La Salle University graduate students specializing in education staff the three-week summer program as teachers and classroom supervisors. The experience is designed to challenge the future teachers to deal with special-needs children and their non-disabled siblings at the same time.
"This is a very unique program because we have daily communication with the parents and we take the entire family," said Carole A. Patrylo, program director and assistant professor of education at La Salle.
Sheldon H. Horowitz, director of professional services at the National Center for Learning Disabilities in New York, said inclusion programs have been around for years but including siblings is a new approach.
"The inclusion of siblings is particularly interesting because these kids already have relationships with them and it gives them a jump start in a place of learning because they don't have to try to form these relationships first," Horowitz said in a telephone interview.
Mary Jo Wasson, Marc and Bethany's mother, said, "This program is so good. Bethany really likes being here with her brother. She's not verbal at all, but whenever we talk about it, she looks so happy."
The program, which began in the early 1990s, runs from 9:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. each day and includes children from prekindergarten to grade 12. Participants come to Simmons Elementary School in Horsham each summer from 14 different school districts in Bucks and Montgomery Counties. Last year, one family came from Connecticut to attend the program.
Greg Smith, 16, from Ambler, who has cerebral palsy, said: "I like coming here. It's more fun than regular school."
Jen Smith, Greg's 11-year-old sister, is a teacher's aide in the program. "I like coming here and helping out, especially with arts and crafts," said Jen, who wants to become an elementary school teacher.
Jen smiles and holds the door for Greg, who is in a wheelchair, so that he can join his classmates outside for lunch.
