Inclusion advantages for Down Syndrome

Unfortunately, most students with Down’s Syndrome have low intelligence and that is very different from learning disabilities. You may not find much information on this bulletin board to help because I have not known a Down’s Syndrome child who also has a diagnosis of s”Specific Learning Disabilities.”

As a teacher in the public schools, children with Down’s Syndrome may be moderate or mild or severe. Placement in an inclusions program is an individual decision based on the individual needs of that child. The benefits and lack of them depend on the child’s needs.

Good luck to you.

Enter into Google “Down’s Syndrome Inclusion” and you get the following links:

http://www.altonweb.com/cs/downsyndrome/index.htm?page=inclusion.html
http://www.newman.ac.uk/studweb/inclusion/page5.html
http://www.dsa-uk.com/Aboutus/Statements/inclusion.htm
http://www.downsweb.com/pages/Inclusion/

http://www.down-syndrome.info/library/periodicals/dsnu/01/4/175/

I have not written an article or a web-site, but my personal opinion as a long-time educator about inclusion of ANY child is that the child must be at an academic level where he can master the material taught at that level with appropriate support and accommodations. If a child is developementally far below the level of the classroom instruction, then I see no benefit whatsoever of inclusion except for possible social interaction during non-academic times.

Janis

In my son’s middle school, the children with Down’s Syndrome are taught academic classes in a separate class, but included with regular ed children in music (choir, orchestra and band) and physical education classes. The also eat lunch at the same time as the rest of the school. This has been a positive experience for all kids, in that the kids in the separate classes get to know the some of the regular ed kids, and certain regular ed kids have taken it upon themselves to help the kids with special needs.

One of the reasons that I am no longer teaching in the public schools is that I cannot guarantee that the 3rd grade student with Down Syndrome in my resource room last year was not sexually molested by a student with emotional/behavioral issues.

Both students were being served in the “LRE” with math and language arts in a resource setting, science and social studies in an inclusion model (without sped support) with same age peers, and a collaborative science/social studies regular education classroom environment.

Additionally, I had students reading at 5 distinctly different levels and, because my student were grouped by grade/age level rather than ability, I had to meet all of their language arts needs in a single, 2-hour block. My classroom was a dumping ground.

I actually believe in inclusion, but my vision of inclusion is probably more expensive than either a traditional resource or self-contained model, because it is child-centered, rather than budget centered.

Honestly, without the proper supports, I believe that inclusion sets some of our special needs children up to either learn how easy it is to get others to do for you (which is the more positive option!!!) or that they are, and always will be, victims.

Sorry this is so lengthy…guess you hit a soft spot for me!

Hi Helen,
Thank you so very much for your prompt reply on this topic. I am very pleased with all of the feedback received so far. I really appreciate the list of all the useful website addresses that you have forwarded to me. It is a wealth of information! Thanks again for your time and effort.
Sincerely,
Sancataldo
Helen wrote:
>
> Enter into Google “Down’s Syndrome Inclusion” and you get the
> following links:
>
> http://www.altonweb.com/cs/downsyndrome/index.htm?page=inclusion.html
> http://www.newman.ac.uk/studweb/inclusion/page5.html
> http://www.dsa-uk.com/Aboutus/Statements/inclusion.htm
> http://www.downsweb.com/pages/Inclusion/
>
> http://www.down-syndrome.info/library/periodicals/dsnu/01/4/175/