Inclusion versus Segregation - Essay Example

The idea of inclusion in education holds that all students, regardless of what disability they may have, should learn together in similar environment. On the other hand, the idea of segregation holds that there are benefits to providing separate classes from general education classes that meet the needs of special needs students (Hollenbeck, 2013). In order to have a better understanding on this subject, this paper will look at the inclusion versus segregation in schools. In particular, it will focus on observational learning in the light of the debate on inclusion versus segregation in learning.

Students could gain various benefits through their inclusion into a regular classroom particularly through observational learning. Observational learning is a form of learning that occurs as a function of observation, retention, and replication of novel behavior as executed by others. Considering the nature of special needs students, several studies have suggested that there are benefits which special needs students can derive from inclusion into a regular classroom (Blood, 2010). This position has been justified by social learning theory that holds that observational learning has greater importance for special needs students and learners at very young ages. . Through observational learning, special needs students are encouraged to excel in activities that regular students engage in.

Additionally, inclusion enables special needs students to increase the frequency with which they learn how behaviors are carried out in regular settings thus not only helping them to adopt quickly but to actively engage in regular activities in school, family and community (Coon et al, 2010). Various studies have found out that the principles of observational learning can help in improving the classroom behavior of students with behavioral disorders or social skill deficits. These principles can help to improve the attention of students with skill deficits or behavioral disorders (Hollenbeck, 2013).

This is because observational learning helps learners to learn by paying attention to what is happening around them and is influenced by characteristics such as observer’s level of emotional arousal or expectations. Besides, observational learning can improve memory or retention capacity of learners with skill deficit or behavioral deficit. Its principles dictate that observers must recognize the observed behavior and remember it at some later day or time. As such, learners are required to rehearse the actions physically or mentally therefore enhancing their memory and retention capacity (Legge and Harari, 2000).

The principles of observational learning further improve the classroom behavior of learners with behavior disorders through initiation; they enhance the learners’ ability to produce the observed act intellectually and physically. The final way through which observational learning improves the classroom behavior of students with behavioral disorders is through motivation. The principles of observational learning motivate