Deb VanderGaast
The benefit to my own children without disabilities has been remarkable. My teenagers are more sympathetic and accepting of differences in their peers. They tend to be protective of the kids that other kids tease or avoid because they don’t fit in. My two preschool-aged daughters are very accepting of children with special needs. Rather than stare at a child with a disability, they will start talking to them and invite them to play. If they have questions about a person’s disability, I encourage them to ask the person rather than talk about the person as if they weren’t there. Believe me, if someone asks about one of the kids in my care and I don’t let the child who is capable of responding answer for themselves, the kids will scold me for it.
My favorite moment was when I put a school age boy with profound physical and mental disabilities into a cube chair so he could sit on the floor with the other children during free play. I had put a small table in front of him to prevent him from falling forward. Another boy his age saw this as an opportunity for a play mate. He placed a variety of plastic animals on the table in front of the other boy, divided the animals evenly between them, and began to enact Pokie-Mon battles. The game was very fair with both boys winning about the same number of battles. The boy with cerebral palsy could not actively participate in the game, but he had such a huge smile the entire time. For a brief time he was not the boy in the wheelchair. He was just another boy involved in a game of pretend.
The most important aspect of inclusion is the commitment of the learning community, and the larger community to work together to create an inclusive-accepting environment for all children. Parents, educators and community who are committed and willing to work together to provide the best learning and child development environment for all children. Studies are conclusive and clearly indicate that the earlier “challenged” children are included into the population, the greater opportunity they have to maximize their potential.
While volunteering in my daughter’s classroom it was wonderful to observe the generous spirit and empathy of the other students. On one occasion during a PE kickball game a boy kick the ball soft fully to Abby. Later I heard him commenting to some boys he kicked if softly but should have kicked a little harder because she threw him out. Inclusion brings out the best in all children with proper supports and continued related services
Our learning communities and educators benefit from inclusion. Children who are included from an early age become an accepted part of their community. When I spoke to my daughter about inclusion and about writing this article and her opinion on the matter was “I’ve never known anything else”. “I’ve never been excluded so I really can’t imagine anything else, I can’t understand why anyone would be excluded!” I can only hope all children will have the opportunity to be included, so they don’t have to know how it feels to be separated and isolated from their community.
This blog is written/edited by SpecialQuest community members and does not necessarily reflect the perspectives of SpecialQuest Birth-Five or funders. 
