Exploring the Intergration of Special Needs Pupils in Main Stream Schools - Essay Example

?The Effects of Inclusive Education on Children with SEN Introduction The issue on inclusion or integration of children with special educational needs (SEN) to mainstream education has been a subject of debate among authorities and experts for many decades now. Questions on the ability of the SEN pupils to face the pressures of a mainstream school and the capacity of these schools to cater the special needs of these children are only few of the identified points that can hinder the possibility of achieving the highest potentials of these children while attaining education in mainstream schools. Despite these concerns, several local, national, and even international organizations worldwide have always advocated that segregation -- that is, the act of separating these children from the general population -- is an outright violation of their rights since it is believed that integration to mainstream education is a key to promoting their overall health and well being. In connection, this paper will seek for evidences to these claims by reviewing related literatures that tackle the issues surrounding the situation. This will also present the execution and process of a mini case study involving three children with SEN. Review of Related Literature Education among children with disabilities has always been one of the most confidential topics affecting the population. Issues on the physical and mental limitations in these children caused by their disabilities were of the essence as these have been the bases of prior beliefs and interventions in terms of education. Likewise, other factors (e.g., social discrimination, the needs of the children, parental or familial, and economic factors, etc.) have also been considered by other researches and studies that have played a role in the choice of the parents and authorities in terms of educating children with special needs (Power-de-Fur & Orelove, 1997; Lindsay, 2007; Roberts & Zubrick, 1992); others even compared the effectiveness of both (mainstreaming and segregating) (Buysse & Bailey, 1993). This part of the paper will discuss the history of the concept of integration of the children with SEN to mainstream education and the issues surrounding it. Inclusive Education of Children with SEN: A Look Back. Primarily, children with disabilities -- either physical or mental, or both -- were considered as ineducable that they naturally and simply would not be allowed to enroll in educational programs of any form, especially those who are severely disabled; a condition which continues to affect some of these people even until now (Charlton, 2000, p.43). Nevertheless, as civilization sprang and as equality among communities of different backgrounds and characteristics had since then been pushed by many of its advocates, public policies thrust efforts of educating this particular population by creating specific and segregated bodies that can provide and cater for their specific needs (Power-deFur & Orelove, 1997, p.1). The children with SEN are categorized according to their identified needs and disabilities. Parents, and even government authorities, as well as experts, then decide as to what specific institutions and educational models or approaches would fit to offer and accommodate the special needs of these children based on prior studies and evidences (Lindsay, 2003). Many believe that these steps of segregation are essential; that they not only offer education and a brighter future to the children with learning difficulties but it does so in a safe and secured environment as they (e.g., parents, guardians, etc.) perceive it and as proposed by existing guidelines (Bredekamp & Rosegrant, 1992). However, just as it has been pointed out earlier, human right advocates say that exclusion of children with SEN from the mainstream education is an offense to their rights; resulting to further seclusion of this particular population and their families from the general society which take toll on their social, economical, psychological, and emotional present and future health and well being as noted by the United Nations along with other prominent organizations protecting the right of the people with disabilities (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations [UNESCO], n.d.). The concept of the inequality brought by segregated education was first publicized by Dunn in 1986 (as cited in Allen & Cowdery, 2005). Certainly, children with SEN and their families are equally burdened by the impact of social stigma as they are stressed by the other condition-related effects of the disability such as healthcare needs and others. Although some have noted the positive effects of having a child with disability in the family (Stainton & Besser, 1998) with “source of joy and happiness; increased sense of purpose and priorities; expanded personal and social network and community involvement” as some of these, many of these studies also justify its negative effects (Hoare, et al., 1998). These include negative interaction and discrimination from the society and the stress that comes with it, less time to take of other responsibilities (e.g., work-related), and many more (Fine & Asch, 1988; Green, 2003; Jahoda & Markova, 2004; King, et al., 1999). Recently, new organizations -- in addition to the existing ones -- have been formed and new policies have been created that promote inclusion of the children with SEN in mainstream education (House of Commons: Education and Skills Committee, 2006, p. 473). Although some studies found almost the same levels of positive effects between inclusion or integration education and segregated education (Lindsay, 2007; Klingner, et al., 1998; Vaughn, et al., 1996), inclusion is still primarily suggested because it is unarguably right as dictated by natural human rights. In fact, some researchers (e.g., Fulcher, Newman and Roberts, to mention some) have supported that there is no need to scientifically support the concept of inclusion with research and studies since inclusion or integration of children to mainstream education as a “value-driven policy ‘cannot be evaluated by an ecological-systems model, nor by rich databases, nor by looking at the interdependence of elements of the system” (Thomas, et al., 1998, pp.18-19). Nevertheless, there also exist a vast load of evidences on the role that inclusion or integration to mainstream education plays in the improvement of social and learning abilities of the children with SEN (Jenkinson, 1997, p.108). Whether there be legitimacy to all these claims, however, further studies are suggested. To build a personal account about this, a mini case study involving three children with SEN will be initiated. Participants. The mini case study will determine the relationship between of integrating them to mainstream education and the effect of such change to them among three children with SEN chosen through a convenience sampling method. The researcher will ask for assistance from the local social welfare department to identify the children in the community with ages ranging from six to eight years old who have SEN, and who goes to the same inclusive school not only for further convenience but to have relatively the same standards of observation. Methodology. Utilizing personal resources, the case study will include three main methodologies to gather the data needed for analyses and interpretation. The case participants will be subjected to uninformed observation and one-on-one interview with the child, a family member, a teacher, and a head of the inclusive education institution. The study will mainly follow a descriptive qualitative approach; that is, observations and information collected from the three participants will be summarized, analyzed, and interpreted to identify particular patterns and differences among them as they are subjected to inclusive education considering their learning or educational conditions caused by disabilities. Ethical Approval. Although this mini case study does not involve an extensive coverage of samples, the process shall be made sure to follow an ethical approach. Firstly, the researcher will seek for the approval of the University Instructor handling the subject, as well as of the head of the local social welfare department where the names of probably participants will be collected. Permission from the parents of the children, their teachers, and the head of the inclusive education institution will also be requested. This will be done to ensure that all the steps undertaken are within the bounds of logical, ethical, and cultural reason, especially that the involved participants have learning disabilities and are minors who are more prone to vulnerabilities than those who have or are not. References Allen, K.E. & Cowdery, G. E., 2005. The exceptional child: inclusion in early childhood education. Clifton Park: Thomson Delmar Learning. Bredekamp, S. & Rosegrant, T., 1992. Reaching potentials: appropriate curriculum and assessment for young children. Vol. 1. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children. Buysse, V. & Bailey, D.B. Jr., 1993. Behavioral and developmental outcomes in young children with disabilities in integrated and segregated settings: a review of comparative studies. Journal of Special Education, Winter, 26 (4), pp. 434-461. Charlton, J. I., 2000. Nothing about us without us: disability oppression and empowerment. LA, California: University of California Press. Fine, M. & Asch, A., 1988. Disability beyond stigma: social interaction, discrimination and activism. Journal of Social Issues, Spring, 44 (1), pp. 3-21. Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Education and Skills Committee, 2006. Special educational needs: third report of session 2006-06: 3. Written evidence: House of Commons Papers 478-iii 2005-06. UK: The Stationery Office. Green, S. E., 2003. “What do you mean ‘what’s wrong with her?’”: stigma and the lives of families of children with disabilities. Social Science & Medicine, 57 (8), pp. 1361. Hoare, P., Harris, M., Jackson, P. & Kerley, S., 1998. A community survey of children with severe intellectual disability and their families: psychological adjustment, carer distress and the effect of respite care. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, June, 42 (1), pp. 218-227. Jahoda, A. & Markova, I., 2004. Coping with social stigma: people with intellectual disabilities moving from institutions and family home. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, November, 48 (8), pp. 719-729. Jenkinson, J. C., 1997. Mainstream or special? Educating students with disabilities. New York, NY: Routledge. King, G., King, S., Rosenbaum, P. & Goffin, R., 1999. Family-centered caregiving and well-being of parents of children with disabilities: linking process with outcome. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 24 (1), pp. 41-53. Klingner, J.K. et al., 1998. Outcomes for students with and without learning disabilities in inclusive classrooms. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 13 (3), pp. 152-161. Lindsay, G., 2003. Inclusive education: a critical perspective. British Journal of Special Education, March, 30 (1), pp. 3-12. Lindsay, G., 2007. Educational psychology and the effectiveness of inclusive education/mainstreaming. British Journal of Educational Psychology, March, 77 (1), pp. 1-24. Power-deFur, L.A. & Orelove, F.P. 1997. Inclusive education: practical implementation of the least restrictive environment. In: L. A. Power-deFur & F. P. Orelove, ed. Inclusive education: the past, present and future. Maryland: Aspen Publishers, pp. 1-14. Roberts, C. & Zubrick, S., 1992. Factors influencing the social status of children with mild academic disabilities in regular classrooms. Exceptional Children, 59 (3), pp. 192+. Stainton, T. & Besser, H., 1998. The positive impact of children with an intellectual disability on the family. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 23 (1), pp. 57-70. Thomas, G., Walker, D., & Webb, J., 1998. Inclusive education: the ideals and the practice. In: K. Topping and S. Maloney, eds. The RoutledgeFalmer reader in inclusive education. New York, NY: RoutledgeFalmer, pp. 17-28. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations, n.d. Children with disabilities. [Online] Available at: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/ strengthening-education-systems/inclusive-education/children-with-disabilities/ [Accessed 19 January 2011]. Vaughn, S., Elbaum, B. E. & Schumm, J. S., 1996. The effects of inclusion on the social functioning of students with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 29 (6), pp. 599-608. Read More