Autism Awareness Tidbit #13

Inclusion, mainstreaming, whatever you wish to call it. IDEA is Federal legislation that allows students to be instructed in the "least restrictive environment" for learning to occur.  The law was created in the 1980s, with very little thought put in to good professional development for teachers on how this new frontier would work.  It's the idea that, which some modifications and appropriate accommodations, students who traditionally had to be in a separate special education classroom for instruction could be instructed in a general education classroom.    

Educators have a host of opinions on this topic.  What I can say is that I was IN NO WAY ready to teach students with special needs after my undergrad.  All of the training I have has been on-the-job training.  I was told that we would study about "exceptional children," but I probably would only have to deal with gifted students, and not the other end of the spectrum.  

For many years in my career, this was true.  I taught in a Catholic school and we had no students with IEPs.  When I moved to the public sector in 1999, I was in a building where students with IEPs went down to the resource teacher's room throughout the day.  Over the last 10 years, I have changed my practices, I hope for the better, and I do have many students with learning disabilities in my classroom.  I try to differentiate my curriculum to meet the needs of all of my students, but I am BY NO MEANS perfect at this.  It's a huge job, and I am grateful for the people I work with who are willing to team with me to help students.  Still, it's not full inclusion, and some students are not in the gen. ed classroom.

As a mom, navigating the world of gen ed/spec ed for Max has been interesting to say the least.  I adore his first grade teacher and her inclusion efforts.  He has an aide who is shared with a couple other students, and he considers himself to be in her room.  This did not happen in K.  In fact, it was almost the complete opposite.  He was "associated" with his K room, but this year, he is a true member of his gen ed room.  This was my hope for him, but we had to be sure to push for this.  If we had not, I am uncertain whether or not this would be his reality.  This is not a criticism of his teachers or his school by any means.  It is the reality of each special education student needing informed parent advocates.  

A fantastic resource for inclusion and making it work is Paula Kluth.  I was fortunate enough to hear her speak recently as a workshop of hers was hosted by our Regional Office of Education.  She has an abundance of great information and strategies for how students can be successful in the gen ed classroom.  If this is the dream you have for your student, it is achievable, but you must have a gen ed teacher who shares that belief.  My own opinion: if you don't have a flexible gen ed teacher who is willing to learn how to meet the needs of your student in her classroom, I am not so certain your child would be better off in that room.  Some would argue that the child is at least exposed to grade-level material being in there.  However, is that the place where his learning is best served?  Look at the program, the teachers, the aides, and, most centrally, the child himself.  Don't be afraid to buy the teacher a book or two for her summer reading, or sponsor some workshop money for her to get better at meeting the needs of your student.  And have patience that we are so very far from perfect, but most of us teachers are trying pretty hard to meet the needs of every student.