The Difference: Inclusion and Mainstreaming

by Jay Sprout

The Essential Difference:

The essential difference lay in academic standards and expectations. Inclusion: Students with disabilities are presented the same basic material but are not held to the same academic expectations or standards as classmates without disabilities. Students with disabilities may learn at a different grade level or at a different level of detail as classmates without disabilities. Mainstreaming: Students with disabilities are held to the same academic standards as their classmates without disabilities albeit with accommodations, modifications, support, and services.

Dr. Dona Bauman, Associate Professor in Education at the University of Scranton, doesn't approve of using the word "mainstreaming" a term she feels is not only archaic but inappropriate. Mainstreaming implied "children had to earn the right to be in the general education class" but Inclusion inherently means "the class must prepare and be ready to accept the children." Bauman's clear and concise essential difference is "One puts the task to the child; the other puts the task to the teacher."

Inclusion
What the term "inclusion" means depends on the context. Don't freak out there are only two contexts! The two contexts are: 1. The overall concept of Inclusion in special education which is, simply, placing or including students with disabilities in general education classrooms. 2. The specific expectations applied to students with disabilities in general education classrooms.

Overall Concept
Inclusion as a practice that places students with disabilities in general education classrooms based on Inclusion as a philosophy which holds that all students in the general education classroom both with and without disabilities - beneficial socially from the experience. The benefits of mutual exposure and diversity air aimed at and affect all students in the classroom regardless of whether or not they have a disability. Students with disabilities are "included" in as opposed to excluded, separated, or segregated from activities with students their same age. This protection of the child's self-esteem and self-image shouldn't be confused with completely unrelated debates and ideas regarding "self-esteem" vis--vis academic grading practices and whether or not "everyone is a winner."In the arena of learning, students are different and that's the point. Not all learning styles and abilities are created equal. Having said that, the practice of Inclusion protects the legal right of all students to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) as mandated by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (origin of Section 504) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) also known as The Statute Formerly Known As the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. Inclusion also provides the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) mandated by IDEA which basically means (my paraphrase), "if they don't need to be separated, you must let them stay."

Students without disabilities are exposed to students with disabilities, theoretically reducing and hopefully eliminating apprehension, stereotypes, bullying or even passive hostility while nurturing and enabling compassion, familiarity, and fellowship. Not to be overlooked is the presence of Special Education support and services. In "What Is Inclusion?", the Florida Inclusion Network emphasizes, "Inclusion is not only educating students with and without disabilities together Real inclusion means access to general education curriculum, classrooms, and other typical school settings and activities." Students participating in Inclusion "receive specially designed instruction and supports to meet Individual Education Plan (IEP) goals and succeed as learners."

Specific Expectations
Students with disabilities included in general education classrooms are not held to the same academic standards as their classmates without disabilities. The general subject and/or topic is the same but the work and, perhaps, content is at a different level based on an Individual Education Plan (IEP).

Mainstreaming
Mainstreaming is students with disabilities assigned an IEP attend a general education classroom with the expectation that they can and will handle the coursework using any required modifications and accommodations along with their classmates. I wouldn't quote me on this but, IMHO, Mainstreaming might just be a "stage," "level" or "tier" of inclusion where the student with disabilities is, for all intents and purposes, a general education student. Nobody knows but the student's IEP team. It might also mean and you really shouldn't quote me on this we're simply using differentiated instruction and some effort when we teach instead of letting laziness dictate who is in our classrooms.

Sources:
1. Mainstreaming and Inclusion: How Are They Different? http://www.brighthubeducation.com/special-ed-inclusion-strategies/66813-the-differencesbetween-mainstreaming-and-inclusion/ 2. Mainstreaming vs. Inclusion http://faculty.knox.edu/jvanderg/201_website_s_08/inclusion.html 3. Special Education Inclusion http://www.weac.org/Issues_Advocacy/Resource_Pages_On_Issues_one/Special_Education/sp ecial_education_inclusion.aspx 4. Least Restrictive Environment, Mainstreaming, and Inclusion http://www.education.com/reference/article/mainstreaming-inclusion/ 5. Mainstreaming VS Inclusion http://www.proteacher.net/discussions/showthread.php?t=21609 6. What is Inclusion? (PDF) http://www.floridainclusionnetwork.com/Uploads/1/docs/centers/CRSRL/FIN/products/WhatisIncl usiongreen.pdf.pdf 7. mainstreaming vs inclusion http://www.proteacher.org/a/31420_mainstreaming+vs+inclusion.html