The Promise of Inclusion
Jasmen Thorne
April 24, 2012
Dr. Saravanabhavan
503: Seminar in Education
The Promise of Inclusion
As you know, the topic that I chose for my Interview Project was "The Promise of Inclusion", but before I can tell you what the promise of inclusion is, I must first give you a clear view as to what Inclusion means.
Inclusion is defined in many ways by many people, but there is no legal definition. According to Webster 's Dictionary, Inclusion is the act of including and the state of being included. From an educational aspect, Halvorsen and Neary purported that, Inclusive education, according to its most basic definition, means that students with disabilities are supported in chronologically age-appropriate general education classes in their home schools and receive the specialized instruction delineated by their individualized education programs (IEP 's) within the context of the core curriculum and general class activities. (Halvorsen &Neary, 2001) The National Institute for Urban School Improvement yields that, Inclusion is an effort to make sure students with disabilities go to school along with their friends and neighbors while also receiving whatever, “specially designed instruction and support” they need to achieve high standards and succeed as learners. Inclusion, mainstreaming and/or integration are not the same. Mainstreaming attempts to transition students from special education classrooms to regular education classrooms, only in instances where they 're able to keep pace with their typically developing peers without substantial support. Integration provides only “part-time” inclusion, which eliminate the students from becoming full members of the general education classroom. The National Center on Educational Restructuring and Inclusion developed the following working definition of inclusive education: “Providing to all students, including those with significant disabilities, equitable opportunities to receive effective educational
April 24, 2012
Dr. Saravanabhavan
503: Seminar in Education
The Promise of Inclusion
As you know, the topic that I chose for my Interview Project was "The Promise of Inclusion", but before I can tell you what the promise of inclusion is, I must first give you a clear view as to what Inclusion means.
Inclusion is defined in many ways by many people, but there is no legal definition. According to Webster 's Dictionary, Inclusion is the act of including and the state of being included. From an educational aspect, Halvorsen and Neary purported that, Inclusive education, according to its most basic definition, means that students with disabilities are supported in chronologically age-appropriate general education classes in their home schools and receive the specialized instruction delineated by their individualized education programs (IEP 's) within the context of the core curriculum and general class activities. (Halvorsen &Neary, 2001) The National Institute for Urban School Improvement yields that, Inclusion is an effort to make sure students with disabilities go to school along with their friends and neighbors while also receiving whatever, “specially designed instruction and support” they need to achieve high standards and succeed as learners. Inclusion, mainstreaming and/or integration are not the same. Mainstreaming attempts to transition students from special education classrooms to regular education classrooms, only in instances where they 're able to keep pace with their typically developing peers without substantial support. Integration provides only “part-time” inclusion, which eliminate the students from becoming full members of the general education classroom. The National Center on Educational Restructuring and Inclusion developed the following working definition of inclusive education: “Providing to all students, including those with significant disabilities, equitable opportunities to receive effective educational
References: 1. Halvorsen, A.T. & Neary, T. (2001). Building inclusive schools: Tools and strategies for success. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon. 2. Center for Studies on Inclusive Education (CSIE) Center on Human Policy (PDF) 3. National Institute for Urban School Improvement (nd). Improving education: The promise of inclusive schooling. Retrieved from http://www.edc.org/urban/publicat.htm 4. Stout, Schultz Katie (2001) Wisconsin Education Association Council, WEAC 's Director of Instruction and Professional Development. 5. The City University of New York, National Center on Educational Restructuring and Inclusion (1995). National Study of Inclusive Education. New York: Author. INTERVIEW PARTICIPANTS Teacher 1: Mrs. Carol Carter from Hampton City Schools (Virginia) 6th Grade English Teacher at Benjamin Syms Middle School Teacher 2: Linda Parker from Hampton City Schools (Virginia) 8th Grade Math Teacher at Benjamin Syms Middle School