Inclusion Of Students With Disabilities - 2882 Words

One of the most current trends of education, in the American Public School, is the move toward full inclusion of students with disabilities. There has been a rapid rise in the number of students with disabilities who are spending their school day in a general education classroom under the guise of full inclusion. The practice of inclusion came about as a â€Å"natural outgrowth of the Mainstreaming movement,† during the 1960 s (Fruchter). Inclusion is based on the â€Å"rights of the students and the social benefits† that they receive from being in a general education classroom (Fruchter). There are many who see this as a solution to the problem of how to best educate children with disabilities. On the other hand, there are those who believe that†¦show more content†¦How best to do this? To fully understand the issue of inclusion, in the American Public School, one must examine the history of inclusion; the laws regarding the education of students with disabilities; and what some of the experts in education have to say about it. After a full examination of the facts can one decide which is most beneficial and appropriate in the education of students with disabilities today: to fully include students with disabilities in the general education classroom or not. Due to the society-viewing students with disabilities as burdens, advocates have been pushing for separate funding for their special education services. There are movements, which have gone ahead to block the grants on these programs. They argue that the â€Å"students with disabilities should not be treated† (Collins). This has raised concerns as to whether they are going to continue having full access to the special attention they need in these institutions. Students with disabilities, according to IDEA, are â€Å"entitled to the special education program† (Winzer). Public schools practice mainstreaming due to the lack of enough resources and therefore students here lack the necessary â€Å"exposure to achieve their maximum potential† (Srivastava). Many researchers have advocated for the separation of the two categories of students. However, many argue that educational inclusion (i.e. educating the children with disabilities