"All students have the opportunity to learn with their peers, not because it's required by law but because it's right, "states Suzy Ruder in her article We Teach All. This positive attitude Suzy Ruder has is what makes her inclusion program successful. This is the perspective that everyone involved in the inclusion process needs to have in order to make inclusion beneficial because it is a team effort, not just one person can make it work. Granted, Suzy Ruder is a great team leader. If the team, including the general education teacher, educational services support staff and the inclusion facilitator did not believe in the program it would not have succeeded. .
In most school districts inclusion is already in place. Unfortunately, not all of them are successful as the program at Hinsdale Central High School. I have mixed feeling on the subject, to be honest. I believe that the students should most definitely be taught in the least restrictive environment, as long as it is beneficial to the student. In some instances, depending on the special education student, full day inclusion may be too much and maybe they would benefit from part time inclusion. That way the student still gets the one on one attention that is needed to balance everything out, meaning they are still integrated into a mainstream classroom and it is followed up and reinforced in a smaller setting. In no means necessary do I feel that a special education student should be excluded from mainstream classrooms all the time. It is important that they get the exposure to general education. Even if this exposure just occurs at school assemblies and special functions, if that is all the special education student can handle. High expectations and standards are good because the student is always striving to accomplish more and will be constantly motivated. The one-on-one or small group instruction that I feel is important fits in here so the child does not become lost or overwhelmed.
