A Few Words About Inclusion
(Updated July 2009) I suppose there are reasons why children are segregated according to their disabilities, but I have to yet hear of any that are of benefit to the children themselves. Any rationale I have encountered has more to do with resource allocation, or some similarly-worded phrase that amounts to cost-savings and administrative ease. I have no kind words to say about institutionalized segregation, which is why as soon as I have a workable plan, I will be removing Owen from school. I have removed Owen from school.
Inclusion is a funny word – it’s become so PC it’s hard to take seriously. And it’s become so distorted that to some, ‘inclusion’ can mean that a child with a disability is included at a cost to the others in the group. ‘Inclusion’ can also be icky – a ‘let’s pretend he’s involved because he’s sitting near us and smiling – and now we can congratulate ourselves’ kind of inclusion. So when I say inclusion, I really just mean ‘not segregated according to what he can’t do’.
So what could inclusion (for Owen) look like? It’s perhaps an incomplete vision, but here are my thoughts today:
- Owen is a member of a community that reflects his larger world – his neighbourhood, his city, his country. Not a homogenous setting where children are bussed to the same location from all over the city simply because they have similar physical requirements.
- Owen has an opportunity to understand, participate and contribute appropriately, at his own level. And by equal measure, an opportunity to be bored, frustrated and disappointed. (I think sometimes great pains are taken to keep Owen happy – so much so, he’s appeased very quickly (like a crying infant), or he’s shushed into placation.) So, this means he and the other members of his community are provided with a means and opportunity to communicate with each other – which may mean training for everyone involved.
- Owen has an opportunity to develop friendships based on mutual interests – not (exclusively) paid or ‘volunteer’ relationships that involve some kind of contract or fulfillment.
Hi Jennifer,
I’ve read through your sight and can see the challenge you have. I can also understand struggling with the whole ‘inclusion’ debate and what it means and what it really should mean. I am a Speech and Language Therapist originally from Ottawa, currently living in Edinburgh. I’ve had a post at 2 Special Schools and have seen what it’s like for everyone involved, including Speech Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Teachers and Educational Assisstants all trying to to meet the same goal of maximizing and achieving each child’s potential. Unforunately, it sounds like you have not encountered the same thing, which is really too bad for Owen.
I know what a struggle it is on my side of things as a Speech Therapist struggling to find a way to help this child communicate in the best way possible for him/her… so I can only imagine the struggle you go through with the same thing. I wish you all the best, and Owen as well!!!
Smiles
Megan
Hi Jennifer,
I am a Canadian Mom caring (though not single-handedly ) for a severely disabled child (stroke @ 6years of age). I have very strong opinions about full-inclusion…(as opposed to “inclusion”) in early posts in my blog. Lots of other stuff there too. I hope you can check it out. I am assuming you are Canadian? You are the FIRST Canadian whose child has severe multiple challenges that I have come across. Looking forward to reading the rest of your blog.
Claire