fact many have the course requirements to teach various subject areas. Recent special educators welcome the opportunity to be a viable part of what the classroom offers students today. The lacking elements are the preparation of general educators and administrators in building a successful inclusion program.
The purpose of this blog is to provide a demonstration of this process which is now in progress at an elementary school in an urban school system. The blog also fulfills a requirement of EDD 8410 of NOVA. I welcome and look forward to comments.
2 comments:
dAs a special education administrator, I am a strong supporter of inclusion. I agree that teachers are better prepared for the inclusion classroom. However, I am also believe that inclusion is not for everyone. We must be very careful when placing students in inclusive settings. We need to not only prepare our teachers, but also our students and their parents. In order for students with significant needs to be successful in an inclusive setting, the parents must prove support at home. In the District in which I work we also have self-contained classrooms at each grade level. This allows us to mainstream our students one academic area at a time.
Mike
Mary,
I am special education teacher, but I mostly teach MIID and MOID self-contained students. However, I do believe that inclusion can be successfully implemented if given the correct training and guidance. I think it is wonderful to have a special education teacher and a regular education teacher teaching side by side in a classroom. They can both learn so much from each other and the best part is that all student reap the benefits.
Rosa
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