Meow you have completely misunderstood. I absolutely don't think these kids are a burden at all. In fact, DH and I were commenting on the fact that while its dreadful to think these kids' lives will be harder than they should ever have to be, it is a great life lesson for the other kids to learn acceptance, respect and empathy for others, and hopefully to learn that every person needs to be accepted for who they are. We all have flaws - just most of us are lucky enough to still be accepted as "normal". My own daughter is on the border of being classed as special needs so there's no way I'm anything other than supportive. My concern is for these two particular children, not for my kids at all. Like I said in my op, my concern is how things can be done to continue to make the experience of mainstream classes as beneficial as possible. Glenny has a valid point too in that teachers are already stretched a long way, and there is no denying that in later years a child who has learning issues is going to be more taxing on resources. Its a very difficult situation all around. Money and resources sadly only go so far.

I do teach my children to accept others for who and what they are, whether that be a fat person, an intellectually or physically disabled person, a black person, a buddhist, whatever. But that's me and my belief system and I'm not naive enough to think that everybody shares that belief system. You just need to take a look around and know that tolerance of others is not a widely held view, or at least not held with anything beyond lip service. It would break my heart to see either of these kids teased or picked on. I can't even begin to imagine what a worry it must be for their own parents.