Sometimes talking about including students with significant disabilities in general education is like talking politics or religion. No one wants to appear to be "exclusive" or negative or mean. Belief systems of educators based on a tradition where students are successful after being sent to "programs" for specific disabilities may cloud the vision for inclusion - and close the mind to trying a different way.
If we look at this in a behavioral manner: attitudes have been formed by fear of (or direct experience with) negative consequences for inclusion and a lack of belief in (or no direct experience with) positive consequences for educating students with significant disabilities in general education academic classes. Educators may have seen students fail or be bullied; teachers may be frustrated and don't see the value of inclusion. The only way to change attitudes is with new experiences: providing positive consequences such as academic progress and friends for the student, happy parents, and teachers who feel successful.
How to do this? If change agents are going to actually bring about this change, talking alone is insufficient. Positive outcomes through experience is necessary, or at least a belief that there will be positive outcomes. This means we need to establish a relationship in which educators' fears are heard, motivations are discovered, and the practical barriers identified. We need to LISTEN. If we want to educate others about inclusion and promote change; we must listen before we speak.
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We need to model the change we wish to see. The challenge is to find a setting with open enough minds. You go on school tours and ask about attitudes towards inclusive education and somehow you have to tell the difference between an open mind and someone who's trying to say the right thing.
ReplyDeleteYou find a good school and good attitudes and all too soon it's time to move on to another school - this time with an older kid who's not so young and not so cute.
Quite the challenge, but it's worth all the effort. My kid accomplished way more in one year in an inclusive setting than in 2.5 years in a non-public settings. Plus all the kids in his class and the teacher actually have firsthand experience in autism.
It's worth the effort.