Current Education Policy Recommends Mainstreaming Children With

Current Education Policy Recommends Mainstreaming Children With Current Education Policy Recommends Mainstreaming Children With Autism,how May An Autism Base â€" Essay Example > Mainstreaming Children with AutismIntroductionAutistic children have an inborn disorder that affects the manner in which they relate and communicate with peers and community at large. Poor communication and social skills, therefore, narrows their opportunities for success. According to National Research Council, U.S. (2001), mainstreaming is a system of education where autistic children or children with special needs in general, are taught together with the non-disabled students only at specific times. However, their needs and ability to participate and cope in a mainstream school are evaluated at personal level. It differs from inclusion in that while inclusion model supports permanent incorporation of the two groups in learning, mainstreaming means incorporating the two groups in regular classes only at specific times and lessons. Autistic children present special needs that demands special attention. Apart from the need for special facilities, they also require special educatio n teachers with wide knowledge, and perhaps experience in dealing with autistic children. A normal classroom teacher may not be able to effectively understand and cope with these special demands, hence must undergo a special training on how to teach, especially the social skills, autistic students. Seach, Lloyd Preston (2002, p. 1) observe that autistic children, more than any other group of disabled children, require special attention in classroom. In the light of the above discussion, this research paper focuses on mainstreaming as a model of educating children with autism, tries to establish the strengths and weaknesses of the system and most importantly, examines how autism base can effectively support pupils and mainstream staff. Friendships and BullyingBullying in schools has been in existence since time immemorial. It includes behaviours such as physical humiliation and discrimination on grounds of race, disability or social status. There are different definitions for bull ying. Certainly, all definitions agree that bullying is not limited to physical harm but also emotional: Olweus (1996 cited in Barter and Berridge 2010, p. 34) explains: Bullying as a sub-set of aggressive behavior and a child is being bullied when he is deliberately exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other students, with intention to harm. Studies reveal that children with special needs such as autism have serious challenges in establishing friendship and relationships with their normal peers. In this view, Seach, Lloyd and Preston (2002, p. 3) argue that social assimilation and interaction with peers are much more difficult for autistic students than the real educational procedure taking place in a normal classroom. More often, they fall prey of non-autistic peers, who feel superior and take advantage of their disability to bully and tease them. Bullying has adverse effects on the self-esteem of the victims and its effect on their re lationships cannot be overemphasized. Smith (1999, p. 70) argues that victims of bullying tend to exhibit fewer colleagues, reduced self-concept, and are vulnerable different academic and health complications. Many students admit to have bullied their peers in one way or the other. Actions most perceived as bullying includes but not limited to hurting, demanding money, breaking belongings, hitting and kicking. (Arora Thompson 1987 Cited in Smith 1999, p. 72).