The Significance of Inclusive Classroom - Essay Example

Nancy McCulley Steible English 490 30 November 2005 The Inclusive room: The Teacher's Response and a Right An inclusive classroom allows all students to be engaging in the learning process regardless of strengths or weaknesses. "Inclusion is really about school change to improve the education system for all students." (Grenot-Scheyer et al. 1). Including special education student in general education classes has sparked much debate over many years as laws have been developed to ensure that special needs children are given the same opportunities as all other children. There have been studies proving the social and academic benefits of the inclusive classroom despite teachers' reservations about the implementation of an inclusion program including the lack of teacher training, unwillingness to adapt curriculum, and unwillingness to collaborate with other teachers. Special needs students were place in special educational institutions separate from other students before 1970. Federal support of inclusion started in 1958 when Public Law 85-926 allowed the use of funding to prepare personnel at universities and researcher who would then train personnel to work with special needs children. Before this law, "Burke (1976) indicated. Only 40 colleges and universities reported coursework in mental retardation." (Kleinhammer-Tramill and Fiore 218). Although Public Law 85-926 allowed funding for personnel, other Public Laws were passed to expand the purpose of the funding. For example, Public Law 87-276 in 1961 allowed for the training of teachers for deaf children. Only two years later, Public Law 88-164 included training for personnel to work with children with many other special needs. These needs included children with mental retardation, emotional disturbances, deafness, and hearing, speech, visual, and health impairments. This law also created the Division of Handicapped Children and Youth. Congress passed Public Law 94-142 in 1975, which created the Handicapped Children Act allowing education for all children regardless of needs. With the federal funding and support to train personnel in special education, the number of degrees rewarded for such personnel increased from 5,341 to 14,144 master degrees and the number of preparation programs also grew from 40 to 698 colleges and universities (Kleinhammer-Tramill and Fiore 221). In 1990, the Federal government came to support full inclusion by passing the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Handicapped Children Act was amended and its name was changed to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in the 1990's. IDEA requires that all children with disabilities be educated in regular classrooms unless the disability is so severe that education in a regular classroom cannot be achieved. In 1997 there were some major changes to IDEA. The plan offered transportation and other related services to help a special needs child benefit from special education. It also allowed for supplemental aids and services to aid in a special need child's success within the inclusive classroom. Finally, general education teachers became involved in the process to include special needs children in general education classes. In 2001, Public Law 107-110 authorized the No Child Left behind Act (NCLB). This act requires that all classrooms be staffed with qualified teachers by the end of 2005-2006. There are some significant court cases concerning the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classes. In 1989, Daniel R. v. State Board of Education involved the education of a six-year-old boy with Down syndrome. The court determined that there is a two-part test involved in deciding if a special needs child is to be in an inclusive classroom. The first part is can education in the regular education classroom be achieved satisfactorily The second part is has the child been mainstreamed to the appropriate extent In 1993, Mavis v. Sobol determined in a New York City court that placement in a regular classroom was inadequate because the school did not provide adequate training for staff. A Virginia federal district court ruled that a student with autism should attend a general education classroom in the case of Hartmann v. Loudoun County Board of Education in 1996. In the case of Cedar Rapids Community School District v. Garret F of 1999, the Supreme Court ruled that medical treatment that can be administered by a non-physician for students with disabilities must be provided at the cost of the school. In Greer vs. Rome City School District, the parents of a daughter with special needs did not want there daughter to be segregated into a special education classroom. The court sided with the parents stating that if supplementary aids and services are satisfactory in the learning and development of the child then separate special education classes are not necessary. The districts argument was that cost would be to high, however, the court decided that the district must provide that service regardless of the cost. In each case, the courts decide if the district has placed the child in the appropriate learning environment that is the best learning environment for the child. The court looks out for the child's educational interest and follows through with an appropriate judgment. The law requires that special needs children be included in general education classroom for the benefit of the children. "The majority of research has focused on teacher perspectives" rather than student benefits. (Keefe and Moore 78). Studies have been conducted to determine if the inclusive classroom is beneficial to special education children. In each study, three outcomes were measured to determine the benefit of inclusion on special needs children. Academic achievement, behavior, and attendance of students in an inclusion setting were compared to those in a pullout instruction group. The study showed that the academic course grades of students in the inclusive classroom were higher than the other group in all four academic subjects of language arts, mathematics, science and social sciences. The grades averaged from a C or higher for 80% of the inclusion students in each subject area. The proficiency test results turned out similar results as the course grades. Inclusion students average higher scores on proficiency test then the students in the pullout group. The study also tested behavior differences: defining examples include disruptions, disobedience, and fighting. These behaviors would result in school suspension either in school or out-of-school. In the study, there was "no significant differences between the two groups relative to behavior that warranted in school or out-of-school suspensions." (Rea, McLaughlin, and Walter-Thomas 216). The study also showed changes in attendance. Students in the inclusive class attended more days then the pullout group of students. Students in the inclusive class missed an average of 5.6 days whereas students in the pullout special education program missed an average of 8.7 days. (Rea, McLaughlin, and Walter-Thomas 216). These results significantly show improvements in the level of academic achievement and attendance rate of special needs students when involved in a successful inclusive classroom. The behavior results suggest that the different classroom setting has no changing result to behavior. Other benefits to special education students are better communication and social skills, age appropriate models for behavior, become more active in school community, more education goals, a richer curriculum, and a larger network of friends to form social relationships. General education practices encourage social skills by teaming students together for class projects allowing for group discussion and learning. The interaction between general education children and special needs children help teach social and speech skills. Allowing an inclusive classroom opens the door for special needs students to take part in such activities and helps develop social skills. Students will learn cooperation, communication, active listening, and body language skills. These skills are important to learn and will help special education students. Inclusion is not only beneficial for students with disabilities but also for other students as well. Other students develop positive attitudes and comfort levels toward students with disabilities. The typical general education student benefits socially from inclusion by knowing and learning first hand that everyone is different and should be respected for those differences. As they obtain increased moral principles and have a larger network of peers for friendships to develop. General education students learn respect for other that are different from them and with this respect and understanding, children start to look out for each other. Non-special needs students also have the same amount of class time with the benefit of a co-teacher to aid in the understanding of the curriculum. This benefit helps increase their academic grades and also their self-esteem. Segregating special needs student can cause a lack of much needed social skills, lower academic achievement, and a lack of understanding about the world. Despite these obvious positive results for inclusion, teachers have reservations about the program. The lack of teacher training is one major concern. Mastropieri and Scrugg (2001) suggest that high school settings present a grater obstacle for co-teachers because of the emphasis on content area knowledge, the need for independent study skills, faster pace of instruction, high stakes testing, high school competency exams, less positive attitude of teachers, and the inconsistent strategies that were effective at the elementary school level. (Keefe and Moore 79). The lack of content area knowledge on the part of the co-teachers tends to lower these teachers to more of a teacher aid role then an equal partner to the general education teacher. The general education teacher and inclusion support teacher must both have a strong and clear understanding of the curriculum. Teachers need to be able to decide what needs to be presented and mastered by the students and it is helpful to have a knowledgeable co-teacher to aid in the decision. In order for the co-teacher relationship to succeed, training co-teachers in content knowledge is a must for the equal partner relationship to exist between co-workers. Another reservation teachers have about inclusion is the unwillingness to adapt curriculum and unwillingness to collaborate with other teachers. Many more experienced teachers are very set in their own teaching skills and styles. They are unwilling to adapt and modify their curriculum in ways that will be beneficial to both the inclusion students and the general education students. One general education teacher said that the individual adaptations of the inclusion support teacher for the students with disabilities were very helpful in meeting a variety of individual needs as well as gave her some good ideas regarding adaptations for other diverse learners in her class. (Grenot-Scheyer et al. 12). Teachers need to be more willing to adapt and modify their curriculum and teaching style for the benefit of all the students and also the teachers. Flexibility, adaptation, and modification are key components to a successful inclusive classroom. There are two types of adaptations: accommodations and modifications. "Accommodations refer to changes in the input and output process in teaching and assessment." (Polloway et al. 190). Some Examples are presentations, test, activities, or time schedule accommodations. "Modification refers to changes in content and/or standards." (Polloway et al. 190). For example, reducing the quantity of material that a student must be evaluated on. Modifications are least likely to be accepted by teachers and students whereas accommodations are more likely to be accepted. A survey of Junior High school students without disabilities questioned them on the fairness of accommodations and modifications on test. 60% of the students found the following accommodations fair: larger print, direction help, location of test in different room, extra study help, the test being read for student, and extra space to write a response. Only 20% of the student found the following modifications fair: testing on less material, providing a copy of the test before the actual test to aid in studying, open notes test, ability to test in a small group, open book test, and a take home test. In view of fairness, students view accommodations to be fairer than modification. Even so, adaptations are important to the success of the inclusion student and it is important for the methods used to be accepted by all involved in the inclusive classroom. Teachers also run into a lack of time to collaborate with other teachers. The school day is often stressful and rushed for a typical teacher especially in a high school setting. Finding the time to sit down and have a collaboration meeting with a co-teacher can be a burdensome problem. High school teachers had a more negative feeling toward inclusion then elementary teachers. High school teachers found other problems with inclusion on top of collaboration, training, and content area knowledge. These problems include larger class sizes, the rotation of classes, and larger school sizes. A special education teacher suggested keeping class size down to about thirty-five students. Still another problem is that teachers are not sure what the role the co-teacher should take. Does the co-teacher only work with the special needs students or does the teacher work with everyone, as does the general education teacher An inclusion teacher has particular student who require the teachers support, but the inclusion teacher can work with the entire class either directly or indirectly. The inclusion teachers' presence is beneficial to the whole class. Not only do the skills of the co-teacher aid the students but "other general education teacher report general benefits to having another adult in the classroom." (Grenot-Scheyer et al. 12). The support of a second teacher can be very comforting. Cost of education is another reason inclusion is the better choice. Special Education cost is rising because the numbers of special needs children are rising. In Vermont, there was a 31% increase of special needs children from 2000 to 2001. With the increasing number of children that need support, cost will also rise. An increase of space will be needed in special education facilities, more busses will be used, and more staff will have to be hired, which means more salaries to pay. The rising cost of inflation also plays a role; as inflation raises so do general price levels. Choosing inclusion will lower some of the cost. Inclusion cannot help with inflation; however, by using general education facilities the cost of more special education facilities is likely to be less. The number of busses will also be slightly smaller therefore decreasing the cost of bussing. Staff for special education will be less as well. Special education teachers will be hired to work in general education classrooms, but not as many will need to be hired. In reality, the inclusive classroom is more cost effective then separate special education class in the long run. Until inclusion is fully integrated, inclusion costs are going to be high. It will cost money to train the staff, obtain medical supplies, bus children to the new location, make sure parents know what is happening, and more. The change is not going to be easy and it is going to be costly, however, it is a beneficial plan for all who involved. After all the evidence is compiled, it is clear that inclusion is beneficial to both students and teachers. Teachers who have worked in an inclusion setting tend to be more positive about inclusion then those who have not worked in such a setting. Inclusion is a program that will take work to implement and perseverance to make it successful. Despite this, the benefits inclusion will bring forth are worth the work, time, and effort. Students, teachers, administrators, and even parent have to get involved in the inclusion process. Training and seminars will help with the knowledge and understand it will take to implement this program. General education teachers should obtain some special needs training. Likewise, Special education teachers should receive training in content area curriculum. The training will increase the success of the inclusive classroom. The special education teacher becoming a part of the general education classroom will add diversity to the teaching style and presentation of the curriculum, which will benefit all students and teachers. All students involved in the inclusive classroom will achieve higher academic goals and increased social skills and values. Teaching students about disabilities will change negative attitudes into positive attitudes and promote a student with better understanding and moral values. Friendships will develop increasing social skills, support, and understanding among students. Students will become more sensitive to the issues of the world around them. The classroom setting will engage students and increase achievement. There will be fewer absences if the classroom is engaging and interesting. Teachers will benefit from working closely with a co-teacher that can add to the effectiveness of the learning program and curriculum. Modifications and accommodations should be used to insure the success of the special needs child. These adaptations must be seen fair to all involved to insure a smooth running classroom environment. Inclusion may be costly at first, but cost will level out and it will be better for all involved once fully integrated. A successful inclusive classroom relies on certain teaching strategies to maintain a well-balanced and organized classroom conducive to learning. Communication between teacher, staff, parents and students is important. Setting expectations for the success of the classroom should be developed between the co-teachers. Develop a plan of diversity to be implemented in the classroom. Teachers should also discuss the prior knowledge of the students in the classroom so that the teachers can build on their past knowledge to better serve their learning. Appropriate language should also be used by teachers and by the students in the classroom. Allow time to teach sensitivity and proper conduct in the classroom environment. These communications will help the classroom run smoother. The open communication between the teachers and the students will teach the students openness and communication skills through example. Parents should also be a part of the communication. Parent teacher communication about inclusion and the classroom strategies will help parents better understand and communicate with their children about their education. Another strategy for a successfully classroom environment is to develop a support system for the student. Allowing time to teach successful study and discipline skills will help all students in the inclusive classroom to succeed. Setting guidelines and behavior requirements will set a tone for success as well as provide that students with some much needed skills. Notifying the students of the other available study resource and acknowledging to them that the staff is always there to help no matter what the issue will develop a support system for the students. A strong support system is an important key to student success. One other strategy is to have diversity in teaching. The co-teachers should discuss how to teach each lesson and what to teach so that it is presented to the students in a diverse and interesting way that will benefit the students' education. Teachers who are going to work in an inclusive setting should also continue to learn and research strategies and skills that will help them continue to provide the best educational experience possible. Characteristics of the successful inclusive classroom include attitudes, accommodations, school support, and collaboration. School staff must have a positive attitude toward inclusion for the program to succeed. The special education and general education staff must be committed to collaboration efforts and must be prepared to accept responsibility for the learning outcomes of all students involved. The staff must be prepared to receive students with disabilities and the staff must make sure the students are prepared fore that same. A positive attitude is a great place to start when developing a successful inclusion program. Schools must also make sure they make the appropriate accommodations for the health and well being of all students involved. Services such as speech therapy, health services, or physical services must be made available for the program to work. Accommodations to the building need to meet the needs of students. For example, if the building is not wheelchair accessible then a ramp needs to be added to make the building accessible. There must also be an adequate support staff available to the students. The principle needs to be trained to understand the needs of students with disabilities just as well as the teachers. There must be enough personnel to meet the needs of all students and policies and procedures for adequate support must be put into place. Again, collaboration is a huge part of the inclusion program. Collaboration is mentioned in almost every article and study on the inclusion subject. There must be collaboration between the teachers, staff, parents and students. Everyone must work as a team and be a supportive member of that team. In order for collaboration to be affective, teachers must agree on the following issues: student assessment, classroom management, curriculum design and implementation, integration, social problem solving, behavior management, parent involvement, and collaboration with educational support staff. Finally, in a successful inclusive classroom teachers must use diverse instructional methods. Their needs to be highly trained teachers that have the knowledge and skills to adapt curriculum and instructional methods in a diverse suitable effective way to enhance learning. Creating a cooperative learning environment enhances socialization skills of the students. Having a co-teacher allows access to another person. Co-teachers can feed of each other's learning and teaching styles and come up with more innovated and creative ideas. Inclusive classrooms become a welcoming place by using diverse teaching and learning styles. In conclusion, all students involved will benefit from the inclusive classroom. With work, teachers will find that the benefits will out weigh the problems. The most important factor in the success of the inclusive classroom is teamwork. Teachers and support staff must have training in order for inclusion to be affective. Parents should also be included in the inclusion process. Students have more confidence in themselves when parents are involved in tier education. Parents also become more connected to their children when they are involved in their children's education. It will take a lot of time and money to achieve full inclusion but it will benefit all people involved. Students will benefit academically, socially, and even achieve values not usually obtained in a typical classroom setting. We will find that teachers will become more informed and in tune with the educational and even emotional needs of the students. The classroom will become a warm engaging educational experience and we will see student attendance increase. To make inclusion work, everyone must work together. After all, inclusion is about making a productive educational environment for all students. Work Cited Bauer, Anne M., Glenda Myree Brown. Adolescents and Inclusion: Transforming Secondary Schools. Baltimore: Brookes, 2001. 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McLaughlin,Chriss Walther-Thomas. "Outcomes for students with Learning Disabilities in Inclusive and Pullout Programs." Exceptional Children 68 (2002): 203-22. Ebsco. 14 Sep 2005. Snell, Martha E., Rachel Janey. Teachers' Guide to Inclusive Practices: Social Relationships and Peer Support. Baltimore: Brookes, 2000. Villa, Richard A., Jacqueline S. Thousand, eds. Creating an Inclusive School. 2nd ed. Alexandria: Supervision for Curriculum Development, 2005. "Special Education Cost Increases: Exploring a Complex Issue." Special Education. Educational Support System. Fiscal Review Panel. Vermont Annual Report 2001. p. 61-74. http://www.state.vt.us/educ/new/pdfdoc/pgm_sped/pubs/.../annual_01_06.pdf Read More