[senco-forum] "Inclusion" ?

What is inclusion?

Inclusion is about opportunity - available to all - but not maybe in the
identical format - but to give every student a feeling of membership of the
same community.

What inclusion is not about is everyone receiving the identical mainstream
lessons - and often in a mainstream class too.  It's about participation in
sport - art - drama - music - the is open to all - whatever their disability
- or specific difference - that there will be a part for them to play.

Inclusion is also about physical access to facilities as well - get
important departments that need specific equipment on the ground floor - or
somewhere where everyone is able to get at them. (And from personal comment
- it is about having doorways wide enough for someone in a wheelchair to get
through them too!!!!)

Inclusion is also about 1-1 learning - small groups - G&T provision whatever
- inclusion is "each according to their need".

And inclusion is about making a child feel part of everything.  We have a
man in our village - totally educated in special school only 5 miles away.
No reason that he could not have been educated within a fully comprehensive
system either.  In this village HE HAS NO FRIENDS OF HIS OWN AGE - NO one to
go for a drink with - or to watch the football - he has to go out of the
village to find his friends - because they all went to special schools -
wrong - wrong - wrong because whatever we do - he will never be truly a part
of the village in the same way as his peers are - and I do not wish to see
that happen to any person.

Regards

Ruth

-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of km gmail
Sent: 24 September 2007 23:22
To: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
Subject: [senco-forum] "Inclusion" ?

Dear All

I would be very grateful for the views of the many very wise forum members
about what you consider is or is not "inclusion" in relation to the
education of pupils at KSs 2, 3 & 4.  Please try to disregard problems of
resourcing when considering this!

In your opinion, does "inclusion" preclude "individualised" individual
lessons with a specialist teacher?  Can anyone point me to discussion papers
etc on this?

Look forward to replies to help me in discussions with SEN committee and
governors.

Thank you

Maria