inclusion education versus special education?

Season Confalone: "Inclusion" is a strategy used for students who receive special education services. Traditionally, special education services have been administered in a completely separate classroom - segregating students with diverse needs from their non-disabled peers. In recent years, the idea of "inclusion" has become common practice - which means to incorporate students with disabilities into the regular education classroom. This can be done in a variety of ways; by simply adding students who receive SpEd services to a reg ed classroom, or by utilizing a co-taught classroom. Co-teaching exists when you have 2 teachers in one classroom (1 SpEd teacher, 1 reg ed teacher) and the 2 work together to present the curriculum in a variety of ways.Hope this helps!...Show more

Coleman Deliberato: I have a son who is in full inclusion. It's a regular education setting that can have up to 30% special ed students in the classroom. Usually classrooms have less than that! . My son has had 3-5 identified students in his classes.The classroom consists of 2 teachers, one SPED, and one reg. ed.The theory is that NT's (neurotypicals) learn tolerance, patience, and gain self-esteem by being role models to the sp. ed students and the sp. ed students can learn from typicals.Full inclusion pulls out for related services i.e. PT, OT, SLP, reading therapiesSelf contained classrooms have fallen out of favor in recent years. They are still in use for those severely autistic, although those are mainstreamed as much as possible. This is the opposite, its an autistic classroom and students are pulled out to be with typicals say maybe for reading. Self contained classrooms are still in place for the SED (severely emotionally disturbed) students.Personally I think inclusion is a good thing for the right student, but not for every student.I think mainstreaming is appropriate for every student, I don't care if they are being pulled for only specials, lunch ! or recess all students deserve typical peer interaction. If n! ecessary the student should have a 1:1 paraprofessional....Show more