Running head: IMPACT OF INCLUSION Impact of Inclusion Programs on Students Wade E. Bell Western New Mexico University Impact of Inclusion Programs on Students In reading the article Strategies and Resources to Evaluate the Impact of Inclusion Programs on Students by Spencer J. Salend (2000), I have learned to respect that such programs should have positive effects on the students participating in them and that there are ways to measure the attitudes of the students. I did not realize there were observational and sociometric techniques, interviews and questionnaires, and self-concept measures to evaluate the effect of inclusion on a child’s performance and attitude within the setting. For instance, an attitude change measurement scale can “assist educators in assessing the attitudes of their students toward students with disabilities and their acceptance of individual differences” (Salend, 2000, Attitude change measurement strategies section, ¶ 1). I had never realized such measurement tools existed and in the future I hope to make use of them when I further encourage inclusion at Lincoln Elementary. This is because I find it important to know how the students feel about their placements and if problems are arising, I need to adjust the environment to ensure its success. The first of two questions I have regarding this article is that there is “a considerable need for guidelines to assist” in the evaluation of the effectiveness of inclusion programs. Gallup McKinley County Schools (GMCS) has been pushing that more students need to be placed into the inclusion setting throughout the district. However, the district has never given teachers guidelines on how to make this program a success. Therefore, are there materials that can be purchased by the district that can better explain how to use standardized testing, authentic performance-based assessments, portfolio assessments and the other forms of assessment to make learning successful in inclusion? I have had training in the area of how to devise a portfolio assessment but the other forms are not readily available. The second question I have when placing a child into special education is do they have the option to choose another more restrictive setting if they are uncomfortable with inclusion? I have seen in my past experiences with inclusion that one child was very unhappy with their age and grade appropriate peers within the general education setting. They received the services they needed from special education and were doing well within the setting academically but the environment did not appeal to them socially. The student in question liked being with his peers but the environment was too loud and stimulating for his comfort level, such as any second grade class could be. If this child is unhappy in this setting and is not having positive interactions within inclusion can they be placed in a quieter more restrictive environment? I believe a child can be placed in a more restrictive environment temporarily because the interest of the child is what is behind the concept of least restrictive environments. Simple tactics such as direct observations “of interactions between students can be employed to provide insight into student interaction patterns, as well as social and behavioral competence” (Salend, 2000, Observational techniques section, ¶ 1). Through observation in seeing how the child interacts with their peers, the environment can be modified to meet their needs but things such as activities to quiet down a class need to be in place before reintroducing the child to inclusion. Inclusion is important, but I believe the environment must be set up to meet their needs prior to placing them back into the general education class with supports. Personally, I am supporting three children this year in the inclusive setting and the relevance of this article in these classes is that I can use the information presented to assess my students success. I have in the past used portfolio assessments to measure their success in seeing whether they are keeping up and achieving with their age appropriate peers. However, I have never used assessments to see how the students feel about inclusion. I have, in many instances, taken it for granted that children naturally want to be in inclusion. However, as I have stated, I had a second grader that did not like the placement because of sensory issues and overestimation. If I knew about using interviews and questionnaires or sociometric techniques in measuring student relationships perhaps I would have been more successful in making this child’s second grade classroom more relevant to his needs. Therefore, as an educator, I will make it my responsibility to find out what a child wants when being placed in inclusion to make that setting successful for them. References Salend, S. J. (2000, May). Strategies and resources to evaluate the impact of inclusion programs on students. Retrieved October 1, 2002, from the University of Kansas, Power of Two Web site: http://powerof2.org/feature/index/php?id=68