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Challenge
Initial Thoughts
Perspectives & Resources

What is inclusion and why is it important?

  • Page 1: What Is Inclusion?
  • Page 2: How Does Inclusion Differ from Traditional Instruction?
  • Page 3: Why Should School Environments Become Inclusive?

What model can school leaders use to guide the change necessary for creating inclusive school environments?

  • Page 4: Kotter’s Model of Change

How can school leaders prepare for the changes required to create inclusive school environments?

  • Page 5: Establish a Sense of Urgency
  • Page 6: Form a Guiding Team
  • Page 7: Create a Vision

How can school leaders implement changes that result in inclusive school environments?

  • Page 8: Communicate the Vision
  • Page 9: Enable Action
  • Page 10: Ensure Short-Term Wins

How can school leaders sustain the positive efforts toward creating inclusive school environments?

  • Page 11: Improve and Expand
  • Page 12: Anchor the Changes

Resources

  • Page 13: References & Additional Resources
  • Page 14: Credits
Wrap Up
Assessment
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What is inclusion and why is it important?

Page 1: What Is Inclusion?

Ms. Lawrence, the principal of Central Middle School, is eager to learn more about inclusion. At her superintendent’s suggestion, she sets up a meeting with Mr. Sherman, the principal at Monet High School. Watch the movie below to find out what happens during their meeting (time: 4:08).

/wp-content/uploads/module_media/inc_media/movies/inc_01.mp4

View Transcript | View Transcript with Images (PDF)

Did You Know?

In 2007–2008, of all public school students:

  • 45% were part of a racial/ ethnic group other than White
  • 13% had identified disabilities
  • 21% spoke a language other than English at home
  • 12% were gifted

(U.S. Department of Education, 2010; Friend, 2007)

As Ms. Lawrence soon learns, inclusion is an approach to education based on the premise that all students (e.g., typically developing students, students with disabilities, English learners, students from culturally diverse backgrounds) should be accepted and valued for their unique abilities and included as integral members of the school. Schools that practice inclusion make an effort to include every student in the general education classroom and in extracurricular activities. Inclusive schools are places where all students have access to and can participate in the general education environment, given the appropriate supports. 

Access + Participation + Supports = Inclusion

Every inclusive school has its own qualities. Cynthia Alexander and Brenda Williams describe some of the aspects of inclusive schools.

hs_alexander3
Cynthia Alexander
NIUSI-LeadScape Principal
Evans Elementary School

(time: 0:31)

/wp-content/uploads/module_media/inc_media/audio/inc_01_audio_alexander.mp3

View Transcript

hs_williams3
Brenda Williams, EdD
Educational Policy,
Planning & Leadership
The College of William and Mary

(time: 1:47)

/wp-content/uploads/module_media/inc_media/audio/inc_01_audio_williams.mp3

View Transcript

  

For Your Information

In order to better understand inclusion, school personnel need a common vocabulary. Although the terms inclusion, integration, and mainstreaming are often used interchangeably, in fact they refer to three distinct practices.

Inclusion––the preferred term––involves supporting students with disabilities through individual learning goals, accommodations, and modifications so that they are able to access the general education curriculum (in the general education classroom) and be held to the same high expectations as their peers.

A compelling body of research shows that students with and without disabilities benefit both socially and academically from inclusion. In addition, inclusion has benefits for teachers, parents, and other stakeholders. One of the first steps in the process of changing the school culture may be to make sure these benefits are shared among all stakeholders. Click on each item below to learn about these benefits.

Students with Disabilities

  • Improved academic performance
  • More time spent engaged in academically challenging curricula
  • Improved self-esteem and social behavior
  • Development of friendships between students with and without disabilities, resulting in opportunities for companionship and increased self-concept

Students Without Disabilities

  • Improved academic performance and social behavior
  • Greater academic achievement and increased time engaged academically due to effective instructional practices (e.g., differentiated instruction, peer tutoring)
  • Awareness of the needs of others and the development of skills necessary to respond to those needs
  • Increased patience with students who learn at different rates

Teachers and Schools

  • Increased teacher insight about and acceptance of students with disabilities
  • Opportunities to learn innovative instructional practices that are beneficial for all students, possibly reducing the individual accommodations needed
  • Increased collaboration among school staff, possibly leading to a stronger school community

Parents and the Community

  • Increased acceptance of students with disabilities by non-disabled students and their parents
  • Heightened support (e.g., physical resources, monetary support, and volunteer services) of inclusive efforts through relationships with local agencies
  • Greater parental involvement in school activities

Research Shows

  • Placing students in segregated classrooms based on their learning needs has not been effective for the instruction of students from diverse backgrounds.
    (Artiles, 1998; Artiles & Trent, 1994; Patton, 1998)
  • Students with and without disabilities have demonstrated increased academic performance following the implementation of inclusive practices.
    (Theoharis & Causton- Theorharis, 2008; Gallucci, Peck, & Staub, 2004; Wayne & Wayne, 2005)
  • All students in inclusive environments have the opportunity to engage with rigorous curricula.
    (Fisher & Frey, 2001; Roach, Salisbury, & McGregor, 2002 as cited in Carpenter & Dyal, 2007)

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