Question

1. Is the general classroom the least restrictive environment for every child? Explain why or why not.

Answer 1

LRE is a part of the Education Act on Individuals with Disabilities (IDEA). IDEA recommends children seeking special education should work in an atmosphere that is least restrictive. This ensures that students who do not receive special education should spend as much time as possible. "Appropriate" is a key word here. This refers to what's right or appropriate for your kids. Sometimes it's not appropriate to place a child in a general education classroom because there can't be a specific service or program.

A Mainstream classroom is a school for general education. Mainstreaming means putting your child in general education classroom for some or most of the day with special education needs. In a special education classroom your child may also have some instruction. An Inclusion Classroom is a general classroom that has special education students. Inclusion is a teaching approach which focuses on the inclusion in the school community of students with special education needs. Inclusion goes beyond putting itself in a general class of education. It also seeks to engage a child in the classroom, in the classes and in extracurricular activities.

Placements are done along a scale. On the one side, there's complete participation in the general classroom with "behind the scenes" educational decisions that make this possible. The curriculum can change. There may be specific tools and techniques for the student. A teacher of special education may work in collaboration to help the teacher of general education.