What keeps children with intellectual disabilities out of regular schools?

Sceptics and critics give many reasons why inclusive education doesn’t work. Some of the reasons they give are inconsequential while others do indeed identify issues that are obstacles to successful inclusion.

Many are myths, others are misconceptions.

All too often they continue to be cited when there is overwhelming evidence to contradict them.

The Myths:

  1. Inclusion is an unrealistic idea.
  2. Inclusion education is a simplistic one-size-fits-all approach that will not work.
  3. Inclusion is OK for some, but it isn’t for everyone, especially those with intellectual disabilities.
  4. Inclusion makes unrealistic demands on teachers.
  5. Inclusion harms ‘typical’ students because students with disabilities take up too much of the teacher’s time.
  6. Regular schools and teachers are not trained to deal with students with disabilities and they need instruction provided by special teachers trained to work with them.
  7. Students with disabilities will be bullied and poorly treated in inclusive schools.
  8. Students need to be ready to learn what the teacher will teach, or they shouldn’t be in the class.
  9. Teaching students with intellectual disabilities in the community school costs too much money.
  10. Many parents don’t want inclusion for their child with an intellectual disability.

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