RUNNING HEAD: INCLUSION 1

Reflection Paper: Inclusion

Rebecca Jones

Edu:203: Intro Special Education

College of Southern Nevada

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Abstract

The question, "To include or not to include?", is a tough one. When talking about

inclusion, most teachers have different opinions on the subject. Solely because every student is

different and it is not as easy as putting them all into categories. Some teachers love full

inclusion, some love pullouts and some believe in separate classrooms. The law says the student

must be in the least restrictive environment as possible. The research on inclusion has provided a

better understanding of the topic, however there is no clear determination. In the end, the

decision to include or not to include is based on several components. It is based on the evaluation

by the IEP team, the special education teacher, the doctors and the parents. Every child with or

without a disability is unique, therefore the answer to the question is unique to each student. The

ultimate decision is based on whichever environment is best for the student with the disability to

get the best education possible to support their unique needs and help them to lead productive

adult lives. It truly takes a team to determine if inclusion is best for a student with a disability.
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Introduction

The current laws for Inclusion and Least Restrictive Environment are important for any

teacher to be aware of. Although most teachers are in general education classrooms, it is

important to know the rules and reasoning of inclusion since there will be students that will need

specialized education. Will review the current laws for the State of Nevada and from IDEA

(Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). Review the differences of Full Inclusion and Least

Restrictive Environment. I chose this topic because I am not very informed on Special Education

and thought it was a great topic to do research on. I want to be more educated on the subject so

when I become an educator, I am familiar with the benefits and issues. Inclusion is important for

students, I will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Inclusion. I believe that inclusion is

important for students with disabilities so they can be in the classroom with their peers and feel

just as equal to other students. I think it's healthier for their self-esteem and helps other students

become familiar and accepting of other students with disabilities.

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Laws for Individuals with Disabilities

There are two laws that pertains to Students with Disabilities one is called Section 504 of

the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, according to (Cambron-McCabe, Eckes & McCarthy, 2014) the

law states:

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 applies to both public and

private recipients of federal financial assistance. Section 504 stipulates that

otherwise qualified individuals shall not be excluded from participating in, be

denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination by recipient programs or

activities, if that treatment is due to their disabilities. (p. 144)

The definition under the Rehabilitation Act of an individual with a disability is one who, "Has a

physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a

record of impairment, or is regarded as having an impairment" (Cambron-McCabe, Eckes &

McCarthy 2014, p. 144-145).

The second law is The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act(IDEA) which is also

a Federal Law and was modified in 2004 by then President, George W. Bush. The difference

between the two laws can be confusing at times. The IDEA 2004 Act is specific to Special

Education Laws where the Section 504 Act is in regards to the civil rights of individuals with

disabilities. To qualify for Services under IDEA, according to (Cambron-McCabe et al., 2014, a

child must:

• have intellectual disabilities

• be hard of hearing, deaf, speech or language impaired, visually impaired, blind or be
emotionally disturbed;
• be orthopedically impaired;
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• be autistic or learning disabled;

• be otherwise health impaired; or
• suffer from traumatic injury and, as a result, be in need of special education and related
services.

Neither law requires that students with disabilities be in inclusive classrooms, they require that

students be in least restrictive environments. IDEA requires school districts to have a continuum

of alternative placements available, extending from the regular education classroom to residential

settings. Using the continuum concept makes it more likely that each child would be placed

appropriately in an environment that is specifically suited to meet his/her needs. The law intends

that the degree of least restrictive environment or inclusion be designed for the student’s needs as

determined by the IEP team, not by the district’s convenience or the parents’ wishes.

Literature Review

While there are a lot of benefits to inclusion, there are also, some issues. According to the

American Autism Association (Gibbons, 2016), one of the benefits of inclusion is they learn in a

standard classroom with their peers. If started at a young age, they are more likely to adapt to a

higher learning environment. The issue with standard classroom inclusion for autistic children is

they don't get the extra attention they may require or the teacher may not have the training

required to help the student. This may cause the student to become frustrated in which they act

out or fall behind. The benefit of the social interactions of an autistic student in a standard

classroom is that they learn diversity and social behaviors. They can accept others for their

differences and make new friends. The issue with the social interaction is that autistic children

often have outbursts or are bullied by the other children for being different which can lower their

self-esteem. The benefit of diversity is very important by creating a diverse environment it

lessens the stigma of disabled students and gives them the understanding and tolerance for the
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rest of their lives. While reviewing the benefits and issues stated by the American Autism

Association, one could see how each effect the students and make an argument for or against.

There is a debate regarding Inclusion and according to Rick McCown and Jack Snowman

(2013), there are four arguments often raised to support inclusion; 1) Research has suggested that

special education students not in general classes score lower socially and academically that

students in general classrooms. 2) Students with disabilities would learn more from their non-

disabled peers through interaction.3) Because of the Brown v. Board of Education, pull-out

programs are a violation of the civil rights of the special education students, and 4) A

disproportionate number of students of color are placed in intellectual disabilities and learning

disabilities categories. From a psychological viewpoint, one can see the benefit and the validity

of their arguments for inclusion. Their arguments are warranted and offer reasons for inclusion,

not only from a psychological viewpoint, but also social and academic viewpoints.

In Teachers, Schools and Society there is a, "You be the Judge" page that asks whether or

not students with special needs should be mainstreamed and gives a comparison to each side.

The first reason in favor of being mainstreamed is, Separate can never be equal and the

stigmatization that special education students receive by being in special classrooms. The

argument for this reason is, just because they are in the regular classroom, does not mean they

are getting the best education they can. The second reason in favor of being mainstreamed is,

society needs all of its citizens abilities. The argument for should not be mainstreamed for reason

two, is that pullout programs can also offer resources for the students to contribute throughout

their lives. They receive smaller class sizes, special techniques and an adjusted curriculum to

best fit their needs that they cannot receive in a general classroom. The third reason in favor of

being mainstreamed is, that mainstreaming helps to improve social and academic skills. The
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argument for the third reason against mainstreaming, is that gifted and talented students are not

challenged enough and they become turned off from school. The fourth and final argument for

students to be mainstreamed is that students without disabilities can gain empathy and

understanding of others around them who are different. The argument against this is that the

students without disabilities suffer because of the extra time given to the special needs students.

(Sadker, D.M. & Zittleman, K.R. 2016) In this comparison, one can see the different arguments

for and against inclusion side by side. While each of the arguments are valid, it is hard not see

the validity of both viewpoints.

The least restrictive environment has several tiers and moves up a scale. The least intense

and most integrated is the Regular classroom with modifications available in which 61% of

special education students are placed. Second is the Regular classroom with a resource room in

which 19.7% of special education students are placed. The Third tier is part-time special

class/part-time regular classroom. The Fourth tier is Full-time special class between the third and

fourth tier special education students attended at 14%. The Fifth and Sixth levels are Special Day

school and Residential school which 2.9% of special education students attended. The Seventh

and Eighth levels which are the most intense and least integrated are Homebound instruction and

Hospital or Treatment Centers in which 0.42% of special education students attended in the

2011-2012 school year (Garguilo, R. M. 2015) p. 69, see Figure 1. Originally, it was thought that

the least restrictive environment should start at the top of the tier and move their way down,

according to their disability and needs. However, contemporary thinking suggests the opposite:

to start at the bottom of the tier and move their way up the tier according to their disability and

needs. This tier does not include the small number of students,1.3% in correctional facilities or

placed in private schools by their parents. While most students with disabilities are in regular
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classrooms, the tier is designed to be fluid. Students with disabilities can moved up or down the

tier depending on their specific needs.

Most of the arguments for or against inclusion are very similar. While the view of the

Autism Awareness Association and the Teachers, Schools and Society have close to the same

reasoning for and against inclusion, the autism article also focused on the bullying aspect of

inclusion. None of the arguments found within the research talked about the bullying that could

occur within inclusion. In the research, I found the arguments for inclusion in ED Psych, to be

the most persuasive. Research is showing that a disproportionate number of students of color are

placed in intellectual disabilities categories, it reasons to believe that over diagnosis or under

evaluation is taking place and putting the students in categories they probably don't belong in.

The Individualized Education Planning Process for Inclusion

The first step in the I.E.P (Individualized Education Program) process is a referral. Usually

given by a general classroom teacher, but can be given by an administrator, a parent or another

individual. It must contain a detailed reason as to why the referral is being given. A referral needs

to be accompanied by any proof or details specific to the reason for evaluation. The information is

then reviewed by a child study committee including an administrator, experienced teachers and a

school psychologist. If believed to warrant further review, the student's parents must give consent

for a formal evaluation. Once consent is given, the assessment process begins. A main goal is to

obtain an idea of what the students strengths and abilities are. The assessment process requires a

multidisciplinary team of professionals. They use formal and informal assessment tools to evaluate

the needs of the student. Evaluators must then have a clear picture of the abilities of the students,
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by the results of standardized testing, a portfolio put together by the teacher, work samples,

observation data and any other information pertaining to the student's abilities. Once an evaluation

is complete and it is determined that the student does not require an I.E.P according to IDEA, the

teachers can suggest a student for a 504-accommodation plan. However, if the team deems it

necessary for a special education plan, the multidisciplinary team then has two tasks: to construct

an I.E.P and determine the least restrictive placement of the student.

An I.E.P is developed by a team. The team must include a parent/guardian, the student's

teachers, including a general and special education teacher, a representative from the school district,

and an individual able to interpret the instructional implications of the evaluation. The student may

also be included along with any other who has information or expertise in the field of the disability

(Gargiulo, R.M 2015).

Once the team determines what will be taught, it needs to determine where it will be taught.

As discussed before, the determination on the placement of the student is not an easy one and does

not come without debate and controversy; because of the mandate of least restrictive placement.

The I.E.P team along with the parents try to determine the appropriate placement for the student

based on their specific needs. According to Gargiulo (2015), "One of its inherent difficulties is the

required balancing of maximum integration with the delivery of an appropriate education."(p. 67-

68). The I.E. P's are usually reviewed annually or every three years depending on the student's

disability and needs. There are several factors used to determine placement. The least restrictive

and most inclusive placement is in a general classroom according to professionals. Although

students may be placed in more restrictive classes, they may be the least restrictive for their unique

needs. It takes a team to help determine the specific and unique needs of all students.
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References

Cameron-McCabe, N.H., Eckes, S.E., & McCarthy, M.M. (2014). Legal Rights of Teachers and

Students. Boston: Pearson

Garguilo, R.M. (2015) Special Education in Contemparary Society. Thousand Oaks, CA. Sage

Publications.

Gibbons, E. (2016, August 5). Weighting the Pros and Cons of Integrated Classrooms. Retrieved

from https://www.myautism.org/weighing-pros-cons-integrated-classrooms/

McCown, R., & Snowman, J. (2013) Ed Psych. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Sadker, D.M & Zittleman, K.R. (2016) Teachers, Schools and Society: A Brief Introduction to

Education. New York, NY. McGraw-Hill Education

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Figures

Figure 1. Garguilo, R.M. (2015) Special Education in Contemparary Society. P. 69 A

Traditional View of Service Delivery. Source: Adapted from S. Graves, R. Garguilo, and L.

Sluder, Young Children:An Introduction to Early Childhood Education (St.Paul, MN:West,

1996), p. 398.