Students who are not part of the special education program may have some difficulty adjusting to the presence of a special education student in the classroom depending on the severity and obviousness of the student's disability. Part of this is due to the fact that students may not have been exposed to anyone with a disability and part of it is due to the fact that there may be some special accommodations needed for the student in the special education program.
As people in general may have difficulty adjusting to change, children are no different. Depending in the age of the students, there may be some jealousy over special accommodations or extra time spent with the student. But, this isn't as negative as one might think. The lesson of tolerance and acceptance is one best learned at a young age. This is the perfect opportunity for students to learn tolerance of others and possibly even learn to have patience and compassion in ways they otherwise may not have. The hope is also that students will learn to accept people based on more than appearance alone. They will have the chance to get to know the individual before passing judgement.
As for the special education student, there is bound to be fear, excitement and anxiety over the integration process. They will know that they are "different" than the other students in the classroom and they may need to learn patience too as the teacher develops a system of providing all parties with attention and accommodations. The special education student may even be challenged to do things that they were previously not challenged to do. They may in turn develop a new sense of pride as they accomplish new tasks and develop new relationships.
Teachers and parents alike would do well to accept this transition with an open mind in order to avoid any type of prejudice or anxiety in any of the students. It may be a challenge to meet the needs of all the students, but as we are challenged, we grow and learn both as children and as adults.