Main streaming or special accomodations?

[TeensMom]

There is a bit of an uproar in my area at this time because a public school provided for severly disabled children has told its parents that it may be required to close and all the children be mainstreamed. This is so the state can show "progress" toward full inclusion.

I have a friend with two children in the school. They have severe, severe mental and physical disabilities. Neither can sit up except in a special chair, they are tube fed, they cannot respond to words (one is a little less disabled and will occasionally smile at her mother). These two are very representative of the other children at the school - the parents are very concerned.

Although my background is education, it is not special education. What is the rationale for mainstreaming extremely disabled children when they are being so well accomodated now?

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

Money is probably a component. Although it would seem cheaper to provide education at a central site "cheaper" is relative to who is paying (by "who" I mean state versus school district if your state is set up that way).

 

[Disney Doll]

I have no idea. We just had this conversation the other night with very good friends of ours who have the most gloriously wonderful child with Down's Syndrome. They are advocates of mainstreaming up to the child's ability level, not for everything. Currently, their 6 year old, who has about a 3 year old developmental level, is mainstreamed for art and music only. The rest of the subjects he is taught at his pace, in the special needs class. As they say,"What is the point of putting him into a Math class where he won't be able to do the work? So he can sit and color, or become frustrated if he realizes that he is unable to keep up with the other kids?" Special education gives disabled children the chance to succeed at their level. Success is important at every age, for every child.

 

[ripleysmom]

Children are required by Federal Law to be educated in the Least Restrictive Environment. That is to say that they must be educated with their peers to the fullest extent possible when it is appropriate.

The key here is the appropriateness of including these children in a mainstream classroom. The education that the children would be receiving in a regular ed environment would not be appropriate to their individual needs.

Actually all the parents have to do is to refuse to agree to the alteration of the children's IEPs. A change in placement (and that is that is what moving the children into a regular ed classroom would constitute) cannot occur without the parent's consent unless a hearing takes place.

I would advise all of the parents of children at that school to refuse to agree to a change in the IEP. I am sure that if a hearing is held the hearing officer will agree that a regular ed placement is not an appropriate placement for these children.

 

[Lanshark]

In a word; money. IMO it is criminal.

 

[pumba]

and most of these children are in separate rooms ......they do not even do lunch hours at the same time......some of the children have to have a separate attendant....to make sure they are changed and cared for.....My daughter works for a school and the children that attend there can not be mainstreamed because of violent behavior....so it is a little of this and a little of that....all children have a right to a public school education .....no matter what or where.....

 

[maleficent1959]

The kids that are mainstreamed in my mom's district are not in separate rooms. In her district it has been all about money. In fact, they even cut the program for autistic kids because it was "underutilized."

My mom (middle school teacher) has had a number of children in her classroom over the years, some which did fine and others that probably should not have been there. My mom is not trained to meet many of the needs that a lot of these children have, and she feels they are not getting the development and attention they need and deserve.

She had one student who was at the developmental level of a two-year-old, confined to a sort of combo wheelchair/recliner. He couldn't speak, had no control of his functions, (yes, his teachers or the school nurse had to change his diaper) and the school had to provide a student to tend to him during each of his classes. He was wheeled around to his classes, was fed during lunch (yes, another student did that too). Was being mainstreamed in the public school really the best way to meet his needs?

If any of my children required the skill and expertise of a teacher trained in special education I think I would demand it. I would want him to have the best person suited to meet his needs.

 

[jellymoon]

I have to admit I'm surprised (pleasantly) by the level of compassion and understanding in this thread. And Ripleysmom, hat's off to you!!!! I used to work professionally as a special ed law trainer-- you are awesome.

Personally, I'm very in favor of inclusion (not mainstreaming, but full inclusion) for MOST students. I also believe that each district must offer a full spectrum of educational options to meet the needs of a variety of kids. Not every child can have their needs met in a regular classroom.

That said, I think that especially in elementary school many students can have their needs met--- if the school commits to doing inclusion appropriately. Almost all of the educational research shows that inclusion has huge academic and social/emotional benefits for children with disabilities AND typical learners. The research is very cool and promising.

The difficulty is that most schools do not really do inclusion the right way. Inclusion isn't "dumping" a child in a regular class and patting oneself on the back for being inclusive. Inclusion involves placing a child in a classroom, working with the teacher to make appropriate accomodations and provide specially designed instruction, and provided the needed supports both to the teacher and the student--- and the other students if needed. In some cases this may involve an educational assistant for the teacher in the classroom. In others, it may involve special equipment or technology, supportive services, or professional development opportunities for the teacher.

In a truly inclusive school environment, the educational assistant isn't assigned to the child, but to the teacher. The child remains a student of the main teacher, but the teacher has the support of the extra, specially trained adult. During parts of the day, that assistant my be helping the "target" student. During other parts of the day she may be assisting other students, running reading groups, or supervising the science projects of other students--- doing whatever that teacher does.

In a truly inclusive school, teachers are trained and embrace the idea of differentiated instruction. This means that the same concepts are taught in a mult-sensorial way, with multiple opportunities and avenues for expressing newly acquired skills and knowledge at different ability levels. This is good not jsut for kids with disabilities, but for all kids--- no two of whom learn the same way. If there is a differentiation in assignments and learning style, the same classroom can touch effectively the gifted, the average, the second language learner, the mildly disabled and even the severley disabled individual.

Why do I believe in inclusive educaiton (done the right way)? Because, in addition to the proven educational and social benefits, it prepares everyone better for adult life. Kids don't grow up to live in a segregated world. Kids are smart. When they learn in kindergarten that certain kinds of kids are "special friends" who need separate lunch breaks, play breaks, and bathroom breaks, they believe they are very different and shouldn't associate with them. However, when they learn in a school community that embraces all students they learn early on how to accomodate toa variety of communication techniques, behaviors and physical differences. This is essential because the "typical" students are going to grow up to live in the same community as their disabled peers--- only they will be their neighbors, employers, judges, police officers, and social workers. It is essential that all of our children know each other and know that each person is of value and has the potential to learn.

That said, I think it is wrong to mandate that ALL children be fully included if that is not what best meets their learning needs. IDEA doesn't mandate full inclusion--- it simply requires least restrictive environment. That phrase in itself suggests that some students have needs which are more "restrictive" than others. As well, too many school systems practice the dumping form of inclusion to save money. They stick kids here and there, write an ineffective IEP, and don't invest in special educaiton professionals or qualified classified staff support. This harms the student with the disability who is robbed of an education, the teacher who is saddled with the responsibility but no training/support, and the rest of the students in the classroom. That doesn't work.

What is the challenge is to figure out how to get rid of "dumping" --- which is what most school districts do--- and move towards true, supported and effective inclusion. If inclusion was implemented properly, I believe it would be more suitable for more kids, and more parents and teachers would support and even advocate it.

 

[momof2OH]

jellymoon ~ Your post is so true!! another thing parents whose children need or require an IEP should know that they DO NOT have to sign it. If you are not happy about something in an IEP then do not sign.
To the OP ~ if your friends don't think that mainstreaming their children is what's best for them, then they need to let the school know this and ask for a hearing to be set up.

www.wrightslaw.com is one of the best sites for special ed. info. I have been to several of Peter Wrights seminars and conferences and he is awesome.

 

[aahmom1]

She had one student who was at the developmental level of a two-year-old, confined to a sort of combo wheelchair/recliner. He couldn't speak, had no control of his functions, (yes, his teachers or the school nurse had to change his diaper) and the school had to provide a student to tend to him during each of his classes. He was wheeled around to his classes, was fed during lunch (yes, another student did that too). Was being mainstreamed in the public school really the best way to meet his needs?

This is just so sad, that poor child is not getting what he needs at all. I would not put up with this for a minute. That is ridiulous. Why would the Mother go along with that kind of education for her child. What about the kids who have to take care of him, is that being fair to them? I can't even comment on the teacher having to change his diaper, that is one of the saddest things I've ever heard.

 

[ripleysmom]

Thanks Jellymoon. I sit on CSE committees for the district and one of the schools that I did this last year was a school with students such as were described by the OP. While I am all for including children as much as possible in a regular ed environment, that placement would not have been appropriate for children like the students at that school.

I can only continue to be grateful that I live in a district where the children are measured by their needs, not by the amount of money that they will cost.

 

[s&k'smom]

Oh boy this is an argument that has been going on since the beginning of time. It especially comes up when school budgets are tight. Part of the problem is that schools are not being reimbursed by our federal government fully when they are supposed to be. Parents need to keep themselves educated on what the law is and if necessary hire an advocate or a lawyer to work with them. My son is mainstreamed for part of his day and thought he is extremely high functioning PDD he could not function all day in a "typical classroom". He would become lost in the shuffle so part of his day is in a self contained classroom and part with his "peers". Here is Mass we are awaiting what the cuts in local aid will be. In the end it all comes down to money.

 

[jellymoon]

Originally posted by s&k'smom
Oh boy this is an argument that has been going on since the beginning of time. It especially comes up when school budgets are tight. Part of the problem is that schools are not being reimbursed by our federal government fully when they are supposed to be. Parents need to keep themselves educated on what the law is and if necessary hire an advocate or a lawyer to work with them. My son is mainstreamed for part of his day and thought he is extremely high functioning PDD he could not function all day in a "typical classroom". He would become lost in the shuffle so part of his day is in a self contained classroom and part with his "peers". Here is Mass we are awaiting what the cuts in local aid will be. In the end it all comes down to money.

I serve on a school board, and agree that money is a problem. What annoys me is how overblown and overexaggerated teh whole special ed thing is. Here, we had glaring newspaper reports about how special education has blown the states budget. However, when I analyzed the state budget it turns out that, as a percentage of the overall budget, special ed has grown only 4/10 of one percent state wide in the past 12 years. And what percent of K-12 funding does special ed spending comprise? 9%, serving just over 12% of the school population.

I agree that the feds need to kick in their part too. But it bothers me to hear people talk about it as an unfunded mandate. The only thing the law really mandates is that children with disabilities must be allowed to attend school. Children with disabilities are the responsibility of their states, just as children without disabilities are. It frustrates me to know that people somehow think disabled chldren are somewhat less American or somewhat less deserving of a public education.

We are facing massive budget cuts in our state. So bad that our schools are closing, in some cases, four weeks early this year. Massive layoffs. Elimination of all co-curricular activities. IT is bad. You know what people want to get rid of before sports? Special education. That is why there is a mandate--- because otherwise, when times get tough, these children would be kicked out of school.

Sorry if I seem steamy. This whole thing just frustrates me to no end.

 

[KathyTX]

I guess what we do here is inclusion as described by s&k's mom, and it seems like it's working pretty well.

Last year in DS's 2nd grade class we had one autistic child. At the beginning of the year during parent orientation, this child's mom and the teacher spoke to the rest of the other parents about his situation. This helped a lot, as we understood what to expect and how to help our kids deal with any confusion they had about him. I think this open communication with the classmates parents helped to nurture a supportive environment for all the children in the classroom.

His schedule was to spend about half the day in the regular classroom and the other half with his special ed teacher. During a later teacher conference, the teacher told me that my DS and one little girl in the class had become "buddies" for this child- helping him with class assignments, volunteering to escort him to his special ed classroom, watching out for him during recess, and just generally helping him cope. This seems like such a natural approach to meeting the needs for the mildly disabled child as well as the "normal" children. I think DS probably got more out of this relationship than his buddy did!

It sure seems like everybody's needs were well met. Our special student got the social and academic experience of the mainstream classroom, plus the special attention of the special education program. His presence did not detract from the curriculum or experience of the "regular" students, and perhaps taught some of them valuable lessons in empathy and tolerance.

When I hear the term "mainstreaming", I assume this means putting the child in the regular class and letting them sink or swim. Does this imply the elimination of the extra support of the special education program? Is this going to truly handicap these children?

In the heartrending cases of the profoundly disabled children who need constant medical care and cannot actively participate in the classroom, I can't imagine that attempting to "mainstream" them meets ANYBODY'S needs. There are so many degrees of ability and disability... How does a parent or a school district determine the appropriate balance between inclusion and special attention. My heart goes out to these kids and their parents.