by Karen Ardy

Created on: July 28, 2009   Last Updated: July 29, 2009

Every child has the right to be educated and most people believe this right extends to being educated with their peers. No longer do we see special needs children being picked up by the "little" yellow school bus and being shunted off to a private school where "out of sight - out of mind" seemed to be the prevailing attitude. Now, they are included in the regular classroom, ride the regular bus and take part in regular classroom activities. But at what cost?

Bethany has screaming episodes where she crawls under a desk and gives way to her frustrations with loud sobs that can last for half an hour or more. William has a special wheelchair that reclines so that he is laying down for much of the day and he can not see, speak or hear and will never be able to do so. Mason is violent, so much so that when his temper becomes uncontrollable the other twenty-one children in the classroom must quickly be evacuated in order to protect their safety. Joseph often reaches out without provocation and grabs people going by him by the throat and usually it requires the assistance of two adults to break his grip on the unsuspecting student. His autism is so severe that to date it has been impossible to understand this damaging frightful behaviour. But, inclusiveness demands that they be educated with their peers.

In the primary grades, children with special needs appear to be readily accepted by the other children. Differences are tolerated, especially if the teacher takes the time to teach the other children about the struggles the special need child faces on a daily basis and if the teacher models accepting and loving behaviour towards the child with special needs. And this can be an invaluable teaching opportunity to encourage compassion and empathy.

But sadly, this changes as the children grow older and move on to more complex and skilled activities. Despite the best intentions of the school and the individual teacher, one can not force children to include a child that drools, can not follow game rules, is violent or perhaps is unable to use a toilet unassisted in their extracurricular plans. The child with special needs might never be the victim of bullying because his presence has been accepted for a number of years, but neither will he be invited to birthday parties or sleep-overs.

Slowly and quietly, the idea of inclusiveness is being scaled down. The children with anger management problems are being taught in a separate classroom with a very small number of children. They eat their lunch within the confines of their classroom and their recess breaks are taken when the school yard is empty. The children with severe autism now have their own area in the school and their days are spent one-on-one with a teacher's aide struggling to learn the so important life skills. They too have their recess breaks and outdoor time when the other children are safely indoors. Even the secondary schools are opening classrooms for the students that are unable to keep pace with their peers and are being instructed at a level that meets their needs. Their peers - and their friends - become the others with special needs and in these safe rooms, the special needs child is accepted by all despite their differences.

Perhaps we allowed the pendulum to swing too far in our desire to educate special needs children. Inclusiveness has its merits and its place in the education system, but not for every single child.

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