“A study by Affleck et al, spanning over fifteen years, found that students with disabilities educated in inclusive settings had an employment rate of 73 percent while those in segregated programs had an employment rate of 53 percent” (“ Implementing Inclusion”, n.d). The reasoning behind this is quite evident. Inclusive environments allow students to gain valuable social and collaborative skills they will need when they go out into the professional world. Students will not learn to interact with those different than them in segregated classrooms, because there is no diversity. When children are exposed to inclusive environments from a young age, they will learn collaborative skills and communication skills that will be crucial for securing …show more content…
Generally, special needs students do not like receiving special treatment, or being singled out simply due to a disability. They want to feel just like any other normal kid, and want a normal school experience. Parents of special needs students also want the same for their children, and inclusive education brings them closer to this normal school experience. Marshall-Reed said that “many parents are elated over the prospect of having their child educated in a general education environment as this addresses the idea of normalization. Parents have hope of their children being educated alongside their non-disabled peers” (Marshall-Reed, 2010, p. 14). Inclusive education allows for this hope of parents to be fulfilled, and special needs students are able to have more of a normal school