Inclusion

Educational Psychology

Inclusion

What a society feels about it’s diverse membership, particularly about citizens who are different, is expressed in the institutions of that society. A close look at the major institutions of our society the schools, the legislatures, and the courts should tell us a lot about the place of exceptional children in our society.

In the category of exceptional children one would find a list of any and every child that requires education in academic matters as well as life skills. These children must work at things that average society takes for granted. Out of this group of exceptional children has risen a disability that is drawing more and more attention known as Down Syndrome. The obvious reason for Down Syndrome children to come to the forefront is their parents. By this I mean that studies have shown that a couple with two or more college degrees among them are more likely to have a Downs baby then that of a couple of high school drop outs. This odd occurrence has lead to more affluent families to give birth to one or more Downs babies.

The limitations facing a Downs child will affect the child’s whole life and it is the environmental circumstances around him that determine how he fares in life. Included in these circumstances are his family and their unity and maybe most importantly his level of education.

In our society education plays a big part in all we do and this serves no difference for the Downs child. As we look back in time, we find that the notion of educating every child to achieve his or her greatest potential is a relatively new concept. The current use of the term exceptional is itself a reflection of the radical changes in societies views of people whom differ from the norm. The world has come along way from the Spartans’ practice of killing infants who did not meet their standards of normalcy, but the journey has been slow, moving from neglect and mistreatment, to pity and overprotection and finally to acceptance and integration to the fullest extent possible.

The phrase "Acceptance and integration into society to the fullest extent possible” has been the topic of the most heated arguments in education today. The term integration has grown to include such devices as inclusion and mainstreaming. Although the U.S. has come a long way from the 1850’s when 60 percent of people living in poor houses would today have been classified as exceptional.