Full inclusion isn't working in New Brunswick classrooms after two decades of trying

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For over 20 years, the New Brunswick government has adopted a philosophy of inclusion of exceptional children into the regular classroom. In the latest education plan, "When kids come first", one of the eight commitments made is "to live up to the promise of inclusion".

The philosophy of full inclusion argues that students with special needs, no matter their severity, should be educated in the same classroom settings as their normally developing peers. The idea is that with the appropriate support systems in place, any child can get the education they deserve.

In practice, inclusion in the classroom has some positive aspects. Children should learn how to interact with people of all learning styles and capabilities, since this is something we need to do as adults. All children benefit from interacting with peers who share interests and pastimes.

What is seldom discussed is the negative side of inclusion.

Funding to hire appropriate support staff, and training for those employees, is severely lacking. Some children with autism or ADD find the typical classroom setting too stimulating to concentrate on actually learning. And gifted and talented children are going unidentified due to a lack of resources.

All of these children are being denied the chance to live up to their full potential. Do the benefits of full inclusion really outweigh the drawbacks? All children are entitled to an education, but does it have to be the same one for every child, even if it does not address their needs?

Full inclusion may never work for some children, and may be the best approach for others. One obvious stumbling block for the Department of Education is the idea that all children who are the same age have the same needs. The reluctance to hold children back or accelerate them is based on this idea, as is the desire for inclusion.

This one-size-fits-all approach to education is a bit like buying 750,000 sweaters in the same size in order to keep every person in the province warm. Our children shouldn't have to make do with an education system that doesn't fit.