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The Importance Of Inclusion In General Education

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There has been great debate of the inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education classrooms. Inclusion in regards to education “means that all students within a school regardless of their strengths or weaknesses, or disabilities in any area become part of the school community” (Obiakor, 2012, p. 477). This means that all students with disabilities have the right to the access the same rigorous general education as their non-disabled peers however they have specifically designed instruction that allows them to reach their potential. (Obiakor, 2012). One inclusive practice that has gained a lot support within the last thirty years is co-teaching. Co-teaching or cooperative teaching is a teaching model designed for students …show more content…

One reason is because of the creation of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which requires that all students “all students, including those with disabilities, assess the general curriculum; be taught by highly qualified teachers; and be included in professionals’ accountability for achievement outcomes” (Friend, 2010, p.10). The second reason is that there is an emphasis on teaching students in the least restrictive environment that was reauthorized in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004. Co-teaching seems to be one of the most effective methods of instruction for students with disabilities to receive quality instruction while still fulfilling the requirements of these acts. (Friend, …show more content…

There are several advantages to this model including lowering the student to teacher model, and allowing both teachers to plan together but teach independently how they want to. The disadvantages to this model would be that it would be difficult to align the instruction that all students are receiving to be essentially the same but allow both teachers to put their own spin on what they are teaching. This model can also create a lot of noise. The forth model is alternative teaching, which involves the class to be split into a small group and the larger group. This model allows for providing specialized instruction to a smaller group of students, however it can make students feel segregated from the rest of the class. (Pappamihiel, 2012). The last model is the team teaching model, which involves both teachers actively teaching together, the same content at the same time. There is a big disadvantage to this model however because it requires a high level of trust and commitment between both teachers. If there is trust and commitment from both teachers than this model presents many benefits to the teachers and students. (Pappamihiel,

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