The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, known as IDEA, requires that students be educated in the least restrictive environment. If the child can benefit from the general education classroom, she should be placed there. She may require a few accommodations, such as a seat near the teacher or a shorter assignment to demonstrate mastery of the skills. She may need to take tests in a quieter environment than the general classroom.
Educators may begin to determine the need for special education services through a process called response to intervention. The classroom teacher will try some in-class techniques to help the student with a difficult subject. If the student continues to struggle, the teacher may send the student to a resource room or content mastery room for extra assistance. If the student is still having trouble with content, the teacher may refer the student for a complete evaluation. With such a range of services in place, students with a variety of learning disabilities can participate in general education classes.
There are benefits for the student with special needs and for the other students in the classroom. Students with special needs can practice interacting with their general education peers, and those same peers can learn to accept people with educational differences. Students can learn to build on their strengths and identify situations when a classmate might need some extra help. These skills can be useful in the adult world.
Considerable debate surrounds the idea of including special-needs students in the regular classroom. Some are more likely to be bullied in a general education setting. Social demands of the general education classroom can frustrate even the brightest children with autism spectrum disorders. Parents of children with special needs may want to weigh potential benefits with possible challenges when deciding about placement.