CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS: TO WHAT EXTENT DOES EDUCATION IMPLEMENT INCLUSION IN CLASSROOMS?

Statement of Purpose

Inclusion is not only an educational right for children with special needs; it is also a human right that all children should have access to equal education because all children would like to have the same opportunities. Even though the term inclusion is erroneously assumed to refer to only children with disabilities or special needs, it actually encompasses broader elements; any child that is at risk of being alienated for reasons of race, gender, sex and any other factor that can contribute to exclusion will benefit immensely from the practice of inclusion (Booth and Ainscow 43). It is also something commonly used in the workplace to settle issues of diversity. Inclusion aims to bring understanding and to take down any form of barriers the children may be experiencing through their learning. Inclusion has been a subject of diverse interest within the educational field for decades (Booth and Ainscow 43).

Audience

The audience I will be targeting for this research paper are mainly parents of children whose ages are from 5 – 10, and grade school students in order to raise awareness of this type of education.

Research Question

Are schools doing enough to implement inclusion in their curriculums?

Thesis Statement

The idea of including children with special needs in classrooms integrated with students who attend regular education classes is known as mainstreaming, this is not seen in most curriculums in the United States despite the awareness for inclusion.

Background/Argumentative Position

There’s a need to foster and nurture an inclusive mindset in the priorities of educational centers so that the rights of children are equal and balanced. This leads to a balanced and egalitarian society that is proud of its ideals and values that promote fairness. Despite the demonstrated benefits of inclusive education and the mandates that have been passed by law to ensure its adoption, some schools are still lacking in adjusting their environments and providing support for teachers to implement inclusive education in their practices. A research into the benefits of inclusion for special education students (sped students) will serve to promote the ideals of inclusion, ensure its adoption and promote awareness on how best it can be practiced and integrated into the curriculum of most educational centers and institutions.

Significance/Project Value

Achieving inclusion in classrooms is a significant problem not limited to local arenas. It is a problem deemed even more challenging in less industrialized nations. The high number of excluded children has not only increased the need to ensure that they have access to the available educational facilities in their districts; it has also generated significant research in the area. This research will focus on identifying the benefits of inclusion for students in need of sped (special education) in grades K to 3. There is a need to raise awareness on the significance of inclusion, and how it may benefit children with and without special needs. The full integration of children who are participating in special education and the regular students needs to be implemented in the school’s curriculum.