Special Education Inclusion

Despite the clarifications in IDEA, the issue of inclusion and special education is a controversial one; one that parents, districts, and even courts cannot seem to agree on. These articles discuss special education inclusion and gives cases representing both sides. Please read Ken Marlborough’s explanation of special education inclusion here . Also, please read at least the introduction, two court decisions (preferably 1 or 2 plus 4 or 5), and the research and conclusion sections of this article .

As you read, please consider these three questions:
1. What do you think of the “inclusionists” claim “that segregated programs are detrimental to students and do not meet the original goals for special education”?
2. How was the approach by Success For All different than that of the inclusionists? Which argument to you agree with?
3. Do you think cost should be a factor?

As a group, we think that those we dubbed “inclusionists” tend to be biased and are not focused on the education of the child with the disabilities. For example, Marlborough’s concluding sentence is: “Thus schools can create a cooperative learning environment and promote socialization.” Is socialization the main goal here? No! At the same time, we do think that the parent’s opinion should be regarded highly as long as it is balanced by the opinion of the student assistance team – with all having the learning of the student as first priority.

Concerning cost of inclusive versus non-inclusive settings, we think that this can be a big issue. Looking at the court cases, the courts’ responses do not always favor just one side. Recognizing the importance of managing expenses and the limitations of schools, we recommend that cost be considered, but it should not be the deciding factor.