Inclusion: Beyond Special Needs Essay -- Educational Issues

Inclusion in education is an approach to educating students with special educational needs; under this model students with special needs spend most or all of their time with non-disabled students. Evidence from the last decade reveals that segregation of special needs students, as opposed to spending time with non-disabled students, is actually damaging to them both academically and socially. Segregating students placed in the special education category is a trend that has been vastly common in public schools, but in the last few years inclusion in general education settings is becoming a more credible option. Placing students in an inclusive classroom is effective in positively adjusting not only their academic performance, but also social and developmental skills needed throughout life. Despite concerns of successfulness and outlook, the inclusion of special needs students in general education classrooms within the public school arena proves to be beneficial for all aspects of edu cation. In contrast to the beneficial validities of inclusive education, there are also particular disputed concerns that are occasionally brought to light and require attention in inclusive classrooms. â€Å"Despite a move toward inclusion being the most significant trend across†¦countries†¦the academic consequences of educating students with special needs in inclusive rather than separate settings remain contested† (Canadian Council on Learning 2). One of the leading worries being noticed because of this growing trend is generally how attention will be divided in the classrooms among all types of learners. â€Å"The growing demand for inclusive practices within mainstream schools has resulted in classroom teachers having to take direct responsibility for the ... ....† British Journal of Special Education 33.2 (2006): 76-81. Academic Search Premier. Web. 27 Feb. 2012 Roffman, Leslie, Todd Wanerman, and Cassandra Britton. Including One, Including All: A Guide to Relationship-Based Early Childhood Inclusion. St. Paul: Redleaf Press, 2011. 8. Print. Roffman, Leslie, Todd Wanerman, and Cassandra Britton. Including One, Including All: A Guide to Relationship-Based Early Childhood Inclusion. St. Paul: Redleaf Press, 2011. 9. Print. Schulz-Hamsa, Irene. Inclusion and Technology: A Marriage of Convenience for Educational Leaders. 1998. ERIC. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. Yuen, Mantak, Westwood, and Wong. â€Å"Meeting the Needs of Students with Specific Learning Difficulties in the Mainstream Education System: Data From Primary School Teachers in Hong Kong.† International Journal of Special Education 20.1 (2005): 67-68 ERIC. Web. 27 Feb. 2012.