Hi, my name is mcalixte I am a new member, I have been a special ed teacher for 12 years.
To whom it may concern,
Thank you for taking the time to read my post.
My name is Marie Demetrius, I am a graduate student at Bridgewater State College. I am finishing up my master’s degree in social work and I will be graduating in May. I would like your help with my final and very important research project about teacher’s attitude toward the inclusion. This survey should only take between 10 and 15 minutes to complete.
Results from the survey will be used to help identify possible areas for growth in the inclusion program to better assist students with disabilities.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=w ... CcYA_3d_3d
If you have any questions about this study, I would be happy to assist you. My contact information is listed below as well as the information of my faculty supervisor.
Sincerely,
Marie Demetrius, MSW Student
Bridgewater State College
Bridgewater, MA 02325
mdemetrius@bridgew.edu
******************************
Dr. Emily M. Douglas, Faculty Supervisor
Department of Social Work
Bridgewater State College
Bridgewater, MA 02325
emily.douglas@bridgew.edu

Dear Marie Demetrius,

When you do such surveys it is important to get different aspects, and sources. As a parent to a boy diagnosed with autism, we see a huge difference between what teachers say and do. Inclusion and integration happens in all schools, however the support and attitude from individual teachers vary immencely. There is a huge difference between what kind of kids are included. In ex. the ABA methodology even kids that deviate a lot are integrated to some extent, whereas in other school settings it is only the kids that are close to the norm that have the benefit of a normal environment.

We have had to take legal action in order to get the inclusion program to continue; this in spite that it has been very succesful. Unfortunately many teachers are humbled by the challenges and are not given neither the support or the tools to handle inclusion well.

There are many complications relating to integration, and am sad to say that you also need to survey parents to understand the extend of the problems with integration. Teachers will only give you the tip of the iceberg.

This statement is one that many teachers make, and I beleive that they feel this way because it is generally humbling to deal with a SPED kid, and it thus become a logical outcome to feel that specialised staff would be better able to take care of the kids. Most regular education teachers don't realise how much good they do for the included kids, but tend to be humbled by what they don't know. The social interaction that all societies build on is a central competence that the kids (Reg & SPED) need learn in order to be able to get by. This aspect is tought naturally by emulating and copying the behaviour of others. This cannot happen if you are not exposed to normal behaviour. When you put kids with devient behaviour with other kids with devient behaviour, you do not get anything that resembles normal patterns.

In my experience an insular environment protects the individual in that environment, but renders that individual less likely to be able to function outside of that setting. The effect on my son of being in the insular environment was an inability to function outside and as a result very low self esteem. Seing how he has benefitted from the inclusive setting, I beleive that the special classes were bordering on child abuse.