I've had some really lively responses lately, so I'm counting on you guys to keep it coming. I got a really heated (not in a negative way, in a passionate way) response from Terri Mauro over at Specialchildren.about.com about inclusion, so I have put up a poll to find out what's happening where you're working. Please respond, and I'll put up more polls to find out what your biggest pitfalls and joys are.
You'll see that I include pull out, though it's not really inclusion, as well as "specials only" (that's what they called part time in the urban district I worked in, although the children did not go to specials with typically developing peers.)
Comments
Hi
Inclusion is always a good conversation starter. I wanted to comment about the language we use. If we start by calling inclusion push in do we not imply that the student does not really belong.
They are pushed into a a class rather than belonging to it and a part of the community.
There are a lot of elements to inclusion and the work Norman Kunk and David Pitonyal have done on belonging in the hierachy of needs makes me think about this a lot.
differentiated instruction with typical peers might cover it better. What do others think ?
My son was pulled out of gen ed classes, but I was told he was more advance than the other children in the special ed class and would be better served in the gen ed class with a special ed teacher in the class. His grades are slipping because he will not ask questions and fully participate as he did in a smaller class with children similar to him.
You need to include an all of the above on your email. Our school does a bit of each of those items depending on the student.
The inclusion idea is a good one but unfortunately it is not being executed correctly in the district I substitute in. The problem lies in the fact that basically teachers do not know how to work with special ed. They work separately instead of planning together. They don’t know what to do with the special ed aid that comes with inclusion. There needs to be more workshops with teachers,sped aids and sped teachers learning how to work together and plan together. Once there is an integrated plan, inclusion should be great.
I’ve done both push in and pull out. My problem with pushing into the gen. ed. class is that there is a presumption that the spec. ed. student is at the appropriate level to handle the material. However, I see huge gaps in basic skills that aren’t being addressed. When I first began in Spec. ed., I ran a Resource Room to pull out the students and “meet them where they were” and work to fill the gaps. I had many successful students, whereas now (with pull out) I am seeing frustrated students that feel defeated and often shut down. I agree the gen. ed. teachers often don’t know what to do to help the students with special learning needs in their classrooms.
I just finished my sp ed journey with my daughter, who graduated from transition in June at age 21. She has significant disabilities, but loves to learn, and will work hard.
She’s had push in and pull out, “replacement classes”, and just about everything else except for being in a self contained classroom. We had great years, and not so great years. The best years really were when we had teachers who had open minds and a welcoming heart. There is a myth that there is some sort of special technic to teach kids with disabilities– really what they need is the same good teaching skills that other children need!
Looking back, I don’t regret pushing for inclusion, when all was said and done, it did what I wanted for her— to not only learn to her best ability, but to have a community around her when she graduates. Too often I see kids graduate to the television, with no friends, and no job! Inclusion isn’t just about which classroom you are in– it’s about being a part of community– having a life- and not just at school. It’s hard work on everyone’s part– but it is worth it in the long run! Here’s hoping the next generation has it a little easier!
Thanks for a very heartening response. I think, in the balance, our purpose is to help kids with disabilities, yes, significant disabilities, “fit” with their typical peers when they go out in the real world. Good luck to you and to your daughter, and may she know the joys of good friends, laughter and a place in her community!
Jerry
I hope you have an administrator who reads this and decides to help all the stakeholders: general ed teachers, special ed teachers, classroom aides, and parents. I hope they find resources (and there are some good ones out there) to facilitate the kinds of conversations that will make it work.
Jerry
Ironically, I always thought of the teacher being the one pushed in, and not the kids. But without clarification, I’m sure a lot of general ed teachers and parents of typical children would assume that “push in” refers to students with disabilities and sometimes challenging behaviors. They might think “foist” is the correct term. Not all, mind you, but . . .
Jerry
I work in the UK and our education districts don’t prescribe one particular method of inclusion – we look at the needs of the individual child as much as possible. I teach in an Autism Support Base which is part of a mainstream school, my kids integrate into mainstream at their level – for some it is just lunchtime and assemblies, for others it is in mainstream classes for subjects they can cope with (with or without support from an aide depending on the lesson). I also do reverse integration where I take a small group of mainstream kids to work alongside my boys who have the academic ability to follow a mainstream curriculum, but whose autism affects them too much to cope in a large mainstream room – this method is beneficial for a lot of people as I relieve the mainstream teacher of a few of their kids, my boys get some peer interaction at their level and the mainstream kids get more individual attention. I am lucky to teach in a school that welcomes all our children as part of our school community – we are definitely not an isolated classroom – and it works very well for all of us.
You’re missing quite a few scenarios – I guess this poll is only for US schools. Disappointing. I can’t take the poll as you don’t provide all the categories.
Teko: Where are you from, and what are you doing in your location? I heard from England with a sense of the flexibility they have there. What’s up with you?
My school uses a variety of inclusion styles which address student needs in a more individualized way. Your poll does not allow for this as an option. Why not?
I reread your comment and thought, HMMMM. We are supposed to offer a continuum of services, and you are certainly fortunate that you have a district that is willing to do that. So many districts are afraid of due process they tend to go for all or nothing. Or at least “one size fits all, or you go to full time special education.” There are certainly limits to what this survey tool (online tool) can do, so I kind of had to keep it simple. One commenter for my January 8th blog responded that she was told to move out of district or the district would have to put her PDD-NOS son in an institution. Give me a break!
Our school is doing a combination of push in and pull out. I think you have to look at each student individually and plan around their specific needs. I do think that is why we call it the IEP (Individualized Education Plan). Unfortunately it looks like it is going to a Group Education Plan that best fits each districts needs not the specific student. Some students do well in a push-in program providing they have the support they need and the resources they need. However, I think other students need a pull-out program that can meet their needs directly. I also think some students need an all day class with mainstreaming as deemed necessary. I feel my class has a lot of community and that some students need to feel apart of a class instead of being overwhelmed by their lack of achievement and understanding of grade level curriculum when they are functioning 2 and 3 years below their peers. Social interaction doesn’t just take place in the classroom. Students interact in music, P.E., assemblies, and other ways. I think we are trying to make one program work for all students.