Should children that are Deaf or Hearing Impaired be put in inclusion classes?

My daughter is at the end of 7th grade and at her IEP meeting for next year it was suggested that she be put in inclusion classes for all her academic classes plus resource room. She has an average IQ, scores average and above on all tests they give her. She has had problems in her classes because she misses a lot, due to her level of hearing loss, plus class notes that were supposed to be provided as per her IEP, have not been. We did reclassify her as Deaf, plus she will be learning sign and have an interpreter, which I feel will give her what she needs to do as well as her hearing classmates. I am not happy with the inclusion classes and expressed this at the meeting and again in a phone call, but have been told this is best for her. What can I do to have them remove this from her IEP and is this what public schools normally do with Deaf children?

It depends on the student, but for an average/above average functioning child in the public school system, the goal should be for her to be included in regular education classes with an interpreter. It will make her feel more "normal" and she may get a more appropriate education(depending on the size of the Deaf Ed program). Now, I don't necessarily believe it should be "sink or swim", they should have only suggested inclusion for one or two classes for now, especially if she's just beginning to learn sign (although she will pick it up quickly). Ultimately, though, it is your decision. If you don't agree with them, it is illegal for them to force this on you. Unfortunately, you probably signed a signature page at the IEP meeting that says you agreed to the decision. If that is so, you'll have to try it for a while (maybe until progress reports) and then if it is not working out, call another IEP meeting. That is your right as the parent.
Also, if anything on the IEPs (class notes) were not provided, it is illegal. You should complain to the administrator and if they don't do anything, check your due process paperwork to see what to do (it is illegal if you weren't provided with this information also).

Its hard to say if the inclusion classes will be helpful or not because on one hand you have the fact that your daughter will get smaller classes and one on one help which for any child is benefit. And on the other she is being placed in a class that she doesn't belong. I think you should let her try it out and see if it works better for her. I do believe that parents have a say in what happens in an IEP therefore you would have a grounds for her to be removed if you want that.
I wanted to share with you something that I feel is so important when it comes to your daughter's communication. Learning how to sign from a hearing interpreter is not always the best thing. First off the interpreter is not a good language model Deaf people are. So I encourager you to take your daughter to Deaf events so she can meet other Deaf people like herself and make friends with people like herself and also learn about Deaf culture.
Also I believe that Deaf children are handled differently case by case so I don't think it would be fair to say that ALL Deaf children are placed in inclusion classes. However if you don't like the public school system then I think you should check into a School for the Deaf (There are schools that's only language is ASL and EVERYONE signs.) You would be amazed how much better your daughter would do in a school for the Deaf.
I hope I haven't stepped over the line I know I covered more than just your question but this is so important.

Public schools usually do not have a choice for students with hearing problems. In my state, if a child is on the standard course of study, as your daughter is, she MUST be in the regular classroom with accommodations. It's a state decision, not the schools. Ask and see if this the issue with your state. If so, your only option is sending her to a public or private separate school. There's only two in my state and they both are boarding schools. The teachers in these classrooms are both deaf and subject area certified to get around state needs.

I personally think it is best for her to learn how to manage in a regular classroom now rather than later. One, it pushes her to learn sign, etc immediately. Then, she will have more choices when she chooses a college. The same services should be provided to her there, too.

Again, I wouldn't have a choice if I were your kids teacher AND it is completely legal for the state to do so. Hopefully, all my parents would agree with what I had to offer them, but it's not always the case. My hands are tied. No classrooms available. No separate classroom for her to attend. If you disagree, go through the due process paperwork at the back of your Handbook of Parent's Rights. Let me suggest that you allow her to attend the new class setting for a trial period of 4-6 weeks and then reevaluate your feelings about the program. The Due Process will still be available to you at that time.

Note - Parents do NOT have to agree to anything in the IEP for it to be put into place. The school staff can sign and the reasons for the parent disagreeing can be listed on the page Jdeek listed. The parent can then pursue Due Process at that point or choose to do nothing.

In my state students who are deaf/HOH are not supposed to be in special ed unless they have a secondary learning disability. they are to be provided services through a 504 plan (such as copies of notes, interpreter, aid to take notes). The counties centralize services for teh hearing impaired-one public school is designated---there studnets from all over teh county are in inclusion classes with accommodations.

special ed is for students who need modifications-not just accomodations.

If it were my child I would keep in her inclusion-but insist on a aide to write notes adn otherwise accomodate--since the regular classroom staff couldn't fulfill their responsibilities

So, on her IEP it states she is to be in all inclusion classes?
And, you don't agree, correct?

This is illegal because this can NOT be put into the IEP plan unless the WHOLE IEP team agrees, and this includes the PARENTS. And you do not agree.

You have to learn the laws that govern special ed in schools and follow them.
THey are called 'IDEA individuals wiht disabilties education act' and the best site to learn them is www.wrightslaw.com

Here's what to do now --

1. Write to district sped director and request 'prior written notice' for the following --

a. The districts decision of all inclusion classes.
2. the district putting this into the IEP without the whole IEP team agreement . You are a member of the IEP team and you did not agree to this.
3. not providing class notes as specified on her IEP plan which is a violation of IDEA law.

Prior written notice is a VERY powerful parental safeguard that most parents don't even know about.

Schools have to have LEGAL reasons for their decisions and put these reasons in writing to the parent in a 'prior written notice'.

As for if they normally do this with deaf children, well I'm not sure. I do know that all special ed students are to be placed in the 'least restrictive environment' needed in order for the child to have 'access to the curiculum' and to recieve 'free appropriate public education ' FAPE.

This means inclusion *IF* a student can suceed and meet the goals listed on their IEP plan *WITH* the help that they are to recieve in a REGULAR ed classroom (inclusion) , then this is where they are to be placed.

If this setting does NOT work for the child, THEN the child is placed in a more restrictive setting, and this could be a special ed room, resource classes, etc.

Like I said earlier, the WHOLE IEP team has to agree on anything for the child. (in this case, inclusion)

But, since you as the parent disagrees with inclusion , and the law that governs special ed states it HAS to be done ,
I am not sure what has to be done now.

It's like a contradiction in the law.

So write and request the prior written notice as I suggested above because that is the next step that is to be taken according to the special ed law IDEA.

If you need help email me
sisymay@yahoo.com