Benefits of Inclusion

Dominick Repole

Articles Included in Presentation

1.) Inclusion for Students with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders:
Definitions and Decision Making, by Jenine M. Sansosti and Frank J. Sansosti
2.) Exploring Childrens Perceptions of Two School-Based Social Inclusion Programs:
A Pilot Study, by Sally Lindsay, Amy C. McPherson, Henna Aslam, Patricia McKeever
and Virginia Wright.
3.) Comparing Inclusion in the Secondary Vocational and Academic Classrooms:
Strengths, Needs, and Recommendations by Diane Casale-Giannola.

Summary for Article #1

-Research Question: For this study, Sansosti & Sansosti focus primarily on the
students with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders (HFASDs) and the
teachers attitudes, experiences and decision-making processes that go along with
teaching students with these kinds of disorders.
-Research Methodology: 15 educators from the same school district in Florida with
varying years of experience (average of 12 years) participated in a series of
individual interviews and focus groups in which they discussed what kind of
strategies and resources they use for teaching students with HFASDs. They were
also able to give their candid opinions about inclusion. From the information
collected, Sasosti & Sansosti were able to come up numerous different themes and
conclusions about inclusion.

Findings from Article #1

-Consensus of what Inclusion actually means:
> Students with HFASDs need more support than other GE students with
disabilities.
> Should be defined in a case-by-case basis.
> Does not include the help of an adult aide.
- Inclusion accelerates the students (with HFASD) development.
- Class-wide strategies benefit all the students in the classroom, not just the ones with HFASDs.
- According to the teachers, trial and error work is heavily used when trying to create an effective inclusive
classroom.
- Also according to the teachers, a teachers own ignorance about certain disorders is the reason for
ineffective inclusive classrooms.

Information from the article that can be used to create an

effective inclusive classroom:
-Knowing that class-wide strategies used to help students with HFASDs actually
benefit all other students as well, it would be useful for me to create all my lessons
with the assumption that I have a student with a HFASD or another disability even I
dont. This way my lessons will maximize all of the students learning and if I happen to
have a student that has an undiagnosed disability they will not fall behind.
-Lack of knowledge should never be the reason why an inclusive classroom failed.
Knowing this, as a future teacher it is important for me to continue to educate myself
on different disorders that my students may have so that my class is a positive
experience for all of my students.

Summary for Article #2

-Research Question: For this article, the authors wanted to the focus to be on how
children perceive inclusion. They based their findings on two school programs that
focus on social inclusion.
-Research Methodology: The two social inclusion programs in this article are a board
game run by a trained facilitator and a puppet show. The participants were 165 4th
and 5th graders from Toronto (87 students for the board game and 78 for the puppet
show). All students completed a short survey and then participated in a class
discussion. From there, the authors formulated a pattern of themes they noticed from
the surveys and the discussion.

Findings from Article #2

- The students responded extremely positively to both programs and seemed to
learn a lot about treating others with respect. This shows that when given a proper
outlet, students can grow in the way the think about people who are different than
themselves.
-These programs were helpful in the aiding of teachers for teaching their students.
In the event schools cannot afford programs like this, teachers can integrate similar
ideas into their own lesson plans.
-Students who participated in these programs benefited immensely because it
improved their treatment of others and helped them empathize with the victims of
social exclusion.

Information from the article that can be used to create an

effective inclusive classroom:
-Implementing tactics similar to these programs into the classroom, students will
improve their treatment of others which will be a huge benefit to the overall classroom
atmosphere.
-The main thing I got from this article that I can use to create an inclusive classroom is
that students, even as young as 4th and 5th grade, can comprehend inclusion and
even help the teacher in promoting. Instead of creating a you vs them scenario, the
teacher should open up discussion about inclusion and its benefits. That way the
students will be able to mature in their view of people that are different from them.
Being a secondary education major, finding a way to make these activities more age
appropriate without losing the message behind it can be a goal I have that will
probably have a huge benefit to me and my students.

Summary for Article #3

Research Question: In this article, Diane Casale-Gianolla explored the differences and
similarities of inclusion in vocational and traditional academic classes. The end goal
was to identify the strengths and weaknesses of both academic and vocational
classrooms when it comes to inclusion.
Research Methodology: 55 teachers, including content area, special education and
vocational teachers, from two different vocational high schools acted as participants.
Open ended surveys were provided for the teachers. Also, Casale-Gianolla acted as
an inclusion consultant which entailed having consultation meetings with the
teachers.

Findings from Article #3

Academic Classrooms
-Strengths: Meaningful student-teacher relationships, real life connections to lessons, active and multilearning strategies, and good collaboration between co-teachers.
-Weaknesses: Teachers lack of necessary strategies, students with disabilities lack necessary skills, lack of
co-teaching collaboration and co-teaching models, teachers lack necessary awareness about special
education, uneven scheduling of students and limited student assessment.
Vocational Classrooms
-Strengths: Real-life connections, active learning opportunities, repetition, meaningful teacher-student
relationships, and teacher passion and expertise.
-Weaknesses: Weak student basic skills, lack of understanding, and difficulty of supervising the classroom.
Vocational classrooms in general provide more hands on learning using many forms of differentiated learning
and provide a more career readiness education which is extremely beneficial to students with disabilities.

Information from the article that can be used to create an

effective inclusive classroom:
-Although I do not plan on teaching in a vocational high school, the benefits that
students with disabilities experience in this style of education can some how be
adapted into my academic classroom. For example, since hands on learning based
activities were seen as a benefit that vocational schools provided I as a teacher should
try and implement hands on activities into my lessons. As a teacher, changing the
pace of lessons from time to time will keep the students engaged into your classroom
and will allow students to use the variety of skills they might possess they otherwise
would not be able to.

Discussion Questions
-As a teacher, what will you do in your classroom in order to promote the benefits of
inclusion?
-One of the main concerns I got from the articles is that teachers sometimes lack the
knowledge to properly facilitate an inclusive classroom. What will you do in order to
prevent this from happening in your classrooms?
-For the most part, we have discussed the benefits of inclusion on the individual
student. Do you think there are any benefits for the teacher or the school as a whole?

Works Cited Page

Sansosti, J., Sansosti, F. (2012). Inclusion for Students with High Functioning Autism
Spectrum Disorders: Definitions and Decision Making. Retrieved from
http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.webdb.plattsburgh.edu:2048/ehost/detail?vid=3&sid=a1aed78e-b
31b-4281-926c-11cb3734b4d5%40sessionmgr114&hid=115&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3
b=eric&AN=EJ990322

Lindsay, S., McPherson, A., Aslam, H., McKeever, P., &, Wright, V. (2013). Exploring
Childrens Perceptions of Two School-Based Social Inclusion Programs: A
Pilot Study. Retrieved from
http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.webdb.plattsburgh.edu:2048/ehost/detail?vid=3&sid=1731b4ca-6
e0a-422d-9535-9d282000ebad%40sessionmgr4004&hid=4210&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d
#db=eric&AN=EJ994804
Casale-Gianallo, D. (2012). Comparing Inclusion in the Secondary Vocational and Academic
Classrooms: Strengths, Needs, and Recommendations. Retrieved from
http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.webdb.plattsburgh.edu:2048/ehost/resultsadvanced?sid=1731b4ca-6e0a422d-9535-9d282000ebad
%40sessionmgr4004&vid=4&hid=4210&bquery=Comparing+AND+Inclusion+AND+%22in
%22+AND+the+AND+Secondary+AND+Vocational+AND+Academic+AND+Classrooms
%3a+AND+Strengths%2c+AND+Needs
%2c+AND+Recommendations&bdata=JmRiPWVyaWMmdHlwZT0xJnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d