How we can include special needs students

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You deserve a circle of inclusion and influence, but it’s up to you to create it.

Kenadee Bailey, Hour 2

There are 11.3% of students with disabilities in the Stevens Point school district. Overall in the US there are over 3 million students with disabilities. Majority of the students that have disabilities are left out and not included in day to day school activities and activities outside of school. 

According to Mrs. Deates a teacher at SPASH and also a grandmother to a boy who has a disability. She claims that teachers are a huge part of inclusion, especially in classrooms. Teachers are in charge of modeling good behavior for students with disabilities, so other kids know how to interact with them and include them in activities in the classroom, and also outside of the classroom. 

Natalie Copes, a student at SPASH explains how we can include kids with disabilities. We need to include them in activities that normally they wouldn’t get invited to, such as dances, pep fest, and sports. The simplest things we can do to make kids with disabilities feel more included and involved with our school.

According to Alvernia University, “The growth of inclusion classrooms is promising because they not only provide benefits for special needs students, but for teachers, as well.” Inclusion can go a long way for students and teachers. When there is inclusion in a classroom, teachers have less to worry about when it comes to group or partner activities, recess, lunch, and teachers won’t have to worry about others getting bullied.