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Effects of Integration of Students with Exceptionalities in the General Education Environment
Jacksonville State University
SPE 570
Chapter 1: Introduction
Inclusion has been a growing trend in special education since the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act was amended in 2004. It is not required that students with
exceptionalities be included in the general education classroom, but the team must put forth
effort in finding the least restrictive environment for the student. I have found that this can be a
significant problem in education today. There are six generally recognized placements for
students with exceptionalities. Students can receive their education full-time in a general
education classroom, part-time in a special education resource room, full-time in a special
education self-contained classroom, in a separate special education school, at a residential
facility, or through homebound instruction. My classroom serves students grades kindergarten to
second with mostly mild disabilities that are placed in the general education setting for at least
80% of the school day. It can be difficult to determine what setting would be best for each
student even with current guidelines in place.
The problem that I have discovered in my own classroom is finding the balance when
integrating of students with special needs in the general education environment for the
appropriate amount of time. I serve one student with Autism that is nonverbal and not toilet
trained. She spends her days in a general education kindergarten classroom with a full-time
paraprofessional. Her twin brother receives special education services in a full-time self-
contained environment through the learning center on our campus. Her previous teachers and her
parents had no doubts that she would also be in the learning center, but her nonverbal IQ scores
showed that it would not be appropriate. She becomes frustrated throughout the school day, and
she will often scream or cry. On some occasions she will bite, hit, or pinch when she is upset.
She communicates mostly through gestures and a few signs that we have taught her this year.
I have enjoyed working with her, and I believe she has made tremendous progress this
school year. She has gained social skills from watching her class mates, and they have truly
shown love and acceptance towards her. Her class mates have learned a lot about children with
disabilities this year, and I hope that it helps them to become accepting adults. However, is it
truly appropriate to send a child that cannot communicate appropriately to a first grade general
education classroom? She requires extensive modifications to make the classwork accessible to
her. Would she be better served in a learning center environment that focuses more on daily
living skills than reading and mathematics? How much of her school day should she spend in
each environment?
I also serve students that receive all of their special education services in the general
education environment. This can also be difficult as the general education classroom can be very
distracting for students with exceptionalities. The majority of my students receive the majority of
their special education services in the general education classroom. I pull most of my students for
an average of 60 minutes per day to work in a small group setting. Often, these students are more
than one grade level behind in reading and math, and the small group setting allows me to work
towards closing skill gaps. It also makes it easier to provide students with the individual attention
that they need to succeed. It is hard to decide if pulling students to the intervention room is
justified. I have to take into consideration whether or not the student is missing crucial skills in
the general education classroom while being pulled to the intervention room. Does being pulled
away from their general education peers have a positive or negative effect of these students?
The problem is that integrating students with exceptionalities into the general education
environment may not always be appropriate. I would like to discover the effects of integrating
students with exceptionalities in the general education environment. All students are different,
thus the IEP team must take the time to consider all options when placing students. Knowing the
positive and negative effects of inclusion will help me to make the best decision regarding least
restrictive environment for my students.
Operational Definition of Terms
Accommodations: Changes provided to a person with a disability to help them participate fully in
an activity (Ex. Extended time, work read aloud, preferential seating)
Exceptionality: Another word for disability (Physical or mental impairment that limits one or
more life activities
General Education: The education program designed for typically developing children
Inclusion: Providing opportunities for students with disabilities to participate in the same
activities as their non-disabled peers in the general education setting.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004: Special education law guaranteeing students
with disabilities a free and appropriate public education (FAPE), and the right to be educated
with non-disabled peers
