Inclusion Debate
Inclusion is a controversial concept in education because it relates to our values in education, as well as socially. Some of the questions that surround this topic are: do we value all children equally? What does “inclusion” mean? Does it mean the same thing to everyone? Are there some children for whom inclusion is inappropriate? Are there some teachers and/or schools that cannot or will not provide adequate and effective inclusive settings to meet the needs of all students?
What do YOU think? What is your stance in the inclusion debate? Respond to the questions above and support your assertions with evidence from the literature, research, and your personal and professional experiences?
Do we value all children equally? I would like to think that all children are valued equally. However, without the proper training in how to run an inclusive classroom or work with those whom have disabilities some teachers fail to value all children equally. Even when educators believe that students with special needs belong in inclusive settings, if they view the student from a deficit paradigm, highlighting what they cannot do, then the results for those students are lowered (Karten, T. 2011, pg. 159). In an inclusive setting, all students should be given the same chance to succeed.
What does “inclusion” mean? Inclusion is a term which expresses commitment to educate each child, to the maximum extent appropriate, in the school and classroom he or she would otherwise attend. It involves bringing the support services to the child (rather than moving the child to the services) and requires only that the child will benefit from being in the class (rather than having to keep up with the other students) (WEAC, 2007). To me, inclusion means that no matter the disability, if the student fells comfortable and does well the student can attend mainstream classes instead of felling casted aside, abandoned, or hidden. Inclusion gives the student a chance to...