Inclusion means that children like mine are able to go to a classroom with typically developing children. It means they are in the "least restrictive environment." (I'd reference that but I have no idea if it has one, we use it so often in regular every day language.) I really love how it is explained here.
What has Inclusion done for my child?
When Liz first began preschool, she was communicating on the level of a 24 month old (she was almost 4). Through watching and interacting with her peers she was able to reach her age group (for the most part) on communication. We still have trouble with things such as approaching others, answering questions, and etc. She is beginning to master back and forth conversation. I truly believe that if she had been put into a classroom with other children like her, she would not have progressed as quickly.
Through inclusion, Liz has also been able to see what behaviors are or are not appropriate. She has been able to watch her peers and model things like pretend play (something she struggled with before). She is even beginning to pick on jokes that her peers tell.
Most of all, inclusion means that my child is not left out. She is not put into a classroom separate from others. She is pulled out 1-2 times a day for special education services. Other than that she participates fully with her peers. She is able to remain in the classroom if special activities fall during a time when she would normally go to Special Education. Inclusion means that my child has friends just like any other child. It means she is just like any other kid.
What do I hope Inclusion does for my child?
I hope that one day my child will be able to be a fully functional adult. I hope that she will have a job, live independently, and have a family of her own. By being with her peers she is being exposed to real world situations (especially as she ages). This year we have had the unfortunate experience of learning that sometimes people are just mean.
I hope that she able to learn self confidence. That she is able to look at her differences from others and turn those differences into strengths, I hope that she is able to learn to smile even when classwork is hard for her. i hope that that turns into a life lesson for her.
These are things that inclusion prepares her for. I know that my child excels best in that "least restrictive environment." That environment is what will teach her skills to last a lifetime.
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