Special education inclusion signifies the participation of special
education students in regular education classrooms and provision of
support services to these students. The main objective of inclusion
education is that all students in a school, regardless of their
strengths and their weaknesses in any area, become part of the school
community. Every student develops a feeling of belonging with other
students, teachers, and support staff. In segregated special education,
children will not learn how to function in a non-disabled world. For
instance, children who are disabled in terms of communication and are
emotionally distressed would not communicate and might remain in a more
emotionally disturbed state in segregated settings. The federal
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) holds it mandatory
for schools to educate children with disabilities in general education
classrooms.
The prime advantage of special education inclusion is
that both disabled and non-disabled students are brought together in an
environment of togetherness. Children learn to accept individual
differences in inclusion education and this would lead to the
development of new friendly relationships. Inclusion education also
enables active participation of parents in their child's education. The
law also states that students with disabilities have a legal right to
attend regular classes and receive an appropriate education in the least
restrictive environment. Although the advantages are many, inclusion
education creates an uncertainty regarding the roles and
responsibilities of regular classroom teachers and special education
teachers. However, researches show that inclusion education can be made
effective by a healthy collaboration of special education teachers and
regular teachers. With the assistance of services that would be
available from the health department, physical education department,
occupational therapists, speech therapists, etc., the school
administration can aid the teachers to develop active lesson plans for
inclusion education. Thus schools can create a cooperative learning
environment and promote socialization.
