Should Disabled Kids Be Integrated Into Mainstream Schools?

[msc545]

[NaultD]

Everything about education is broken down by district and who lives where. So what do you mean by "mainstream school?" You live at an address those property taxes go to a school you go to said school.

There is some wiggle room within schools who might have specific specialist at a school. Like one school have more deaf students with more sign language staff helping compared to another school with autism students with more staff to help them equally.

Do you remember the short buses? Those went to directly to the kids that needed the resources of that school but outside of the normal range of the larger business.

[slatyb]

Yes, but they need assistance. If the classroom teacher has to spend all their time tending to the disabled, then there is nothing left for the rest.

[msc545]

The teachers generally have classroom assistants for this.

[slatyb]

"Generally?" The disabled often need a full-time assistant.

[msc545]

This is why we have special ed teachers.

[slatyb]

If schools are unable to keep classrooms orderly and interesting for all, then the parents of the most able will move their children to schools that can engage with their children.

[msc545]

occasionally -not as often as I believe you think. If they do, the school district pay for it.

[slatyb]

It will not. This has already happened in many urban school districts.

[msc545]

What will not?

[purplepoppy]

The question is can they function without requiring excessive help from the school? I think you'd need to look on it on a case by case basis taking into consideration their needs and balancing with what's a reasonable adjustment by the school. It's one thing to put a ramp at the nain entrance It's another thing to install an elevator.

[msc545]

Architectural modifications are not often needed luckily, but they do happen. What is far more expensive and difficult is managing psychological and behavioral problems. These frequently require full-time 1:1 aides and even with these management can be very difficult.

[GOLDFISH_smile]

Yes. Public schools are for any kids who live there, & disabled kids live anywhere bc disability does not discriminate.

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

Yes, but schools should be disabled equipped

[Dargil]

It depends on the disability. Someone who was in a wheelchair or on crutches should be able to be integrated someone who is mentally impaired, maybe not.

[msc545]

That is very insightful of you, thanks.

[Dargil]

You are welcome.

[Caroline91]

It depends on what you consider a mental impairment,

[msc545]

@Caroline91 I know very well what a mental disability is as do all school Psychologists.

[Caroline91]

@msc545 Well, I'm not sure what your background is nor am I a school Psychologist, so I'm not sure I know exactly what a mental impairment is... Does a neurological impairment count? Does it include ASD? Or is it various kinds of mental illness? I'm not meaning to question what you, personally, do or don't know. I'm wondering for myself what would be considered in that category. And then, do you differentiate by degree of impairment or just by type?

[msc545]

@Caroline91 I'm a Neuropsychologist. We differentiate by degree of impairment, type, and prognosis. Also - in the US - cost, shamefully and unfortunately.

[Caroline91]

@msc545 I appreciate the information.

[Sevenpointfive]

disabled kids were in my school. i didn't know they took them out?

[Sevenpointfive]

to clarify. the special ed kids were at the same school but they had all of their classes in one room without the normal students

[exitseven]

it depends on the disability. I had a few kids that had Polio that I went to school with. They had to wear lag braces and sometimes used crutches to get around. They could keep up with academics and were as active as they could be.

[molonski2]

Yes of course they should , they certainly are in Australia , but they need to be correctly equipped.

[impalabill77]

Yeah why not. In my class we had a blind girl and it was a mainstream catholic school.

[goaded]

Yes, with as much support as they need.