Placing Special Education Students in the Regular Classroom Can Be Detrimental to All

Intellectual Conservative ^ | 08 December 2004 | Steve Leadley

[kiki04]

Placing Special Education Students in the Regular Classroom Can Be Detrimental to All by Steve Leadley 08 December 2004

The new trend of "inclusion" refers to the placement of special education students in the "regular" education classroom.

A new trend has emerged in today’s educational environment. It is called “Inclusion.” For those not familiar with this term it refers to the placement of special education or “classified” students in the “regular” education classroom. The main motivation for this change in policy is the decision to place students’ self-esteem at the top of school objectives. Placing the classified student in with the general population has diminished the stigma of being considered “special ed.” Yet however beneficial this policy may be for individual self-esteem, it has created new problems that may be far more destructive not only to the “classified” students, but also to the “regular” students as well.

Historically the “special needs” student has gotten the short end of the stick in America’s public schools. The prescribed method of dealing with these children was neglect and insensitivity. The liberalism of the 1960’s led to a vigorous and steady redress of moral and legal imperatives regarding this population. School districts adopted more elaborate and diverse diagnostic tools, Child Study Teams were developed, and new and innovative methods were applied in helping these students overcome their deficiencies. In the last decade however, the aforementioned gains have been eroded. Rather than continue to place these students in a small classroom environment where they are afforded individualized attention from special education experts, they have been integrated into the regular education classrooms so as to soften the stigma of being labeled “special.” In the attempt to impart social acceptance, schools have educationally stifled these students.

The legal justification for the aforementioned situation finds its origin in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. These federal laws guarantee that children with disabilities get a “Free and Appropriate Education” (FAPE). Both laws require that affected children “be educated to the maximum extent appropriate with children who do not have disabilities.” Most states have their own laws with similar jargon. Here in New Jersey, a student must be provided with a “thorough and efficient education” in “the least restrictive environment.”

As with all such efforts, this legislation began with the noblest of intentions. Presumably the objective was to give a mentally capable, though physically handicapped child, access to the same education as his intellectual peers. Thus the school would have to make “reasonable accommodations” (a term from the Americans With Disabilities Act) so that an academically bright deaf child, or student confined to a wheelchair, could have access to the regular classroom. As time progressed, self-esteem advocates began to use these laws to gain access not only for the physically disabled, but the Neurologically Impaired” (N.I.), “Perceptional Impaired” (P.I.) and “Emotionally Disturbed” (E.D.) students as well.

Students who are classified as either N.I. or P.I. have been deemed cognitively disabled. Consequently, these students often encounter serious difficulties in the regular education classroom. To counteract this, schools place Special Education teachers and instructional aides in the classroom to help these students and tailor I.E.P.’s (Individual Education Plans) to circumvent students’ deficiencies. An I.E.P. can prescribe virtually anything. Some state that children with reading difficulties do not have to take tests in written format, extra time is usually allotted for tests and assignments, and some even exempt students from doing homework. As one might imagine, there are several problems with this system. First, any self-esteem benefits are quickly nullified as the Special Education teacher or aide conspicuously hovers over the classified student reading the book or test to them. Another more damaging problem concerns the fact that these students’ deficiencies are circumvented rather than overcome. The high school student who reads at a third grade level would undoubtedly benefit more from one-on-one contact with a reading specialist who could teach strategies and techniques to improve literacy, rather than simply have the test or assignment read to them. Similarly, it is likely that the irresponsible student would benefit more if held accountable for homework than if this flaw were simply ignored.

The E.D. student poses a different set of problems. “Emotionally Disturbed” is the classic classification placed on “bad” kids. The E.D. tag absolves these students of responsibility for behavior problems, emotional outbursts, and disinterest in school. The self-esteem crowd contends that these behaviors are not the fault of the student, but rather the blame is placed on the “disability.”

This abdication of responsibility has become even more en vogue with the advent of AD/HD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). This disorder is characterized by “developmentally inappropriate impulsivity, and in some cases hyperactivity…” “…for some people the problem is so pervasive and persistent that it interferes with daily life including home, social, and academic settings.” CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficiency/Hyperactivity Disorder) describes some of the common characteristics of these children: “The AD/HD child is easily distracted, struggles to follow instructions, does not appear to listen, avoids or dislikes sustained mental efforts, makes careless mistakes, fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in chair, has difficulty remaining seated, runs about or climbs excessively, has difficulty engaging in activities quietly, talks excessively, has difficulty waiting or taking turns, and interrupts or intrudes upon others.” Though CHADD states that AD/HD is one of the best-researched disorders in medicine, they admit that no single test exists to diagnose AD/HD.

Placing “special needs” students in the regular classroom can obviously retard their intellectual development, but can also have a negative impact on the regular education students. Schools try to group students homogeneously by ability so that teachers can design lessons that are at the appropriate ability of the whole group. Even with such a system in place, students encounter problems and need some individualized attention. However, if they are placed properly, this extra attention is diffused proportionately among the class. When N.I. or P.I. students are thrown into the mix, they often occupy a disproportionate amount of the classroom teacher’s time. Of course Special Education teachers and aides can often help, but they are not experts in the content areas, so these types of problems fall heavily upon the regular education teacher. Thus the education of the regular population is unfairly hampered when the special needs students monopolize a teacher’s time.

It is also unfair for special education students to be graded on the same scale as regular education students if they are not responsible for the same level of work. If an I.E.P. states that a special education student does not have to complete homework, or is afforded unlimited time on tests, yet receives the same credit for the class, an uneven playing field is created. Not only is this unjust to the regular education student, but it creates a dangerous illusion for the special education child. The real world is a harsh place where results are expected. If a boss tells an employee that he expects the report on his desk by five o’clock, the employee won’t last long if they reply: “I get extra time on reports. My I.E.P. in high school said so.”

The inclusion of the E.D. student can also compromise the rights of the regular education student. The disruptive, hyperactive child definitively interferes with the education of the well-behaved, attentive students. Yet there are still those who champion the right of these students to be included in the regular classroom. Nancy Weiss, the Executive Director of TASH (“an international organization devoted to equity and social justice for people with disabilities and their families”), states: “We have a responsibility to offer supports for people to change behaviors that are dangerous, disruptive, or interfere with their ability to achieve goals that they have set for themselves…” What about the goals the regular education students have set? Do they have the right to achieve them unencumbered by disruptive children?

Undoubtedly there are classified students who can meet with success in the regular classroom. I have had special education students in my classes who have excelled and were welcome additions to the classroom. However, in order to ensure that all students are provided with the best education possible, self-esteem must take a backseat to academics. A special education student should certainly be granted access to the regular education classroom if he or she is capable of performing without undue “modifications” that impede their development. Likewise, such students should be excluded if their behaviors detract from the learning environment. The educational opportunities of the regular education student should not be stifled in an inane attempt at stroking the ego of the minority student. Students with special needs should get individualized attention from experts in an intimate environment where the focus is on overcoming their deficiencies rather than ignoring or circumventing them. After all, how stigmatized do you suppose that individual will be trying to get through life on a third grade reading level?

Steve Leadley teaches American History in New Jersey. He has been published in The Press of Atlantic City and The Courier Post, and is the author of the novella Conundrum.

[Hi Heels]

Google search....."Services remained primarily custodial, with provision of basic residential and medical needs, until the initiatives of President John F. Kennedy in 1961. President Kennedy assembled a panel of advisors from numerous diverse fields such as special education, social work, psychology, and medicine, who made recommendations which were eventually translated into the Intermediate Care Facility for the Mentally Retarded (ICF/MR) program of 1971. Under the ICF/MR program States were then able to access matching federal funds by conversion of their existing institutions for the mentally retarded to" ICF/MR" facilities. This conversion required that services be directed by an “interdisciplinary team” with a new emphasis on "training" in order to achieve behaviors which would make the resident as independent as possible.Under this new “Habilitation Model” physician services in institutions were redefined to focus primarily on certification issues and legal requirements rather than implementation of innovations in health service delivery. Under the Habilitation paradigm, institutions were dramatically downsized as thousands of people with mild and moderate disabilities moved to community settings. "

I don't know that this was the part that mainstreamed spec. ed students, though. Maybe Carter built that onto the initiative....

[neb52]

Starting in my 5th or 6th grade year, the school integrated some ED students that hard hearing and speaking disabilities. But otherwise were well mannered. The others were kept in Special ED classes. I don't remember anybody putting down these kids or being mean to them. Usually fellow students went out of their way to include them and engage them.

[blackeagle]

i feel the effects of this quite a bit, and after years of this im extremely bored. everything im learning is just a review from one year to the next.

[ApplegateRanch]

Learn one thing, and learn it well:

Education is what you get sitting in a classroom reviewing & reguritating;

LEARNING is what you do on your own, and never, ever let on about, until you can get paid rather than penalized for it.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Having in the past subbed both regular and Special Ed classes and having taught one year Special Ed in Calif, (Special Day Class, Learning Handicapped, Mild/Moderate) I saw a lot of capable, bright kids who have been "underprivileged" by never having been on the business end of a paddle at either school or home.

During my subbing time, I dealt with one kid as tall as I am, (5'11"+) who had "ODD" - Oppositional Defiance Disorder. I was told by his regular teacher that he would do everything in defiance of me, as though this was a 'disease' and not just deliberate rebelliousness-as-a-schtick. I motioned him to come out into the hall and while I stood in the doorway watching the rest of the class, I in a *nonthreatening way* got up into his face and without condescending told him, "I know you are very intelligent and you know the right thing to do and that you can do it and while I'm here you are GOING to do it." (something like that.) His eyes opened a bit as he knew I was onto his 'gaming' the system. We got along fine after that.

Oh, the stories I could post when I have time....

[blackeagle]

that sounds like a few students in my classes, the teacher allways has to stop the lecture to shut them up. they dont recive any punishment besides a "*name* BE QUIET". one just breaks out rapping and doing a beat on his desk which makes the entire class join in. these kids are highly disturbing so i have settled back into ignoring the classes and doing assignments on my own. after experianceing this im becoming a staunchly against public education.

[Bhrian]

Yet another reason to homeschool...

[speekinout]

JFK was certainly interested in helping the mentally handicapped. I think the sister who was is Rosemary? Anyway, he did have initiatives (and it could be that Special Olympics came about during his Presidency. Certainly the family does support that)

recommendations which were eventually translated into the Intermediate Care Facility for the Mentally Retarded (ICF/MR) program of 1971.

That's obviously long past his Presidency.
It was Carter who closed the mental hospitals.

institutions were dramatically downsized as thousands of people with mild and moderate disabilities moved to community settings.

No, they just closed the mental hospitals. Many of those people are now the homeless. Their disabilities are severe enough that they can't manage on their own.

[Windsong]

Sounds like he needed a good old fashioned ass-whoopin. I know I would have.

[tiki]

I honestly don't know how teachers teach or students learn nowadays. We had very strict rules and most teachers didn't put up with any crap. They weren't looking to be loved and accepted they were trying to teach and if you didn't learn you could spend your time in the principals office getting whacks on the behind.

I have a Catechism class and one of my boys told me he was ADD and that's why he misbehaved. I laughed and told him that I was ADHD but that didn't mean that I could misbehave and that he was old enough and responsible enough to control himself.

[Myrddin]

I've experienced this story on 3 levels. As a college instructor, I taught microprocessor design and programming classes for 3 1/2 years. My students were a mix of regional occupational program and associate degree in electronics candidates. The ROP office indicated that 91% of my students had been hired by DEC and IBM over the 3 1/2 year period. One student was a particular challenge. He had difficulty remembering things. I simply asked him to keep a small notepad in his pocket and write down important stuff immediately. He completed the class with a B. It turns out he was an ex-con who volunteered to be a subject of drug tests. The test drugs destroyed his short term memory. The notepad in his pocket made the difference in operating normally. It was a complete accident that this suggestion solved a critical problem in his life.

I have 3 sons. #2 son graduated with a 4.33 GPA. No problems there. #1 son arrived with congenital heart defects. He was also hyperactive. #1 son got kicked out of class in the first week of kindergarten. He couldn't take Ritalin because of the heart problem. At age 5, he had his first open heart surgery. Months later, he was allowed Ritalin and functioned perfectly in the classroom. After 6 months in class, no more Ritalin. He had a pile learning disabilities and an IEP was prepared. The special ed teachers in San Diego had their own classrooms. He did fine. Open heart surgery #2 occurred at age 10. After a few weeks recovery, he was back at school and progressing. Open heart surgery #3 happened at age 15. That one brought an artificial mitral valve and pacemaker. Back to school and still progressing in special ed. Open heart surgery #4 happened at age 17. A new aortic valve, a band around the tricuspid, a few "pig patches" around the holes and a removal of the auricular leads to the pacemaker. Back to mainstream classes in high school and graduation. He's still a bit immature at age 24, but his is steadily progressing on his degree in paleontology at Idaho State University. A nominal success story for the special ed programs in California.

Now the non-success story. My #3 son has ADD as well. He started with IEPs at age 5 and had some special ed classes in San Diego through 7th grade. He was doing fine. We moved to Idaho half way through his 8th grade year. We made a point of taking his current IEP and working out a program with the teachers and counselors at his new school. That was the extent of the "special ed" activity. His teachers were barely qualified to teach normal children. Special kids were simply ignored. After weeks in class, the one teacher finally calls to announce #3 son is failing miserably. That sets up new problems. #3 son starts skipping classes. Idaho takes the roll and dutifully drops all credit for a class if 9 days are missed in the year. #3 son did just that in 3 classes. We tried to help him make up the classes in summer school. That meant 2 ten mile round trips to the only school offering summer classes. He did it again. He skipped 3 class periods in each of the summer classes. No credit. Lots of time and gas wasted for nothing. We tried a new high school 10 miles down the road. That's 40 miles of driving each day to keep your kid in a good school. He skipped classes again and the district kicked him out permanently. I now have a 17 year old with an almost finished 8th grade education. Frustrating. What is so damning is that he could come home with straight A grades in math and failing grades in English. It was just a matter of whether can cared about the subject. He's not dumb. He has the classic symptoms of ADD and it cost him an education.

If nothing else, the experience with #3 son suggests that you should not bring your special ed kid to Idaho for an education. You will get nicely paid, poorly qualified members of the Idaho Education Association who happen to hold employment in the local school district. Having the title of "teacher" by virtue of accepting employment to that position is very different from actually being a teacher. I can attest to that from experience.

[blackeagle]

very interesting advice, and very true. ive never been good at regurgitating facts, always thought its held me back being on a strict lesson plan. never have i once had a teacher that actually taught me anything useful, the basic math skills, writing and spelling was all self taught, might be easy to see. heh. back in the early grades i was smarter than most students, i was ridiculed and made fun of and had to dumb down my thought path to be understood by my peers. and this has left me with dismal grades and a careless attitude about my schooling

[blackeagle]

its simple no one benefits from this, except the teachers still getting their check and complaining its not enough. the teachers are becoming the students friends, which is never a good thing. yes the "big excuse" ADD, Ive always believed its nothing a swift hit to the behind with the board of education cant fix. I'm 16 and personally ide love to see corporal punishment back in schools, it might be the only way to keep these pot heads in line.

[Myrddin]

My #2 son was a real self starter. He picked off my copy of of Einstein's book on relativity. A couple hours into the book, he realized that he didn't quite understand the trigonometry in some of the equations. Off we went to the bookstore. By the end of the weekend, he had a sufficient grasp of trigonometry to finish Einstein's book without feeling like had missed the concepts.

When #2 son signed up for Advanced Placement classes, he was disturbed to discover his "teacher" didn't know any of the material. The "teacher" was simply in the room to take roll, emit heat and keep a seat warm. My son took the bull by the horns and started doing the teaching. Not just during classroom hours, but also on weeknights when he didn't have to be at band rehearsals or performing field shows. My son and his weeknight workshop gang went on to earn scores of 5 on every AP test. That's a perfect score.

The point with #2 son is that he succeeded in spite of having some poor "teachers". He was one of the top performers that just need to be pointed in the right direction. The middle "average" students can learn things if they are presented reasonably. The bottom tier generally doesn't "get it" no matter how hard you try. One can only hope the bottom tier doesn't inject enough disruption to destroy the class for everyone else. Unfortunately, that is often the case.

[1L]

There's nothing "new" about inclusion; its been around for at least a decade. My wife has been teaching in an inclusion program for the better part of that period.

At first I didn't like the idea, but I've warmed up to it. Based on what my wife has said, I have to question whether this teacher actually had these experiences or is talking in a vacuum. The good part of inclusion, at least in Texas where there is a cut-off for special education, is that my wife as a Special Ed teacher can also help other students in the classroom, besides the ones in Special Ed, that may be in that "tweener" category.

Yes, I think some of the motives of those who originally pitched this wreaks with outcome based education, and I was highly skeptical initially. However, in practice, I think it is a good idea and you have at least 2 teachers controlling things. I think back to my elementary school time, and we had, in a few classes, the slower learners. Yes, they went out for some of their work, and yes, we were probably way too cruel to them, but I don't recall any seriousness of disruptions. According to my wife, her kids aren't the ones that cause the majority of the problems.

My wife started teacher deaf education. She was heartbroken when told they were cutting teachers and she was the one, based on seniority, that didn't make the cut. Since then, she has loved what she is doing and has her masters in spec ed.

[maine-iac7]

Carter essentially closed the mental institutions and turned the patients out into the world - most to end up on the street because he felt they 'had rights" -

never mind that they can't take care of themselves - about the only "help" they can get is to be picked up as vagrant and get a warm night and meal in jail...

and then Carter let 100's of thousands of Cubans be boat lifted to the US - Castro laughed, emptied his jails and insane ayslyms and put them on the boats...

(Carter and Castro are still good buddies.)

[1L]

>>#1 son got kicked out of class in the first week of kindergarten. <<

A buddy and I got kicked out of Vacation Bible School one year!

Oh, well. I'm sure we deserved that and more.

[Cyclone59]

As much as I hate to say this, but W (voted for him twice) is not doing these SPED kids any favors with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation. In a nutshell NCLB has 5 levels on standardized tests: Reading and Math are the only subjects required to be tested, science and civics are not.
Advanced is well above grade level
Proficient is above grade level
Nearing Proficient is at grade level
Progressing is below grade level
Step 1 is well below grade level

As legislated by NCLB by the year 2012 100% of students must be at the proficient level - which I have absolutely no problem with, but when that INCLUDES the SPED kids I have a major problem with that. The major problem is that teachers will start, if they haven't already, teaching to the test with their normal kids. That in its self will limit the time in which a teacher can teach. Now throw in the SPED kids and you've got yourself a pretty good mess and there is no way that these SPED kids can make proficient at their proper grade level. www.dese.state.mo.us is the site for Missouri. Use the school data link at the left and then choose a school district and then find the MAP test scores link. Don't get me wrong I think that having some sort of standard is a good thing but 100% of all students above their respective grade level??? Also, I know that Missouri accepts the obligation to work one on one if needed with SPED kids until they reach the age of 21.

Just my 2 cents, for what it's worth.

[Myrddin]

LEARNING is what you do on your own, and never, ever let on about, until you can get paid rather than penalized for it.

Exactly right. Amazon and Barnes & Noble have converted a significant portion of my earnings into books. That's is why I earn a pretty decent living as a computer scientist and electrical engineer. A tolerable situation considering my undegraduate degree is in molecular biology.

I tested my understanding of electronics and regulations at the FCC office. Extra Class amateur radio license, First Class Radiotelephone license and a RADAR endorsements.

The FAA office was pleased to test my mastery of the Jeppsen Flight Training manual. I just read it on the San Diego trolley on the way into work each morning. Scored 100%. My flight instructor was happy with that. He was getting paid with the money I earned teaching school in the evenings...after putting in a full day at work as a central office equipment engineer for PacBell.

Being employed in my current capacity means a continuous addition of books on the latest technologies. I have to train myself to do the latest technologies so that my company can bid that skillset against a future contract. It is an investment in a continuing successful future. If you stop learning, you soon become an unemployable dinosaur.

[Myrddin]

I've often wondered about the value of the "levels" assigned by those academic tests. I was pulled out of my 2nd grade classroom and subjected to tests for days. The tester rated my verbal and language skills at 7th grade level. I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or a warning about the validity of the testing.