So, what is so different between Inclusive Education in the neighborhood school in a Regular Education classroom versus a Special Education classroom in a central location away from your neighborhood with everybody being taught at their supposed level of learning?
The inequities are huge. I can only create two columns and put the differences or I would be writing a separate book:
Inclusive Education at Neighborhood School Special Education Elsewhere
Walking to school with kids in neighborhood Riding bouncy loud bus with strangers
Having friends to play with after school Not knowing your neighbors
Friends knowing you and not being afraid Neighbor kids afraid of you
Learning by watching other appropriate children Learning inappropriate behaviors
Being helped by 19 other children (and an aide) Student who is melting down hits you
Invitations to birthday parties Live too far to go to a classmate’s party
Your mother knows the other kids and their mothers Your mother never comes to the school
Your materials are created for your ability level Your materials are not individualized
You learn history, science, and appropriate social skills You learn how to tie your shoes
Your therapies happen in your class You have to leave class for therapies
Your typical peers become your advocates Your parents hire professional advocates
Parents are active in PTA Parents feel alienated—not involved
Feeling you belong in your community Feeling different from everyone
Peers speak to you, hearing people talking Peer students don’t talk
Becoming independent Learning dependence
One excuse that is used to justify segregation is educators or parents believe it will be stressful on the child. Nobody wants to be stressed out. But to live independently you need to be able to handle stress and frustration and to be flexible (not stuck in routines, but able to see and do things in different ways). You should expect them to grow, learn and behave appropriately. Or you will always be making excuses when they react inappropriately. As they grow up, it gets harder to change bad habits. The higher the expectations the more they are striving to achieve them. Low expectations breeds low outcomes.