Should Disabled Children Be Mainstreamed In Public Schools Essay

Should Disabled Children Be Mainstreamed In Public Schools - Essay Example The supporters of mainstreaming argue that all special children have an equal right to the opportunity of social inclusion. The opponents of mainstreaming do not disagree; no rational minded person can deny the rights of social inclusion of disabled children. But the question is: does mainstreaming ensure social inclusion of the disabled children? The answer is unfortunately, in the negative. In a book titled: ‘Alone in the mainstream: A deaf woman remembers public school’, Olivia shares her experiences as a deaf student in a mainstream environment (Rossetti, 2005). Olivia has shared her experiences of the painful social isolation she felt while being mainstreamed in a school where she was the only deaf child and how the environment and being different from other children made her feel like a solitaire. ‘I was alone among so many people because they were not like me’. The main principle underlying mainstream is social inclusion; what’s the point in it if the mainstreamed children despite being a part of it, remain isolated in the normal environment? The advocators of mainstreaming also claim that disabled children can be taught is regular public classrooms (Williams and Algozzine, 1979). This is also not as simple as it appears. The success of a special child in a regular environment depend upon two main factors, one: the type and extent of disability and second is the attitude of teachers. Children with physical handicaps are usually a bit more accepted by regular children and teachers.