Inclusivity in mainstream versus self-contained special needs classes

ToastieSimons · February 2014

This is more of a discussion than an actual question.

DS1 is in a school solely for children with special needs. They have a daycare on site that is from ages 6 weeks to 5 years. These kids go back and forth between the daycare and the special needs preschool and kindergarten classes, it's how they provide typical peer models. For the kids with higher physical skills, they may send them to the daycare for an activity during the school day.

When we starting the IEP process we met with an organziation that does a lot with parent education, advocation, and early intervention. They offer playgroups and workshops for siblings etc. When I mentioned that the school district wanted to send DS1 to a special needs school the woman was offended. She went off on a twenty minute tirade about how that is anti IDEA and anti LRE. An inclusive mainstream classroom is the best setting for every child and we should be pushing the district to offer that us as an option.

Now, I took this woman's advice with a grain of salt but now that we're descending upon the season of annual IEP writing I'm wondering what others think.

I feel that inclusion in a mainstream setting is an IDEAL goal for most children. But not all. Is this a common practice that ALL children should be pushed to mainstream? I am completely for this when you have a child with an average IQ or mild ID, or a child that is borderline with needing services. But at this point we're pretty sure that DS1 is in the moderately to severely ID and he isn't even close to children his age in cognition or motor skills.

kcisthebombdotcom · February 2014

This is a decision I recently struggled with. We were faced with putting dd in an inclusion classroom with typical peer models or a self contained autism classroom. We ended up going with the latter and I'm glad we did. She is far too self directed to access her peers currently. In a classroom with more kids she'd just have more opportunities to check out. She gets far more intensive supports with language learning--she currently has a slp in her class five hours a week so she gets lots of one on one and small group time. My long term goal is to have her mainstream but honestly I worry about that happening too. She's bright and behaviorally a dream--rarely tantrums, easygoing, always happy and obedient to a flaw. I worry she will be easily overlooked.

lite-bright · February 2014

My vague sense of SN education is that the pendulum has kind of swung from trying to keep kids with SN hidden/excluded from the mainstream, to a push to mainstream in as many cases as possible, and that we're on a bit of a rebound where individual needs are more taken into account for LRE and mainstream isn't held up necessarily as a panacea -- but that SN-only classroom placement and/or one-on-one aides can still be difficult to get because of the devotion of resources.

I don't really have any sources for this, though, so it could all be BS.

malcivar · February 2014

YellowLilies said:

In nys a 1:1 aid is considered the most restrictive support and therefore a self contained classroom is considered less restrictive that a students in a mainstream classroom with a 1:1 aid. For my son to succeed in k he will need lots of support and so a self contained classroom will be the better fit as they can tailor the supports to his needs. The smaller classroom will also have fewer peer distractions for him. LRE looks different for every student so this is just what I believe will work best for my son.

I am right there with you. When my son goes to K he is going to need A LOT of support, mostly because it already takes a small army to keep him contained - a regular jumping bean this kid is. So while yes I would love to see my son in a mainstream classroom, I recognize that right now that would not be a good fit for him. I'm not sure if it ever will be but for right now, definitely not.

ksukitty1979 · February 2014

My son has been in a self contained class for two years and we have seen great progress. He has severe classic autism and needs lots of support. But I know this option is not best for all.

st.augbride · February 2014

It's interesting how things are handled so differently even at various schools in the same county. In my county, the elementary school that is considered to be by far the best for SN is completely inclusive. So, all kids, from those with intellectual disabilities, DS, ASD, and on up to gifted, go in one classroom. The SN parents say it's amazing. The gifted kid parents are split: some say their kids are not able to excel as much and others say their kids become better people for having such a strong comfort level and familiarity with kids of all kinds of needs. It has been recognized nationally for this program too. But then so many other schools here have separate classes for ALL SN kids, even when the needs are mild. Since I have zero experience with my kids in public given their ages, it's hard for me to know what makes the most sense. I would like them to go to the school I mentioned, but it's tough to buy into real estate-wise ($$$).

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