What is Inclusion?

Many times  children in special education may change their placement to an inclusion classroom. Consequently, parents may ask many questions about this arrangement. To reduce anxiety on the part of parents we should provide as much practical information as possible. This Parent Teacher Conference Handout provides information to parents on certain facts about inclusion.

Inclusion Is:

• All children learning in the same school environment supported by supportive services so that they can be successful in their adjustment and performance
• Having each student’s specific needs addressed in the integrated environment of a regular school setting
• All children participating equally in all aspects/functions available within the school
• Educating and providing support for regular classroom teachers who will have disabled children in their classroom
• Educating children to be tolerant of and to respect the differences in each other
• Creating a comfortable environment within which students with and without disabilities can develop healthy social interactions and relationships
• Educating and supporting parents in their concerns
• Allowing parents to participate in the team process responsible for inclusion
• Arranging for appropriate work and educational experiences for disabled children within the community environments
• Using new delivery systems for special education programs that emphasizes collaboration between special education staff and the
• classroom teachers
• All children learning together in the same environment even though their educational needs and prescribed goals may differ
• Making sure that each child has an appropriate individualized educational program

Inclusion isnot:

• Dumping children with challenging needs into regular classes without proper supports and services they need to be successful
• Trading the quality of a child’s education or the intensive support services the child needs for integration
• Ignoring each child’s unique needs
• Sacrificing the education of typical children so that children with challenging needs can be integrated
• All children having to learn the same thing, at the same time, in the same way
• Doing away with or cutting back special education services
• Expecting regular education teachers to teach children who have challenging needs without the support they need to teach children all children effectively
• Locating special education classes in separate wings at regular schools
• Ignoring parent’s needs
• Maintaining separate schedules for students in special and regular education
   

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