Inclusion is the opportunity for children with special needs to be placed in general education classrooms. I think this idea has both positive and negative outcomes. I do not think that inclusion is the right choice for all children with special needs. Due to the varying needs of children, deciding if inclusion is the right choice depends on the individual needs on the child.
Children with severe and profound disabilites would benefit more in a special education setting. In this setting, there are teachers that are trained and have studied specifically to work with these types of children. Class sizes are smaller and children are able to have more one on one time with a teacher than in a general education classroom. I think that because the teachers employed in this type of classroom may have more patience for working with these types of children. These teachers may perform tasks with these children that teachers in a general education classroom may not have to do. Teachers in a general education classroom may expect for their children to be more indepent and the children in the special education classroom may be more dependent on their teachers and caregivers.
Children with needs that are not as severe such as ADHD, minor communication issues such as hearing, and motor delays may experience success by being in a general education classroom. Many times these children can learn from other children as well as typical developing children learning from the children in their class with special needs. Children with special needs will not benefit in general education classrooms with impatient teachers and teachers that are not qualified to work with these children. Most times, children with special needs in general education classrooms are able to spend a few moments during the day receiving appropriate services to assist them (one on one therapies).
For some children, Inclusion may only be effective if they are able to receive appropriate therapy services. Some children can be taken out of the classroom setting for a few times per week to attend speech, OT, and/or PT sessions. Children will only be taken out of the classroom if it is more effective due to the need for a quiet area free of distractions. The child's progress towards goals should be documented by a consistent and reliable assessment. If the assessment does not reflect growth then the plan for this child's education should be re evaluated. I think this will give professionals and parents the evidence they need to make the best choices for the child's education.
I completely agree that children with hearing difficulties can benefit from other children in the classroom. I also like how you pointed out that you think it would be best to place children with more severe disabilities in a classroom that is specifically for special education children. I also think this would work better because there is a better teacher-student ratio and less children in the classroom. This gives the teacher more time to work one-on-one with each child.
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