What are the pros and con of mainstreaming special education students?

1. 84

   Dean Traylorposted 9 years ago

   What are the pros and con of mainstreaming special education students?
   
   To mainstream or not: this is a major topic at public schools and within the special education circles. Some want to see students with special needs given access to general education classroom and be exposed to the same curriculum as their peers. Others believe these students will be lost in the system. Parents of special needs students, administrators, psychologists and teachers (special and general ed.), let's see what you have to say on this topic.
   
   

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2. 82

   tamarawilhiteposted 9 years ago

   Pros:
   * in theory, with an aid helping two or three special needs students and one teacher, you have a lower cost over a separate special needs classroom with teacher and aid
   * if combined classes, possibly reduced infrastructure costs
   
   Cons:
   * severely developmentally challenged students' medical needs disrupting the education of the normal kids, so all suffer
   * emotionally disturbed kids disrupt the classroom
   * a teacher who is already burdened with 20-30 kids has to take time away from answering questions to do the work an aid would, because too many places assume teachers can help the aids and have too few aids
   * in order to maintain the self esteem of the challenged ones, the entire class' pace may be slowed
   
   Unless the kid is mentally normal and has physical needs that aren't disruptive such as hearing impaired with an interpreter, blind with braille or in a wheelchair but little else, the end result is:
   * slowing down the pace at which the majority learns
   * interfering with the education of normal children who will produce for society by taking away time and attention in the classroom to help them learn better
   
   It is a failure thus of the liberal movement that the desire to help a small minority feel good, the majority suffers.

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   1. 84

      Dean Traylorposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      If all the student needs is accommodations (which may mean preferred seating or supporting lesson with visual/audio cue), mainstreaming will work for them. If the process involves modification (change) of lesson, then they shouldn't be mainstreamed.

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3. 57

   Netty netposted 9 years ago

   First of all how much dose the child need to in special ed,  I am not a teacher or a parent, I was in special ed all my life.  The worst think you can do is go out way to treat differently then everyone else.
   
   When they have teacher and aid go with to every class you stick out like sour thumb.  Children also learn from each other.  Will the child be so behind if mainstream.  I don't have the answer to that question.

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   1. 84

      Dean Traylorposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      That's the tough part. You want to ensure they are with their non-disabled peers, but sometimes, they need more help. I wonder sometimes if that 'help" benefits or hinders the students. This is why IEP meeting are so vital.

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