Effects of students with special needs in mainstream schools

The benefits of such an inclusion are that the students with special needs will be more practiced with interacting with non-special needs students of the same age. Hence, they would be less taken aback by the way society runs when they finally join the workforce in adulthood. (March 3, 2011, My Paper) Having mainstream education would also allow the student a chance to attain similar achievements as mainstream students. Thus, they will stand at a more equal chance of getting a job compared to their mainstream counterparts. Furthermore, they can develop independent living skills throughout their education in mainstream schools. (Grace Fu, 2010) The inclusion policy not only benefits the students with special needs, but also the teachers and mainstream students as well. Teachers will need and be given the opportunity to upgrade themselves, in the required skills in teaching special needs students, as well as to hone their patience and understanding. Hence improving the quality of their teaching for all the students, special needs or not. (DAS) As for the other students, interacting with the special needs students in their class will make them more aware of the difficulties of the people with learning disabilities. This would make them more patient and sensitive towards other people as well. (May 7, 2010, Straits Times) On the other hand, being the minority and less easily understood, some students with special needs will be ostracised and looked down upon by other students. When they prove to be unable to adapt to a new environment, students with special needs would be left out of some extra-curricular activities. This lessens the opportunities they have to interact with the other students, thus, the understanding between classmates. Furthermore, should the teachers be inept, inexperienced, or untrained to handle special needs students, they themselves would feel at a loss in class. (Oct 02, 2007, The Straits Times) This would affect the teachers ability to teach the whole class well. As such the class would learn less efficiently. There, a teachers support and positive attitude would be essential to achieve desired outcomes.

biblio links:

1) http://guanyinmiao.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/special-needs-studentshere-not-treated-equally.pdf (March 3, 2011, Mypaper)

2) http://www.das.org.sg/component/content/article/59-services/335-trainingpathway.html (DAS)

3) http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2010/03/10/fy-2010-committee-of-supply-de-1.php (Grace Fu, 2010) 4) 1) http://www.autism.org.sg/press/2010/100507-MoreSpecNeedsStudentsinMainstream-ST.pdf

(May 7, 2010, Straits Times) 5) http://www.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story2007100428444.html (Oct 02, 2007, The Straits Times)