Research Paper on Pros of Inclusion

Philosophy - Benefits of Inclusive Classrooms for All.

Inclusion affords a sense of belonging to the diverse human family, provides a diverse stimulating environment in which to grow and learn, envolves in feelings of being a member of a diverse community, enables development of friendships, provides opportunities to develop neighborhood friends, enhances self-respect, provides affirmations of individuality, provides peer models, provides opportunities to be educated with same-age peers.

Benefits for General Education includes: providing opportunities to experience diversity of society on a small scale in a classroom, develops an appreciation that everyone has unique and beautifyl characteristics and abilities, develops respect for others with diverse characteristics, develps sensitivity toward others' limitations, develops feelings of empowerment and the ability to make a difference, increases abilities to help and teach all classmates, develops empathetic skills, provides opportunities to vicariously put their feet in another child's shoes.

Benefits for teachers inclues: helping teachers appreciate the diversity of the human family, helps teachers recognize that all students have strengths, creates an awareness of the importance of direct individualized instruction, increases ways of creatively addressing challenges, teahces collaborative problem solving skills, develops teamwork skills, acquires different ways of perceiving challenges as a result of being on a jmulti-disciplinary team, enhances accountability skills, combats monotony.

Benefits society by promoting the civil rights of all individuals, supports the social value of equality, teaches socialization and collaborative skills, builds supportiveness and interdependence, maximizes social peace, provides children a miniature model of the democratic process, enhances appreciation for the diversity of the human family.

"Creative Educators at Work": All children Including Those with Disabilities Can Play Traditional Classroom Games," by Donna Raschke, Ph. D., and Jodi Bronson, Ed. S., 1999.