Inclusion

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Inclusion is a term that expresses commitment to educate each child, to the maximum extent appropriate, in the school and the classroom that they would otherwise attend. It brings support to the child in their classroom as opposed to having the child leave their classroom to go elsewhere. There is a big controversy over inclusion in the classroom. Some parents will argue that inclusion is the best thing for their child because the child does not feel different and embarrassed in front of their peers while leaving the classroom. Other parents feel that their child should not be sitting in a classroom with other students who know and understand the material better, which could be distracting and discouraging to their child. It's difficult for teachers to talk with parents and other staff members on this subject. In many ways, inclusion is a great way for the student to learn and move on with their classmates, but in other ways, being in the classroom with 20 other students is just way to distracting for that one child. After finding many different articles and websites on inclusion, I came to an understanding of my feelings on inclusion. I feel that no matter what the state or school decides, the student should have the say to whether or not they want help in or out of the classroom. Some students do not like being pulled out of the classroom during the middle of a lesson because they may be at a slower pace then their peers. In this case, another teacher integrated into the classroom would benefit this child. On the other hand, some students are able to concentrate better when they have one on one time with a specialist, which is perfectly appropriate too. It really depends of the needs of the child and how comfortable they are with their learning disability.
As stated on this website, inclusion can benefit the students with disabilities and also the students without disabilities. Depending upon the classroom and the class size, not only do I think that the students should have a say to whether or not they want help in or out of the classroom, but I think that it needs to be thoroughly discussed with the regular teacher, a specialist, and the child in which will help the team come to a decision to what is best suited for the child.