Opponents of inclusion argue that inclusion is not appropriate, which is also based on the lack of readiness of all actors in the educational process and society to implement inclusion in educational institutions. For this reason, it advisable to educate children with disabilities in a specialized institution.
Parents are more often than not centered on their child, predicting the problems that their child may have with inclusion - likely decline in the quality of education, difficulties in communication, psychological trauma. Their most common argument is that a special child will attract the attention of teachers and healthy children without hindering their learning.
In a number of questionnaires of parents - opponents of inclusion - the attitude towards a child with disabilities as inadequate and in need of constant help is clearly traced. Only some parents - opponents of inclusion - assess the consequences of its introduction from the point of view of a child with disabilities, at the same time pointing out only the negative aspects, believing that it will be difficult and uncomfortable for him or her in a regular kindergarten group, in a regular school class, that it can traumatize the psyche of such a child.
Despite sufficient awareness of the idea of inclusive education and the specifics of children with disabilities, their attitude towards special children is either neutral or, to a greater extent, negative. They highlight mainly the limitations and disadvantages of such children. The possibility of educating both regular and special children together is a major concern for parents.
This applies to the educational perspective of children without impairments and the quality of knowledge they receive. In addition, parents are concerned about the specificity of behavior and emotional and volitional sphere demonstrated by "special" children. Most parents are against inclusive learning.
On the one hand - acceptance and positivity, on the other hand - a categorical unwillingness to see a special child in the classroom and a negative attitude to the child with disabilities, including mental disorders. Parents of special children also have a dual attitude to inclusion: the need to include their child in the general educational environment of a regular school, to communicate with normal children, and to express fear and distrust of the inclusion system itself and its subjects.
The main barrier is the lack of respect for differences and the lack of flexibility and professionalism of teachers. The fears and fears of parents of healthy children and the disgust of teachers, 50% of whom said that education should not be an end in itself and the main development of social interaction skills. This group of educators believes that the most important thing for many children with disabilities is to learn to live among others and that education is not as important for them as social interaction.
40% of peoples believe that it is not possible to integrate all children, it is necessary to develop clear criteria for possible integration, 57% justify the need to develop criteria for the care and safety of mental and physical health of ordinary children.
Of course, it would be easy to blame only teachers or parents who do not accept the idea of inclusion, which is exactly what promotes the development of social interaction skills in both healthy children and children with different health problems. The main barrier to the development of inclusive education is the weakness of the steps of integration of special children into the educational space of an ordinary school:
- insufficient preparation of the educational environment;
- low level of inclusive competence of teachers, parents of both groups;
- lack of tutoring institution, etc.
Although no one disputes that the state has done a lot at the moment, but, as always, formalism, hastiness, and thoughtlessness in the activities of state educational institutions and organizations in the context of inclusion, often reduces the adoption of the necessary form of education for children with disabilities in Russia to almost zero.
On the one hand, a sufficiently large percentage of parents of children with disabilities, including children with ASD, and parents of children with regulatory development demonstrate a positive attitude to inclusive education, integration of special children into the educational and upbringing environment of a modern educational organization. They have a positive attitude towards humanization of the educational environment with regard to the education of special children in regular schools, their interaction with healthy children, which will have a positive impact on the development of both groups of children.
On the other hand, a rather high percentage of parents, regardless of the region, are categorically against the introduction of inclusion and integration of special children into the educational environment.
One of the important challenges in overcoming the stigmatization of special children and negative stereotypes about the possibility of educating special children together with healthy children is the importance of educational work, which is currently not carried out widely enough and actively and is largely fragmented.