How does the philosophy of inclusion differ from mainstreaming students with special needs?

Answer 1

Inclusion is when the special education student spends the entire school day within the mainstream (regular education) classroom and receives all services and interventions there. Mainstreaming is when the special education student spends part of the day in the mainstream classroom and spends part of the day in the resource room receiving help. The mainstream classes are based on their individual subject strengths and receive help in the resource room for their weakest or lag behind subjects. I have enclosed some articles for further reading on the subject.

Answer 2

Inclusion is when students with disabilities are educated in the same classroom with their same age peers, but with the assistance of a special education teacher. This is a team teaching approach that works well for many students. In this situation, all students can be assisted by the special education teacher, making it more difficult for students to realize who the children receiving special education services are.

Resource room services are also available when children are in an inclusion classroom when their disability is so severe that they need more assistance than can be provided in an inclusion classroom.

Mainstreaming is when a child spends part or most of their day in a self contained special education classroom and is "mainstreamed" out into regular education classrooms for different subjects that may be their strength, or for socialization purposes.

Answer 3

I know this quote is from somewhere....I've used it lots to explain the difference...I just don't know where.
"Mainstreaming is placing students with special needs into the general education classroom; inclusion is creating a general education classroom where everybody fits"

Answer 4

inclusion is to combine classes of regular ed kids with special kids, where they all basically learn the same stuff but with extra help. mainstreaming is when a student no longer needs the services of the special ed department because he is coping so well with his disability, that he can now be put into regular ed classes.