Inclusion in schools: a hot (and complicated) topic

A recent documentary entitled "Including Samuel” provides a wonderful window into the concept of inclusion, especially as it pertains to our schools. Full inclusion proponents argue that ALL kids benefit by having ALL kids (kids with special needs, severe to mild, included) attend the same school in the same classrooms. On the surface, it sounds like a daunting, if not impossible, task. Yet the filmmaker, Dan Habib, the parent of a child with Cerebral Palsy, directly addresses the topic and provides a personal, objective look at this timely debate.

Dan’s son attends a school striving to incorporate full inclusion, and he explores how extremely difficult it is, interviewing the principal, teachers, therapists, and parents at both his son’s school and others.

I, too, am the parent of a child with special needs, so, as you can imagine, I was eager to see the film. When my daughter, Roxie, was nearing Kindergarten age, my wife and I did our homework, researching a variety of options from public to private, from partial inclusion schools to specific schools for kids with special needs. Amazingly, in the 23rd largest city in the US, we could not find a full inclusion model that would benefit our daughter. Honestly, at the time, we simply didn’t realize that they existed! And across the US, very few do.

Regardless, even with our new knowledge, my wife and I don’t feel like we have “settled.” The school we found for our daughter does not practice inclusion, but it is an amazing place where trained and caring teachers and therapists pour their hearts and souls into their kids. Roxie attends a K-12 public school created specifically for kids with the most profound special needs. Many of the kids at the school, including Roxie, do not walk or talk and are medically fragile. But every child is as unique in personality, capabilities, and educational needs as any typically developing child. She interacts in so many ways with so many different kids with different personalities and capabilities. We love her school. Of all the places we’ve visited, we think it’s the best place for her ... for now. As Roxie grows and develops, we may find other opportunities that would benefit her more. It’s always on our mind, as it would be for any parent: is my child getting the best educational experience (academic, social, emotional) possible?

”Including Samuel” expanded my thinking on the subject of inclusion, but it mainly reinforced my belief that every child – whether she has a disability or not – is different and needs personalized educational experiences. If we could create the perfect learning environment for each kid, yet in a fully inclusive setting, each child could/would reach her potential. The reality, though, is that very few fully inclusive school settings exist. It will take a massive amount of education and will on the part of society to realize this dream. People must first understand that simply growing up alongside people of all types is a HUGE part of what makes us successful, communicative, tolerant ... Human.

In the film, a disability rights expert states: “What do we do to get that sense of belonging? Well that’s when I think we rely on prejudice. You see ... ‘cause if I hate the same guy you hate, we must be friends. If we call someone retarded or stupid or fat or faggot, we’re on the same side. How do we build a sense of belonging without relying on a common enemy and without simply trying to be nice to each other? How do we authentically build a sense of belonging in our schools and our community?”

I think this question has never been answered. But it is a topic that is gaining more and more airtime. Some people believe that community inclusion for people with disabilities is the last great civil rights struggle. “Including Samuel” is an excellent way for people to be introduced to and challenged on the subject.

-D. Phelps Sprinkle, Topics Education founding partner