Children With Exceptionalities

Inclusion in Those With Exceptionalities

I believe it is important to include children with exceptionalities into the regular education classroom because this arrangement benefits both the students and the class as a whole. Including students with exceptionalities in the regular education classroom benefits the student because it teachers him or her that he or she can contribute to society regardless or because of his or her exceptionalities. According to Tomko (1996), including these types of students into the regular classroom helps them feel as if they are accepted, fulfilling their basic human need for "meaning and purpose" (para. 3). Thus, including children with exceptionalities into the regular education classroom is a good idea because this inclusion helps these students realize their potential.

I feel that it including children with exceptionalities into the regular education classroom also benefits the class. By incorporating them into the same classroom, children with and without disabilities are forced to function as a society in which social activities help all improve. For instance, Whitbread (2009) suggests that having all kinds of students in the classroom improves the performances of all students, as students engage in peer tutoring and other peer activities in which they help each other learn. Further, this provides a social training for all students, teaching them that students with exceptionalities can function just as well in society as students without those exceptionalities (paras. 8-9).

In my classroom, I plan to address these students' needs through implementing different programs for each special circumstance in the classroom. For instance, Sharpe notes that inclusion is not a one-size-fits-all solution (paras. 10-12). Because of this, I plan to help students with exceptionalities in my classroom by being sure individual support plans are put into place and that students with and without exceptionalities are interacting without incident. In addition, I plan to monitor student interaction in order to encourage students of all abilities to work and learn together.

References

Sharpe, W.S. (2005). Retrieved June 15, 2009, from Education World. Web Site:

http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr320.shtml

Tomko, C.F. (1996). What is Inclusion? Retrieved June 15, 2009, from Kids Together,

Inc. Web Site: http://www.kidstogether.org/inclusion.htm

Whitbread, K. (2009). "What Does the Research Say About Inclusive Education?"

Retrieved June 15, 2009, from Wrightslaw.com. Web Site: http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/lre.incls.rsrch.whitbread.htm