Importance of Inclusion for Students with Disabilities 1

Importance of Inclusion for Students with Disabilities

Research Paper
Steven Greene
Drake University
Introduction to Behavioral Disorders and Learning Disabilities SPED 225
Professor Michael A. Couvillon, Ph.D.
November 12, 2013








Importance of Inclusion for Students with Disabilities 2
Abstract
This paper will take an in depth look at inclusion in the classroom. Some of the areas that will be
looked at will be an overview of inclusion, general problems faced by students with disabilities,
learning disabilities, emotional and behavior disabilities, reasons to be against inclusion, and
reasons to be for inclusion. This paper will bring to light many real problems faced by students in
general education classrooms. This paper will also point out findings that will help a student with
a disability be successful in class and why inclusion is not successful in some cases. It is my
finding that inclusion in the classroom is needed but will only be truly successful if the support
of the entire community is behind inclusion.










Importance of Inclusion for Students with Disabilities 3
Overview of Inclusion
The Individuals with Disabilities Act stated that students needed to be educated in the
least restrictive environment possible (Obiakor, Harris, Mutua, Rotatori, & Algozzine, 2012;
Swain, 2012). In the 2004-2005 school year 96% of students were taught in general education
classrooms and half of the students with disabilities spent their day in an inclusive setting
(Alquraini, & Gut, 2012). Inclusion is an education model that allows children with and without
disabilities to be in the same general education classroom and this model meets the expectations
of the mandate. This educational practice is a way that all of the educational requirements are
met. Inclusion also allows students with disabilities to have opportunities to build friendships and
gain role models in social skills. Another benefit of inclusion is that it allows general education
students without disabilities a chance to become better-rounded individuals as they learn to work
alongside people with differences (Anati & Ain, 2012;Girli, 2013; Obiakor, Harris, Mutua,
Rotatori, & Algozzine, 2012; Wong-Ratcliff & Ho, 2011). The definition that supports inclusion
in schools is from Wah (2010), Inclusion is better defined as a process by which a school
attempts to respond to all students as individuals by reconsidering its curricular organization and
provision and through this process, the school builds its capacity to accept all students form the
local community who wish to attend and, in so doing, reduces the need to exclude pupils (p.
99). This is the definition that this paper will be using for the word inclusion as it relates to
schools.
Inclusion is equality for all students in the same classroom. In the inclusion setting all
modifications and accommodations a student needs are still provided. Students in an inclusive
setting are taught using the same evidenced based practices that general education students are
taught with. In a regular education classroom there should be differentiation done to meet the
Importance of Inclusion for Students with Disabilities 4
needs of the exceptional as well as differentiation done to meet the needs of every learners
ability (Alquraini, & Gut, 2012; Casale-Giannola, 2012; Obiakor, Harris, Mutua, Rotatori, &
Algozzine, 2012; Swain, 2012). Therefore the same practices that are already being done are
only adjusted to meet specific needs of a student with a disability.
General Problems Faced by Children with Disabilities
Children with disabilities are known to have problems with people due to inappropriate
or lack of social skills. A believed cause of this is due to self-contained classrooms or having
these children in isolation. This isolation also has been seen to lead to depression for these
students. Another problem that has been seen is verbal and physical abuse by peers of anyone
that does not fit perfectly into the category of social norms. This also can cause isolation for
students with disabilities. The result of the abuse received can affect a student in becoming a
factor in causing emotional, behavior, and academic problems. Studies have also shown that
students with disabilities that are not accepted can cause low self-esteem, negative self-concept,
decreased self-confidence, introversion, feelings of peer neglect, and shyness (Girli, 2013).
Children diagnosed with autism have condition causing problems that generally make it
more difficult for them to form relationships with others. Children with autism are generally
reluctant to make friends, have difficulty responding appropriately in social interactions, do not
comprehend social dialogue, and have trouble-sharing interests with their peers. These same
problems can be seen in many intellectual deficiencies to varying degrees (Girli, 2013). These
problems though should not be why we keep them in self-contained classrooms. Instead these
problems should instead be valued and allow our community to meet those needs.
Importance of Inclusion for Students with Disabilities 5
To meet the needs of all children proper classroom management and effective teaching
strategies are not an option. The concept of self for most people is being mainly determined
during their time in school. All students need to feel that there teacher believe in them and
expects them to succeed. These students also need to feel supported by the teacher as well as feel
like they belong with the class. A since of community should be established for all of the
students in the classroom (Casale-Giannola, 2012; Girli, 2013). Teachers need to create an
adjustable curriculum depending on the strengths and needs of their class. Teachers must also
build a connection with all of their students so that they know that they a positive relationship
with the teacher. Once this connection is done the teacher will know what is necessary to
motivate the student to get them to perform their best in the classroom. Their lesson plans should
be tied to the real world and be engaging for all students (Alquraini, & Gut, 2012; Casale-
Giannola, 2012; Florian, 2010). All teaching practices should use many ways to engage the
students of any classroom not just a classroom that has a student with a disability.
Learning Disabilities
As inclusion is used more it will take effective teachers in the classroom for this model to
work correctly. That is due to the fact that for these students to make progress the teachers will
need to know and use research based interventions with the students (Alquraini, & Gut, 2012;
Wadlington, 2008; Wong-Ratcliff & Ho, 2011). Children with learning disabilities are on the rise
for entering an inclusive classroom and it is the responsibly of the teacher to differentiate
effectively to meet those needs.
The amount of time children with Autism are spending in general education settings has
been on the rise. In 2003 27% of all children with Autism spent 80% of the day in a general
Importance of Inclusion for Students with Disabilities 6
education classroom. A recent study on students with autism was done with students with similar
IQ and adaptive behavior scores. The study did find that all of the students with autism still had
weak areas that not much progress was made. However in the areas that these children were able
to make growth an inclusive setting proved more beneficial in many ways. In research on the
inclusion benefits for students with autism and other learning disabilities have shown substantial
growth in the areas if social interaction, skill development in academic areas, and
communication skills for all students in an inclusive learning environment (Kurth &
Mastergeorge, 2010; Wong-Ratcliff & Ho, 2011).
This shows that although students with disabilities may have specific areas of needs it
does not mean that they cannot make growth in other areas. An inclusive environment that
supports them will allow growth in social areas as well as academic areas. By making gains in
the social areas is one of the main ways to prevent depression and feelings of isolation in
students.
Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities
To meet the needs of students with emotional and behavior issues an effective teacher is
needed in the inclusion classroom. This teacher needs to have routines in place for the children,
use group learning to build relationships cooperative relationships between the students, use
reward type systems like timed breaks, and implement supports to keep a student on task
(Casale-Giannola, 2012).
ADHD children in a study were placed in inclusive classrooms. The study found that the
other students did not include these children due to reputational biases that were already formed.
When teachers used effective strategies like positive reinforcement in front of the class and
Importance of Inclusion for Students with Disabilities 7
behavior interventions that were not done in front of the entire classroom the boys with ADHD
were seen to have an increase in peer interaction and friendships. However with female students
they believed that the social norm differences ADHD causes in this study showed no increased
effectiveness for female students to gain more social interactions (Mikami, Griggs, Lerner,
Emeh, Reuland, Jack, & Anthony, 2013).
This simple study is but one look at many different types of behavioral needs. However
the same effective practices and slight changes can meet similar needs of many behavior and
emotional issues. This shows that as a teacher you have to break down biases in a classroom and
explain to students at a young age about differences so that these inequalities are not ingrained in
children for life. This is an excellent reason why students should be in inclusive environments
throughout K-12 to make even general education students more well rounded and understanding
of the differences that make up every person.
Reasons to be Against Inclusion
Inclusion rising has led some people to question the effectiveness of inclusion as it relates
to teaching academic skills. This problem has been especially highlighted at the secondary level
where the curriculum is taught at a faster pace, higher expectations, less study time, content
specific instruction, and high-stakes testing. There are also worries that in some classes for
example a vocational class that students will lack the necessary skills to perform the tasks
(Casale-Giannola, 2012; Kurth & Mastergeorge, 2010).
Some experts have conducted studies that say students in an inclusive setting are still
lower on the social spectrum than their general education peers. It has also been found that in
surveys students with disabilities felt they did not have the trust of their fellow classmates and
Importance of Inclusion for Students with Disabilities 8
that there was a negative relationship with their teachers (Girli, 2013; Obiakor, Harris, Mutua,
Rotatori, & Algozzine, 2012; Wong-Ratcliff & Ho, 2011). These studies also mentioned later
that effective teaching strategies and truly including the children in the classroom community
would probably change these feelings.
New teachers have voiced the feeling that their schooling did not properly prepare them
to teach students with disabilities. They are not alone in the fact that from the district down to
veteran teachers have also felt that they do not know enough to properly teach a student with a
disability effectively. Another complaint is that many teachers do not feel they have had time to
prepare their lessons properly to have inclusive classrooms. These feelings are not a good start
due to the fact that when a person feels inadequate these feelings are then reflected through their
behaviors (Casale-Giannola, 2012; Swain, 2012; Wong-Ratcliff & Ho, 2011). Teachers also have
shown worry of having other adults that may judge them in their room working with special
needs children (Wong-Ratcliff & Ho, 2011). All of these worries can be eliminated if proper
measures are taken. For example let teachers take classes to gain the knowledge they need to feel
prepared. Teacher training in the areas of disability education has been found to alleviate the
worries of teachers that feel inadequate to teach children with disabilities (Swain, 2012).
Administration needs to support their teachers in preparing them adequately for students with
disabilities entering their classroom. The most important factor is that all teachers need to be
using effective teaching strategies in their regular education classrooms so that only minor
changes will be needed to differentiate for a student with a disability.
Reasons to be For Inclusion
Importance of Inclusion for Students with Disabilities 9
Restrictive settings have a tendency to not give the students access to the same
curriculum. These settings also make students with disabilities fall outside of the community
type setting of school. Everyone should view individual differences not as a deficit but must be a
valued part of the person. The differences that make up each individual should enhance a
classroom and not hurt it (Obiakor, Harris, Mutua, Rotatori, & Algozzine, 2012; Wah, 2010).
Inclusion is not putting children with disabilities in a classroom and teaching the same
way. Inclusion is including all children in the classroom and getting them all meaningful
participation. Every child may not show improvement in all areas or any areas in an inclusive
setting. However that does not mean that the practice of doing this is wrong or that the teacher
strategies used to differentiate for this student are not beneficial for everyone (Alquraini, & Gut,
2012; Casserly, 2011; Obiakor, Harris, Mutua, Rotatori, & Algozzine, 2012).
To teach in an inclusion classroom all of the students strengths and needs must be
considered for each lesson. To do this teachers will need to work towards a greater knowledge in
instruction, modifications, pedagogical practices, and strategies. These same skills that will make
these teachers effective with a diverse population of students in an inclusion classroom will also
make these teachers more effective with the general education students. (Alquraini, & Gut,
2012; Casale-Giannola, 2012; Florian, 2010; Wah, 2010; Wong-Ratcliff & Ho, 2011). It is
apparent that inclusion is not supposed to be a changing a car into an airplane. However you
could look at it as taking a standard car and giving it all of the options.
Summary
If you take anything away about inclusion remember it is not putting children with
disabilities in a classroom and teaching the same way. Inclusion is including all children in the
Importance of Inclusion for Students with Disabilities 10
classroom and getting them all meaningful participation (Casserly, 2011; Obiakor, Harris,
Mutua, Rotatori, & Algozzine, 2012). The practices that are needed to teach a student with a
disability are exactly what an effective teacher should be implementing all the time in there
lessons with or without a student with a disability.
The aspects that can help a student with a disability by being in a school atmosphere that
embraces inclusion are the important factors. Inclusion has been shown to increase social skills
as well as academic performance. This coupled with all children understanding each others
differences will make a more diverse and accepting culture in the school. Everyone has things
that make them unique and it is time to start taking down the walls that social norms have
created. Bias or prejudicial views in our present culture should not be tolerated anymore. Our
culture has made strides in taking the importance of what race a person is out of the classroom.
Our culture needs to start changing the way people think and judge a person with a
disability. Let us again look at the definition on inclusion from Wah (2010), Inclusion is better
defined as a process by which a school attempts to respond to all students as individuals by
reconsidering its curricular organization and provision and through this process, the school
builds its capacity to accept all students form the local community who wish to attend and, in so
doing, reduces the need to exclude pupils (p. 99). By using that definition when considering
inclusion it is clear to me why this is so important for all students to be a part of general
education classrooms from K-12
th
grade. This is not an individual, classroom, or even a school
problem. This is a problem that needs to be faced for our community. This is a way that all
students can have a chance to live and thrive in their community and it all starts by the school
taking the necessary steps to include them.
Importance of Inclusion for Students with Disabilities 11
References
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Casserly, A. (2011). Children's experiences of reading classes and reading schools in Ireland.
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Importance of Inclusion for Students with Disabilities 12
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