Inclusive education occurs when children without and with disabilities learn together and participate in the same class activities. Researchers indicate that when children with disabilities go to school with their counterparts who have no disabilities, they tend to perform better in school and life. Initially, children with disabilities had special classes or separate schools. However, schools started registering children with disabilities and ensuring educators taught them along their peers with no disabilities (Salvia, Ysseldyke & Witmer, 2012). Educators thought that the children with disabilities needed more attention in class. However, these students are normal and only need a chance to learn like any other children. Currently, most schools accommodate all going children with or without disabilities to their schools. The children with disabilities learn with those who do not have disabilities as the instructors ensure they participate in all class and extra-curriculum activities (Mittler, 2012). I believe that inclusion education is a positive way for students with or without disabilities to learn about each other. Researchers believe that intermixing students with and without special lead to positive academic and social outcomes.Children with disabilities need to attend schools with those without disabilities. Initially, most of these school systems had separate classes and activities for children with disabilities. However, the separation of the physically challenged children affects their learning abilities. Allowing these students to attend normal classes and interact with their counterparts who have no disability is important. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) needs a range placement options to meet the requirements of children with disabilities. The law also requires that children with disabilities attend school with those with no disabilities. The law stipulates that children with disabilities can only leave a school or class when their disability affects their natural learning and activities of those in that environment (Salvia, Ysseldyke & Witmer, 2012). Moreover, the school could exempt students with disabilities who need special aids and services if these facilities are unavailable for instructors in the institution.
Inclusive education benefits students with special needs by enhancing their skills of acquiring and retaining knowledge through their peers. Moreover, the special needs students benefit by having higher expectations in life. The families of these children relate with other parents in community activities that benefit both the students with special needs and those without such needs. Inclusive education helps these students to interact with others through their extra curriculum and class activities. The inclusive education is also important to the students without disabilities because they learn to create meaningful relationships (Salvia, Ysseldyke & Witmer, 2012). The students also learn how to respect all students, accept and understand diversity. The students with no special needs also learn how to appreciate their peers who have special needs.
Inclusive education is not as easy as it sounds in theory. Instructors face many challenges as accommodate both students without disabilities and those with special needs. Some of the students who have special needs learn slower than those who do not have disabilities. The instructors need to learn how to help them learn without being left out (Salvia, Ysseldyke & Witmer, 2012). In activities outside class such as physical activities, the educator has to understand the type of activities that would strain children with special needs. Funding of the schools that support inclusive education is still low. Most of these schools sponsor themselves in buying the special facilities required by the students with special needs. Some of these facilities are not enough for all students and instructors to need to learn how to distribute them to benefit all students with disabilities (Mittler, 2012). Moreover, some teachers have no experience of teaching students with disabilities. Lack of expertise hinders the teachers from achieving the desired outcome in the teaching process of the special need students.
- Mittler, P. (2012). Working towards inclusive education: Social contexts. Routledge.
- Salvia, J., Ysseldyke, J., & Witmer, S. (2012). Assessment: In special and inclusive education. Cengage Learning.
