Lesson 1

The first lesson in the series defines inclusion and discusses the benefits of inclusive practices for children with disabilities, typically developing peers, adult program leaders, and the community at large.

Objectives:

The learner will demonstrate the ability to define the meaning of inclusion and describe specific benefits of inclusive practices for persons with disabilities as well as benefits for other individuals within their environments.

The learner will demonstrate the capacity to distinguish between inclusive and non-inclusive practices.

Lesson:

What is inclusion?

Inclusion is the full acceptance of all children by their communities and the people around them. Inclusive education means that students with disabilities are supported in age-appropriate general education classes in their home schools and they receive the supports necessary to thrive and achieve. In the community setting, inclusion means that children with disabilities have the same opportunities to participate in community based activities as their typically developing peers. This includes opportunities to participate in the full range of social, recreational, arts, sports, music, day care and afterschool care, extra-curricular, faith based, and all other activities. The premise of the inclusion model is that there is that no child who has a disability should be prohibited from exploring his or her own interests and goals alongside typically developing same-age peers and friends.

Benefits of Inclusion for Children with Special Needs

• affords a sense of belonging
• provides a stimulating environment for growth
• evolves in identity as a member of a community
• enables social skills development
• provides opportunities to develop neighborhood friends
• enhances self-respect and concepts of self-awareness
• provides peer role models

Benefits of Inclusion for Typically Developing Peers

• provides opportunities to experience diversity of society
• develops an appreciation that everyone has unique characteristics and abilities
• develops respect for others with diverse characteristics
• develops sensitivity toward others' limitations
• develops feelings of empowerment and the ability to make a difference
• increases abilities to help others
• develops capacity for empathy

Benefits of Inclusion for Adult Leaders and Teachers

• helps adults appreciate the diversity of society
• helps adults recognize that all students have strengths
• creates an awareness of the importance of direct individualized attention
• increases ways of creatively addressing challenges
• teaches collaborative problem solving skills
• develops teamwork skills
• acquire different ways of perceiving challenges as a result of being part of a multi-disciplinary team
• enhances accountability skills

Benefits of Inclusion for the Community

• promotes the civil rights of all individuals
• supports the social value of equality
• teaches socialization and collaborative skills
• builds supportiveness and interdependence
• prevents emergence of negative social behaviors
• provides children a miniature model of the democratic process

Assignment:

Identify three or more persons with disabilities that you interact with in your daily life. From your own observation, prepare a written response to the following questions: How are these individuals included in the communities around them? In what ways (if any) do they appear to be excluded?

UCP Online Video Resources:

Inclusion of Children with Disabilities: Part 1
A mother of a child with developmental disabilities discusses the decision to place her child in an integrated community day care program.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e094ZlZA5h8

Inclusion of Children with Disabilities: Part 2
A mother of a child with severe developmental disabilities discusses the decision to place her child in a specialized setting specifically for children with disabilities.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQrH1w7UCKI

Online Video Resources:

Including Samuel
WXXI Public Broadcasting
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8893323604894846060&ei=7EJBStCTGpHwrgK4zfRC&hl=en
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=61672591290

Dr. Ann Turnbull
2008 Inclusion Institute presentation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfYBydcLaNo

Ximena
Breaking down barriers in Panama
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=126509085286

Education in Great Britain: Inclusion
http://www.teachers.tv/video/3452

Online Study Resources:

University of Maine
Center for Community Inclusion & Disability Studies
http://www.ccids.umaine.edu

My Child Without Limits
http://www.mychildwithoutlimits.org

TASH
Equity, Opportunity, and Inclusion for People with Disabilities
http://www.tash.org/who_we_are.html