Mainstreaming or Inclusion?

 

 

Your probably thinking what is the difference? What is Inclusion? What is Mainstreaming? You’ve probably heard both terms before.

 

Mainstreaming:
Mainstreaming is referred to the selective placement of special education students in one or more "regular" education classes. Mainstreaming generally assumes that a student must "earn" his or her opportunity to be placed in regular classes by demonstrating an ability to "keep up" with the work assigned by the regular classroom teacher. This concept is closely linked to traditional forms of special education service delivery.

 

Inclusion:
Inclusion is a term that expresses a commitment to educate each child, to the maximum extent that is appropriate. In the school and classroom the student would attend. It involves bringing the support services to the student (also known as having an aid in the classroom for their student) and requires that the student will benefit from being in the class (rather than having to keep up with the other students). Inclusion generally favors newer forms of education service delivery.

What does it all mean?

Mainstreaming was the first movement devoted to the placement of students with disabilities within the general education classroom. Advocates of mainstreaming (three or four decades ago) didn’t want to see students with disabilities placed in a special education classroom all day. People who believe in mainstreaming believe students with a disablitiy should prove they belong in the classroom.  Since then inclusion has been used to describe the education of students with disabilities in a general education setting.  There are7 different levels for placement options for a student with a disability that range from least restrictive environment to most restrictive.

What I think:

I think that if the student who has a disability and is eligible for special education that they should be in a least restrictive environment (inclusion also known as mainstreaming years ago). There are many different ways to help the child such as pull out for subjects that the child needs help on, and having an aid for the child during the class. Although some students do not do well in a regular education classroom setting depending how serve their disability is, I would still try to inclusion whenever possible, such as lunch, recess, and specials (gym, art, computers etc). It is very important for a student who has a disability to have a relationship with other students.