Training teachers for inclusion

Maybe there is nothing to back up that inclusion works. I think you should do this school (especially the students) a favor and try to talk them out of using inclusion.

You can definitely find studies, research and first-hand accounts in this direction.

I believe inclusion is great. At my school, if you walk into a self contained classroom you see many children feeding off of each other and the teacher having to focus on behavior problems before, during, and after they teach. However, if you go into an inclusion classroom there are two teachers there that can help the students with behavior and learning, and they usually do. There are also other students there that care about their work and this sometimes makes the special ed. students care more about their work and behavior. Finding information is hard. However, I will look for some sources for you and reply again. Some topics that I can think of to touch on are: collaboration with the general ed. teacher, beign prepared before class on what the general ed. teacher will talk about, changing tests and work that the general ed. teacher gives so that it is more on the speacial ed. students level. The key words are communication and collaboration. Both teachers need to work together to make a successful team.

If you go to Google.com and type in teaching in an inclusion classroom, they give you many great sites. One I thought was useful was http://www.uni.edu/coe/inclusion/
Hope you find some answers!

I feel that you really need to take a look at yourself and what you are telling students. To not even try inclusion is sending the message that students with disabilites can not do what students without disabilities can do. They need to be separated and labeled…. why? They don’t need to be. There have been many more studies showing how inclusion has helped students (all students), than how it has hindered students. We can only place blame on the teacher(s) for unsuccessful inclusion, NOT the students.

Where is all of this research you mention? I would like to review it for myself, then “maybe” I can “expand my mind.”

I am going from my own experiences with inclusion. The very limited data that I have seen “all” hinges on teacher responsibilty to make it work. Haven’t seen that yet in my own experience with three schools.

I’m not sure where you got the idea that I was blaming the students for their disabilities. You are wrong there. In theory, inclusion looks great. In reality, it is not executed effectively. It “will” come back to haunt us and I will put money on that prediction.

You are correct that inclusion does not work because the teachers do not implement it correctly. More likely than not, this is usually the case. So how do we monitor that? Who suffers in the end? The students. If intervention is not happening properly, those students are left to their own devices to make the grade. And making the “grade” does not mean that the information has been absorbed enough to be beneficial to them.

Very sad situation.

I don’t care who you blame. I *know* that in theory inclusion can work. Trouble is, I don’t know very many students going to school in Theory!!! And I’m not trying to be funny there. My mind can be as wide open as it could be — but I’m not the victim the STUDENTS are. This situation is a classic one — the “training” for these teachers is being *led* by someone who’s doing his best to patch something useful together. Odds are he has *no* voice in whether inclusion happens so his best bet is to try to find ways to do less harm…

The second site has *lots* of really good ideas. They will take more than a workshop to make work — but if you can *force* your admins to give you time to work on it, it oculd make a difference.

… you describe your school — and then “an inclusion classroom.” Is this a classroom you see on a regular basis — and do you have achievement data from it? If you go to the “Inclusion: Issues and Answers” section of LD In Depth you’ll find some research that highlights the potential pitfalls and the realities of too many inclusion classrooms (it’s not a “paint ‘em all black” piece of research — some of the stuff is good, and works — but it does collect real observations and data about, for instance, the *real* social dynamics of classrooms where some students are significantly different than others.)

Achievement Data- 68% of the L.D. students in the inclusion classroom passed the SOL, compared to 32% with the same teacher in the self contained classroom.

Thanks for the info….This is turning out to be more controversial than I imagined. The group I’m going to give the presentation to is accepting of inclusion and the districts represented all not only accept inclusion, but welcome it. The main controversy seems to be those that want 100% inclusion. At this point in my early career, I am not going to speak out either way on the subject, but personally, I think mainstreaming with common sense is needed, not just blind inclusion to make ourselves feel good.
When I get the presentation finished, I’ll find a way to post it someplace so if anyone wants, they can use it (as a guide or as a joke piece, depending).
Thanks all and if anyone else thinks of more things to add, feel free…
Arthur…

Because of the teacher my child has I would rather her be in full inclusion than pull out for learning support.The learning support is not giving her appropriate level of work.My child has speech issues and being in an inclusion classroom benefits her verbally.One irk I have is teacher said she did not want my child to have accomodation such as an alphasmart cause it would disrupt the other children.Benefits and problems with both.

I find that lots of people “accept” inclusion but not for the right reasons, and/or they don’t really understand its challenge.

IMagine a truly, honestly inclusive classroom. Wouldn’t that be utopian!

Hopefully you already realize that it really DOESN”T MATTER what the teacher thinks about the use of a computer/alphasmart in the classroom. Did you happen to see NBC News last night? It was about how assistive technology is changing the future for students and individuals with disabilities. One young man was using a text reader off the computer and he said he had went from the bottom to the top in 3 classes by using it. He looked late middle school/early high school age.

I don’t have much time or patience for teachers who believe AT would disrupt a class - if that is the case maybe she doesn’t have control of the class to begin with!

In my grad class we have to interview a someone on inclusion. If you could answer these questions as honest as possible, I would truly appreciate it.

Do your have experience in inclusion classrooms?

What is your philosophy of inclusion?

What are the critical dimensions of an inclusive classroom?

What are the advantages/disadvantages of inclusion?

Do you think tat children with any kind of disability can be included in the general education classroom?

What tips would you give teachers to enhance the inclusion of students with special needs in the general education classroom?

What are some reasons that make inclusion unsuccessful?

Is inclusion emphasized because it has a values-orientation?

What is the future of special education?

Do you have any additional comments on inclusion?Faye wrote:
>
> I believe inclusion is great. At my school, if you walk into
> a self contained classroom you see many children feeding off
> of each other and the teacher having to focus on behavior
> problems before, during, and after they teach. However, if
> you go into an inclusion classroom there are two teachers
> there that can help the students with behavior and learning,
> and they usually do. There are also other students there that
> care about their work and this sometimes makes the special
> ed. students care more about their work and behavior. Finding
> information is hard. However, I will look for some sources
> for you and reply again. Some topics that I can think of to
> touch on are: collaboration with the general ed. teacher,
> beign prepared before class on what the general ed. teacher
> will talk about, changing tests and work that the general ed.
> teacher gives so that it is more on the speacial ed. students
> level. The key words are communication and collaboration.
> Both teachers need to work together to make a successful team.

I’m checking into teaching as a second career. I’ve been monitoring a local school that is attempting inclusion. They don’t have the resources to hire SPECED teachers or aides to place in every classroom. The district is in the lowest socio-economic group of the city. Thirty percent of the population moves every year! Alot of the poverty is due to the same factors that produce some of the handicapped children: drug and alcohol abuse and violence. The way this school has tried to work inclusion is having a SPECED teacher go room to room to prepare or follow-up on work that atypical kids need. Some kids are so bad off (blind, deaf, and paraplegic), that the school can barely provide services for them. The only areas they participate in are assemblies and lunch. I don’t think inclusion is working in this school.

I’m amazed that the district has that much trouble funding sp.ed. I only wonder if they have extra money going to support the districts favored programs i.e. football, band, etc? It is easy to take advantage of those who are unable to defend themselves.
As for inclusion, I am torn, I can see both sides, and both have valid points. This is one of those subjects where there is no right or wrong, at least until the courts tell us.

The Quick Guide(s) for Inclusion are wonderful! It is a series of three books! Also, The Paraprofessionals Guide to Inclusion is fabulous. It is created for paraprofessionals but the material can be adapted to teachers and others in school settings. Good Luck. Please let me know if you can locate any other wonderful books or guides. I am an inclusion teacher and am also looking for information to supply to my staff. Thank you

I am an inclusion teacher and I would like to participate in your survey. I would be more than willing to help you out. I am an inclusion teacher in a urban charter school and absolutely love it! You could email me the survey at [email protected] wrote:
>
> In my grad class we have to interview a someone on inclusion.
> If you could answer these questions as honest as possible, I
> would truly appreciate it.
>
> Do your have experience in inclusion classrooms?
>
> What is your philosophy of inclusion?
>
> What are the critical dimensions of an inclusive classroom?
>
> What are the advantages/disadvantages of inclusion?
>
> Do you think tat children with any kind of disability can be
> included in the general education classroom?
>
> What tips would you give teachers to enhance the inclusion of
> students with special needs in the general education classroom?
>
> What are some reasons that make inclusion unsuccessful?
>
> Is inclusion emphasized because it has a values-orientation?
>
> What is the future of special education?
>
> Do you have any additional comments on inclusion?Faye wrote:
> >
> > I believe inclusion is great. At my school, if you walk into
> > a self contained classroom you see many children feeding off
> > of each other and the teacher having to focus on behavior
> > problems before, during, and after they teach. However, if
> > you go into an inclusion classroom there are two teachers
> > there that can help the students with behavior and learning,
> > and they usually do. There are also other students there that
> > care about their work and this sometimes makes the special
> > ed. students care more about their work and behavior. Finding
> > information is hard. However, I will look for some sources
> > for you and reply again. Some topics that I can think of to
> > touch on are: collaboration with the general ed. teacher,
> > beign prepared before class on what the general ed. teacher
> > will talk about, changing tests and work that the general ed.
> > teacher gives so that it is more on the speacial ed. students
> > level. The key words are communication and collaboration.
> > Both teachers need to work together to make a successful
> team.

An Inclusion class room can work. Modifications need to be made before hand and small groups should be done. These groups can also include students who do not have an IEP. One big problem will inclusion is that the powers to be see 2 to 3 teachers in a classroom and tend to put every behavior problem in that class along with every student who is low academically. Not every child works in an inclusion classroom but many do. For most children a sturctured classroom setting is important, but for a child with a disability it is even more so. A child with a disibility is still a child who needs to learn, wants to learn and needs and wants to be loved. For teachers; think why you wanted to become a teacher. If it is because of these things then may try putting in the effort to help fight for them to get an education too. There is also another good reason for inclusion, that is, socialization. All children want to have friends and need to be taught how to negotiate making friends. In society people with disabilities are not hidden away from the rest of the world. All children and adults shoud know that.