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