Introduction
Inclusive education is a modern concept within which differently-abled students are put in classrooms that are appropriate for their age and meet their needs. Thus, students with special needs do not attend separate classes, nor are they institutionalized. Even though the idea of inclusive education and general classrooms might make sense on paper, there are both advantages and disadvantages to its implementation, which I will discuss in the present paper.
Advantages
The first and main disadvantage of general classrooms is better learning outcomes in students with disabilities. Inclusive education encourages academic attainment, as in receiving higher grades and spending more hours per day and more years in general in school – something that might be dismissed by an institution. Tehir et al. discovered that school students with disabilities who went to inclusive schools had more chances to enter post-secondary education as compared to their peers who studied separately (15).
As for non-disabled students attending inclusive school, studies have found that the presence of people with special needs in the classroom had whether a neutral or positive impact on their learning experiences. Tehir et al. monitored the academic achievements of non-disabled students in the same classes as students with Down syndrome and revealed that in a year’s time, their grades had not deteriorated (9). As for me, interaction with students with special needs taught me compassion and respect towards those who are different from me.
Disadvantages
Reforming education to make it more inclusive is a complicated process for everyone involved. First, we cannot make generalizations about people with special needs: for instance, some disorders allow them to retain high functionality. On the other hand, a number of disorders might be extremely disruptive to the learning process. Tehir et al. state that putting several students with severe mental and emotional issues in a single classroom present a significant challenge for a teacher (8). Other students may also suffer as the teacher’s attention is reoriented away from them.
Further, there might be a discrepancy between the ideal that a school seeks to attain and the level of preparation. Putting special needs students in general classrooms cannot and should not precede changing and equipping spaces with necessary gadgets and pieces of furniture. This fact leads me to the next point – financial issues derived from inclusive education implementation. Many schools are underfunded and have to be very thoughtful about the distribution of resources. Accommodating students with disabilities might drain money from other much-needed or urgent expenses. Lastly, teachers may lack training and experience in handling students with special needs, which may result in burnout and job dissatisfaction.
Conclusion
In alignment with the concept of inclusive education, a school should seek empowerment through diversity and support and encourage all students despite the challenges they might have. Studies have shown that joining their peers at inclusive schools helps students with disabilities to receive better grades and have brighter perspectives. However, the implementation of the concept might be strenuous and put a burden on teachers and non-disabled students and challenge a school financially.
Work Cited
Tehir, Thomas, et al. A Summary of the Evidence on Inclusive Education. 2016. Web.