If you ask most advocates of including developmentally disabled kids in regular classes why these kids should be included, they'll say it's so the child can be friends with normal children.
But does this actually happen?
In the European Journal of Special Needs Education, volume 19, issue 3, pages 317-330, Monchy et al studied 21 mainstreamed kids with 'behavior problems' - 9 with PDD NOS, 1 with ADHD, 3 with PDD NOS and ADHD, 1 with Tourette Syndrome, 2 with Asperger Syndrome, 1 with Reactive Attachment Disorder, and 4 with no specific diagnosis. They categorized these kids and their classmates as 'popular' (liked by the majority of the class), average, ignored (not liked or disliked by most of the class), controversial (liked by many and disliked by many) and rejected (disliked by most of the class) based on children's nominations of their top 3 favorite and top 3 least favorite classmates.
Among the neurotypical kids, 27% were popular, 31% were average, 18% were ignored, 6% were controversial and 19% were rejected. Among the behaviorally disabled kids, none of them were popular, 8 (38%) were average, 3(14%) were ignored, none were controversial, and 10(48%) were rejected. So in other words, about half of the disabled kids were actively disliked by most of their classmates. Around two-thirds were in the two categories that could be considered 'social failure'.
For mainstreamed kids with Down Syndrome, it was better, but still pretty bad. An earlier article in the same journal as the above one (in volume 14, issue 3, pages 212-220) found using the same method that 17% were popular, 26% were average, 52% were ignored, none were controversial and 4% were rejected. For these kids, a little over half could be considered social failures, although most were not actually disliked.
So, for a normal-looking child with unusual behavior, in a regular class, about half of them will be disliked by most of the kids (and probably bullied), and only about a third will be accepted by their classmates. Down Syndrome kids are actually less likely to be actually disliked than neurotypical kids, but about half of them will have few friends in their class. Even for kids with more 'acceptable' disabilities like Down Syndrome, social failure is quite common.
So what's the point of inclusion? As it is now, inclusion is failing to achieve the primary goal for (assuming these numbers generalize to other conditions) the majority of developmentally disabled kids. Either we need to fix it, or try something else.
But does this actually happen?
In the European Journal of Special Needs Education, volume 19, issue 3, pages 317-330, Monchy et al studied 21 mainstreamed kids with 'behavior problems' - 9 with PDD NOS, 1 with ADHD, 3 with PDD NOS and ADHD, 1 with Tourette Syndrome, 2 with Asperger Syndrome, 1 with Reactive Attachment Disorder, and 4 with no specific diagnosis. They categorized these kids and their classmates as 'popular' (liked by the majority of the class), average, ignored (not liked or disliked by most of the class), controversial (liked by many and disliked by many) and rejected (disliked by most of the class) based on children's nominations of their top 3 favorite and top 3 least favorite classmates.
Among the neurotypical kids, 27% were popular, 31% were average, 18% were ignored, 6% were controversial and 19% were rejected. Among the behaviorally disabled kids, none of them were popular, 8 (38%) were average, 3(14%) were ignored, none were controversial, and 10(48%) were rejected. So in other words, about half of the disabled kids were actively disliked by most of their classmates. Around two-thirds were in the two categories that could be considered 'social failure'.
For mainstreamed kids with Down Syndrome, it was better, but still pretty bad. An earlier article in the same journal as the above one (in volume 14, issue 3, pages 212-220) found using the same method that 17% were popular, 26% were average, 52% were ignored, none were controversial and 4% were rejected. For these kids, a little over half could be considered social failures, although most were not actually disliked.
So, for a normal-looking child with unusual behavior, in a regular class, about half of them will be disliked by most of the kids (and probably bullied), and only about a third will be accepted by their classmates. Down Syndrome kids are actually less likely to be actually disliked than neurotypical kids, but about half of them will have few friends in their class. Even for kids with more 'acceptable' disabilities like Down Syndrome, social failure is quite common.
So what's the point of inclusion? As it is now, inclusion is failing to achieve the primary goal for (assuming these numbers generalize to other conditions) the majority of developmentally disabled kids. Either we need to fix it, or try something else.
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