What is your educational background?
Highschool and some college. My college courses were devoted to educational and special education classes.

What other experiences, or staff development has prepared you for inclusion?
I worked as an inclusion paraprofessional in a grade school classroom. Having a child of my own with a learning disability and advocating for her best educational experience. I also attend inservices, college classes, and workshops centered on children with special needs.

What is your job role?
I am a paraprofessional, working under the supervision of a speech/language pathologist, delivering speech/language services to three to five year olds of varying degrees of need.

What is your role regarding the inclusive component of the program?
Tko deliver speech/language services in the least restrictive environment. Services are delivered in the classroom setting to foster a sense of acceptance and benefit children that would not be normally in need of special service or qualify for services.

How has your role changed or have you adapted your role as it related to the inclusive program?
My role hasn't changed, but I have been required to maintain a level of flexibility. The inclusion program also requires intensive planning and organization on the part of the paraprofessional and professional.

What were you biggest concerns about participating in an inclusive program?
I guess I personally never had any concerns. It made sense to me not to segregate children. But concerns I have heard from others (friends) outside of education would be the teacher being able to handle the diversity of the classroom and/or their child being "traumatized." I feel a good teacher shouldn't be bothered by the diversity, since the classroom is diverse without children with special needs.

What were your experiences related to these concerns once inclusive services were implemented?
Some teachers are a little more challenged by diversifying their classrooms than others.

What do you see as the benefits of moving toward inclusive services?

• The child with special needs benefits from non-challenged peers.
• The "orle model" students achieve a level of acceptance of others with disabilities.
• The children learn to build on strengths, not weaknesses.
• Children that are "normal" receive educational enrichment.

Can you offer one or more anecdotes which illustrate the benefits of inclusion?
When I walk into a classroom to work with a child. Everyone want to work too! They see only people, not limitations.

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