Sitting here wondering...

[christie]

What are your thoughts on how a good inclusive program should run?? If you could create the perfect setting for inclusion for our kids, what would it take??

Would love to here your thoughts on this for any that would like to share

CC

[justinsmom]

First off a certified team who are open to suggestions and ideas. Perhaps a Parent panel to oversee the program, who knows are kids better than we parents. Tapping into the community, for instance at Justins new school, for PT they take the kiddos to Kids Kingdom (like Chuckie Cheese) to play on the equipment which is actually working with their gross motor such as climbing, swinging, jumping. For life skills they take them to a resturant and let them order their own food, pay etc., they take them to the grocery store for the same thing but then they go back to school and make their own lunch in the kitchen. Right now he isn't fully included but his school has the cognitively impaired and the academically advanced kids and they work hand in hand with one another.
Ok back to the question, maybe have some type of program set up such as an assembly or something to explain to the other children and to let them know that they could make such an impact on the other children. The key is the teachers of such classrooms, they have to WANT to be part of inclusion if not they will only make the child and the program suffer.

[rickismom]

First, and most important is that there should be an attitude in the school from the principle down, that they WANT inclusion. That part of giving good education is teaching the students that ALL people have what to offer in society, and everyone has a place in our school.
Second, it is easier to include if teaching is in general done with a lot of breaking the class into small groups, projects, activities, and not just classroom lecture by the teacher. Computer and art materials should be used by all the children as needed.
Third, I would suggest only one or at the most, 2 special needs children per class. (But not two with serious behavior problems or delays, but yes ok two if one has a physical disability.
Four, the teacher has an aide, who is to help her as needed, not to be the aide of X child. She may well do most of the adaptions of worksheets, etc for x child, but she is the aide of the class. This means, for example, that rather than take JJ (lets call our DS child JJ) aside, to help him in reading, the aide might do a reading exercise with 6 of the slower learners (including JJ), or she might work with the quick learners, while the TEACHER works with the "slow" group. Or the aide might work with JJ and one other child (who needs a bit of extra TLC and attention irregardlous of his acedemic level. And sometimes she would sit with a kid who has whatever problem while the teacher handles the whole class, including JJ.
Five, sometimes the class can work in pairs, and it should be considered a priviledged challenge to be assighned to be a peer tutor to JJ.
Six, JJ should be given tasks that he can do that enhance the classroom- for example, he is the one in charge of writing the day of the week and/or date of the blackboard each morning. Or he is in charge of going to the lunch room and getting a peanut butter sandwhich for whoever forgot their snack, or whatever- something that HE CONTRIBUTES to the class and other students. Maybe even being the one to call the home of an abscent child to see if he is ill, etc.
Seven, while an introductury program can be done, it does not again have to be (at least not in its entirety) about JJ. It can be about all sorts of ways that people are different. Accepting all. Appreciating oneself, etc
And last (but NOT least), the teacher and aide need a back-up staff. (This staff would ideally work with several teacher-aide pairs in a school or school district.) This staff would need to include: 1- an expert on inclusion with experience in modifying materials, etc.to give "how to" advice and for troubleshooting. 2- child psychologist (preferably with experience in inclusion 3- speech therapist 4-occupational therapist. Ideally all of these staff members would share the "we believe everyone has a right to learn with his community" attitude of the school

Also, it would be recomended, that materials made by aides be saved by someone, to be a resourse that could be tapped by other aides at a later date.

[YoshsMom]

Ideally, there would be 2 teachers, one special ed certified, one general ed. But one teacher with dual certification would be ok with a very small class. There would have to be at least 3 special needs kids and the class shoud be structured so that any child having difficulty in a particular area could receive extra help. This would help keep the special needs kids from feeling different or singled out. For any grade over 4th there should be a trained peer counseling and conflict resolution team to help students learn to work out their differences and to minimize bullying and peer pressure. The school should have ot, pt and speech therapists, as well as a school psychologist. There should be more than one inclusion class and if the principal isn't trained in special ed there should be a special ed supervisor to oversee the program.

I could go on about this subject forever, but Yosh just woke up.

[momofrussell]

So.. I would have to agree that it starts with the teachers AND faculity being in the right attitude that it WILL work and WILL! Principal included. I know some principals in our schools here are not as receptive as others.. THAT makes a BIG difference.

Ok.. so other than that, I don't know if there is a "perfect" inclusion situation since all our kids are different and need different things. But I will comment on my experience thus far and hope it helps.

Since Russell was born I was (still am) pro-inclusion. I dreamed of the day that we could start school and Russell was amongst the "typical" Kindergardners. Well, that day never came. Russell has been in different settings and what works best is a self-contained classroom. He has been in two different classes where the kids are very handicapped and Russell thrived there the best. Russell wasn't pulled out for anything nor integration, but in his last class they brought in other classes for music time for a bit of integration.

Now.. since Russel is now going onto Elementary School, this topic is very fresh with us. I SOOO wanted Russell in our homeschool and to be in a typical Kindergarden and included, with pullouts for some things. Our homeschool is VERY pro spec ed and will do what ever it takes. THAT is what is needed from a school!!! But... in reality, Russell is sooo behind still, it really wasn't where he needed to be. I know I could have said I wanted him there and they'd have to accomodate, but it would have been my wishes over what was best for Russell.

Russell will now be going to a K-2 self-contained classroom at another elementary school down the street. I stressed from the beginning I wanted Russell around the typical kids!!! I was thrilled to know that they integrate in 4 different subjects. Music, Art, PE and Library. They also do lots of community field trips for a bit of life-skilling

So, for us, THAT is the perfect inclusion setting LOL His teacher is AWESOME and adapts to all the kids.

It is sad I read that teachers and ESPECIALLY principals that don't have the attitude that our children will do well, or that they want to help our children and THAT is just not right. Then why would you want your kid there anyway! Lots of our kids ARE doing well in a "typical" classroom some with a 1:1 and some without. And they are thriving and learning! I think that some of these teachers think that "inclusion" means that our children are suppose to "get" everything learned. They may and may not.. but why not include them for their benefit AND the rest of the schools. I really don't want Russell ALWAYS being JUST in the "MR Room", so to speak. KWIM? That will only teach our kids and the others that they are TOO different to be included!!!

A.