Supporters of full inclusion assert that all students, regardless of language or intellectual ability, should be educated within the same classroom environment where the curriculum is adapted to meet everyone’s needs. Advocates for this model believe it most closely resembles the ‘real world’ where society is fully integrated professionally and personally and that all students deserve an equal opportunity to be provided access to the core curricula. Those who oppose full inclusion feel it is academically and financially unrealistic for schools to provide an appropriate education experience with such a diverse population in one classroom setting, where forcing all students to conform to one teaching model is more exclusionary than providing various education service models (e.g., resource, pull-out, self-contained). 

Your focus:

Imagine you are a 5th grade teacher in a full inclusion model classroom with 28 students. The class is being co-taught by you and a special education teacher. Three students are ELL, five have an IEP for various mild/ moderate disabilities including two students who have been identified as having an emotional/behavioral disability. 

Madison B. is one of your non ELL, non-disabled students. Madison’s mom, Mrs. B is a concerned parent and indicates that Maddy comes home complaining about boredom; there are too many other kids in the class and Maddy has to wait a long time to get help. 

Part 1: 

Explain in a detailed one- to two-paragraph response how will you address Mrs. B’s concerns and help her feel that you and your classroom is a good fit for Maddy? Consider how you will handle this concern to make the class support Maddy’s needs. What will you tell the mom and what will you do differently in the classroom for Maddy? How will you continue to support the needs of the other students at the same time?

Be mindful that most principals expect the teacher(s) to differentiate the instruction in order for all students to benefit from the instruction. 

Part 2: 

In a separate paragraph, explain your view of full inclusion in this kind of a situation.

Part 3: 

Construct a two-to-four page reflection, not including title and reference pages, following proper APA 6th edition formatting requirements that describes your vision for inclusion practices of diverse populations such as in this example.  In an unbiased perspective, explain how you would handle this situation in your current or future classroom. Use citations from reliable web pages, journals, and scholarly articles to help you formulate a solid response. Be sure to use at least two references to support your decision.

Use citations from reliable web pages, journals, and scholarly articles to help you formulate a solid response. Be sure to use at least two references to support your decision.

Writing will contain no errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation.

Paragraphs will include clear topic sentence and transition sentences making the writing flow.

Submit the assignment for evaluation not later than the final due date listed on your course schedule.