Why should special ed students be main-streamed?

Question

Why should special ed students be put into normal classrooms?

Answer 1

Students with disabilities should be mainstreamed because, just like every other human being on this Earth, they deserve to be included! Just as race and ethnicity should not be a factor for separate education neither should ability level.  EVERYONE benefits from this situation, the social lessons learned in inclusion classrooms are priceless.  Students with disabilities give the opportunity for abled students to gain a sense of pride and accomplishment through helping and aiding their peer that has a disability, also they learn that not everyone is like them and they are lucky to be as blessed as they are.This creates compassion in those students.    The students with disabilities benefit from being able to feel normal and be treated as such! What makes you think that those with disabilities do not think just as we do but have a communication problem, or no outlet for communication? (see video link)  With the proper supports and attitudes people with disabilities are exactly as us. Those of us with no disabilities should give thanks every day for how easy our lives are.

Answer 2

In the real world, we are all together.  It is good to develop friendships.  Good models, both for social and academic reasons, are important.

Answer 3

Special education students should be mainstreamed in order that they have full access to the general education curriculum.  With NCLB all students are tested at their grade level not their academic level.  So in order for them to have opportunities to succeed they need to have access to the general education curriculum with accomodations of course.  By the year 2013-2014 all students are expected to score proficient or advanced on the state tests that includes special education students.

Answer 4

Well there is no reson , they dont learn the same way. and its like teaching algebra to a 1 year old, thats how their learning works, even though not all are like that.

Answer 5

I have an IEP and by no means am I stupid infact I consider myself more intelligent then the average person considering the fact that I'm in Honors English. My IEP is for an auditory processing problem.

I think the term "Special ed" brings down the students confidence and does little to help them suceed. We should all be treated equally and have the right and be entitled to recieve the same education as any other student.

I was in an ESE Reading class and it did little to help me, it was so d**n easy I got a 100 percent it was a joke 2 years later Im in an honors english class.

I think schools need to do a better job of motivating students and pushing them to their potential putting them in special ed classes doesn't do that plain and simple.

Answer 6

it gives them a sense of normalcy. no one wants to be secluded from the rest of the world. its not fair. if they can keep up and have the social skills i think they should be able to be main-streamed. who's to say they aren't normal? just because they have some special needs doesn't mean they aren't people too.

Answer 7

It's the law.  Although if the behaviour of the special ed student disrupts the teacher's teaching, then he should be taken out or accompanied by an aide.

Answer 8

they should not retarded or mently ill people deserve to be with the same type

Answer 9

It is beneficial in some cases.  Not all special ed students are your prototypical "retarded" kids.  Being in a general ed classroom allows for social growth as well as academic.  The special ed students learn from gen. ed students and vice versa.  It is difficult to undertake, being a teacher, but it is possible if the school district has enough support in the school.  In some cases, no, it is not beneficial, but most school districts have to go all or nothing and it is something new they are trying.  As a new teacher, it is difficult at times but I do see benefits.  Students learn tolerance for others instead of having the "outsiders" in the school.  Respect, tolerance, and empathy are all lessons taught in school along with math and reading.

In response to those who say the "normal" kids will make fun of them.  Then teach your students how to respect others and understand the differences they have.  It is about being social and about teaching students to understand and learn about each other, without ridiculing each other.

Answer 10

Special ed students should be mainstreamed even though it can present challenges to teachers and fellow classmates.

It's not just about academics, it's the whole process......including social interaction.  

The people who have answered "they shouldn't be" shows the lack of compassion and tolerance for people who aren't "perfect" by their standards.  They have to realize that this world is made up of many different types of people.  

These students deserve the same opportunity as everyone else so they can reach their maximum potential......whatever that might be!

Any one of us could have had or will have a special needs child and you can bet that the ones who oppose the idea now would be the first ones fighting to get their child in main stream classes.

Sometimes it makes me wonder who the REAL special ed students are!

We need to drop the attitude and give these students a fighting chance, academically and socially!

Answer 11

To get a taste of reality.

Answer 12

They should not be main streamed. Simple as that

Answer 13

They shouldn't be, the "normal kids" will hinder the special ed kid's education. I'm a teacher, and let's be honest, the "normal kids" have behavioral problems that the special ed children should not be exposed to see.

My problem with the "normal" kids has nothing to do with them making fun of the special ed children. It has to do with their bad behavioral problems. I've had the opportunity to teach both types of children and the special ed children are better behaved than the "normal" kids. Put the special ed children with the other kids and the special ed children will lose a lot of their gains. Putting special ed children with well behaved "normal" kids would be great! But where in the world is that classroom? Teachers have a very hard job, most these kids nowadays have no home training and the parents of the special ed children care a lot more than the normal kid's parents.

Answer 14

They have to get a feel for the real world. They cant always see the world from a superficial view, they have to experience what thing will be like when there is no one around to help them.

Answer 15

Not all students that are special ed sit around drooling in a cup. Some of these students are great at math but not very good at reading comprehension. Therefore there is no reason at all that they should not be allowed into a normal classroom setting, if nothing else it will build there social skills. The students that sadly enough cannot function well enough to sit in a class, should stay in a separate room and have more one on one teaching so that they can function as adults later in there life.

Answer 16

I was one of those "learning disabled retards" that was main-streamed where I was put into classes with the "normal" students and now with my 20th high school class reunion coming up next summer, this special ed "dummy" have straightened up in a huge way. I state this fact because I went back to college back in 2005 despite my family's objection and did earn a AAS Degree in Engineering where I graduated with a 3.82 GPA. Now I'm working to earn dual Bachelor Degrees in Computer and Electrical Engineering, where I have a 4.00 GPA, and I'm working fulltime at Teledyne as a machinist. I'm a member of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, on the 2007 National Dean's List, and I've been invited to the 2008 Engineering Delegation in China by the International Scholar Laureate Program. BTW, this past spring I had big-named universities such as University of Virginia, University of Maryland, Columbia, etc..... contact me granting me automatic admissions into their universities starting back this past August.

I can honestly say, "This "Learning disabled r****d" has never been in trouble with the law before." How many of the "smart students" can say that?" I doubt that many, considering the fact that I graduated with about two dozen people that are currently in prison for various reasons, such as drugs or murder.

Answer 17

Because some of them are determined to be ready.  It wouldn't be fair to those to be held back now would it?

The only disadvantage, is the so-called "smarter students" can be cruel.

The goal for ALL students is to provide them with the best possible education and life skills.

What a lot of you don't realize is that could just as easily have been YOU.  Some of you could use a bit of compassion and gratitude.

Answer 18

I dont know.You know what stupid?The specail eds kids eat only a table away from us!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 19

WOW ignorance is running rampant today . Special ed is different than mentally retarded . Special ed can be a child who is just lagging behind in a couple areas of school . Or a child who tends to be hyper . Basically a child who needs a smaller setting of people .

The idea of main-streaming them is to get them back where they need to be . In a regular classroom , or least restrictive environment .

For those out there who treat such like they are tainted or what have you grow up !

Answer 20

They shouldn't be.  It's beneficial to no one.

Answer 21

Special ed kids should not be mainstreamed. It is not fair to the regular students, especially if the child disrupts the class.

Some special ed kids are not mentally challenged but are just spoiled brats. Believe me. I work with them and it gets me down sometimes.

Answer 22

As I read the answers to the question, I started to tear up and cry.  I guess I forget how cruel people can be.  I work with developmentally disabled children, some of whom are mainstreamed.  

To answer the question, special education children are mainstreamed for a few reasons.  One of the most important is socialization.  These children will not spend their lives in Special Education classrooms.  After school they will go on like their peers to more independent lives.  If they are unaware of how to act in those environments because they have never been there, it makes uncomfortable situations for everyone.  Simply put, it gets special needs children accustomed to being around regular children, and hopefully vice a versa.  

Secondly,  a lot of children in Special Ed go on to graduate middle and high school with their peers, many of whom you would never guess were in special ed.  It would be idiotic to immediately change a child's school, class, teachers, friends, ect.  Some special ed children are mainstreamed in the hopes of some day being a regular ed student.

For those that said mainstreaming was a bad idea, I don't think that you are necessarily wrong.  I believe that it is something that can help or hurt a student depending on that student.  I have one student who loves going to his three regular classes a day, and another who dreads it.  Truth be told, the only way to find whether mainstreaming is beneficial is to try it with able students.  

For those who posted negative answers about fellow students who are mainstreamed, I hope that you will be able to look at those students and learn something from them.  I believe that working with the students that I have, they have taught me so much more than anything I could ever help to grace their BEAUTIFUL minds with.  Count your blessings.  Children with needs are born that way, the same that you are born either male or female.  They have no choice.  

Lastly, it is society's responsibility to care and be kind to those who cannot care and be kind to themselves.

Answer 23

people feel bad for them n they need to feel normal n skls r cheap to hav special ed classes

Answer 24

Because they always have been, without a disasterous effect. Except for extreme cases, kids went undiagnosed for years as opposed to today, where everyone is labeled.

Answer 25

they shouldnt.

im not trying to be cruel or mean here, but seriously folks, its only going to hurt them to put them into these classes. not only are kids cruel, but it would be so stressful on the poor kid, I wouldnt even want to imagine it.

not saying that they cant succeed in higher lever thinking, but seriously, some of these kids wont be able to get past the mental capacity of a ten year old, and it can be hopeless sometimes.

its a very sad truth.

Answer 26

Because every child deserves the opportunity to be in a "normal" classroom.  Most children mimic their peers, be it good or bad behaviors and those in special ed will only be exposed to similar children with similar disabilities if they are not mainstreamed.