What is an inclusive education?

The National Center on Educational Restructuring and Inclusion developed the following working definition of inclusive education: “Providing to all students, including those with significant disabilities, equitable opportunities to receive effective educational services, with the needed supplementary aids and support services, in age appropriate classrooms in their neighborhood schools, in order to prepare students for productive lives as full members of society.”

What are 10 good reasons for Inclusion?

HUMAN RIGHTS	1.	All children have the right to learn together.
	2.	Children should not be devalued or discriminated against by being excluded or sent away because of their disability or learning difficulty.
	3.	Disabled adults, describing themselves as special school survivors, are demanding an end to segregation
	4.	There are no legitimate reasons to separate children for their education. Children belong together -- with advantages and benefits for everyone. They do not need to be protected from each other.
EDUCATION	5.	Research shows children do better, academically and socially, in inclusive settings.
	6.	There is no teaching or care in a segregated school which cannot take place in an ordinary school.
	7.	Given commitment and support, inclusive education is a more efficient use of educational resources.
SOCIAL	8.	Segregation teaches children to be fearful, ignorant and breeds prejudice.
	9.	All children need an education that will help them develop relationships and prepare them for life in the mainstream.
	10	Only inclusion has the potential to reduce fear and to build friendship, respect and understanding.

Center for Studies on Inclusive Education

What are the benefits of an Inclusive Education?

Benefits to Children with Special Needs:

Brings a sense of belonging
Confirmation of being an equal member of their community and society
Enables friendships and provides opportunities to develop neighborhood friends
Enhances self-respect
Provides peer models and opportunities to be educated with their peers
Provides a diverse stimulating environment in which to grow and learn 

Benefits to General Education:

Provides opportunities to experience diversity of society on a small scale in a classroom
Develops an appreciation that everyone has unique and beautiful characteristics and abilities
Develops respect for others with diverse characteristics
Develops sensitivity toward others'
Increases abilities to help and teach all classmates
Develops empathetic skills
Provides opportunities to vicariously put their feet in another child's shoes
Enhances appreciation for the diversity of the human family 

Benefits to Teachers:

Helps teachers directly by opening up the classroom to parents and additional staff who in turn help the teacher. Helps teachers appreciate the diversity of the human family.
Helps teachers recognize that all students have strengths.
Instructional strategies in Inclusive classrooms, including peer tutoring, cooperative learning groups and differentiated instruction benefit all learners .
Creates an awareness of the importance of direct individualized instruction.
Increases ways of creatively addressing challenges.
Teaches collaborative problem solving skills.
Develops teamwork skills
Acquires different ways of perceiving challenges as a result of being on a multi-disciplinary team
Enhances accountability skills
Combats monotony 

Benefits to Society:

Promotes the civil rights of all individuals
Supports the social value of equality
Teaches socialization and collaborative skills
Builds supportiveness and interdependence
Provides children an excellent example of the democratic process and how diversity works

Why should children with disabilities be educated with non-disabled children?

Although you might think that separate classes with lower student to teacher ratios, controlled environments, and specially trained staff would seem to offer benefits to a child with a disability, research fails to demonstrate the effectiveness of such programs (Lipsky, 1997; Sailor, 2003). In addition, there is evidence that the negative effects of separating children with disabilities from their peers far outweigh any benefit to smaller classes (Audette & Algozzine, 1997). Special needs students educated in regular classes do better academically and socially than comparable students in noninclusive settings (Baker, Wang & Walberg, 1994). Research about disabled students in inclusive classrooms showed academic gains in a number of areas, including improved performance on standardized tests, mastery of IEP goals, grades, on-task behavior and motivation to learn (National Center for Education Restructuring and Inclusion, 1995). Students with significant disabilities had greater success in achieving IEP goals than did matched students in traditional programs (Ferguson, et al, 1992). Teachers and administrators perceived integrated students with moderate disabilities to have increased independence and improved functional skills. Social benefits to integrated students with disabilities included acquiring age-appropriate behaviors and tastes, developing friendships and increased self-esteem. (Janney, Snell, Beers & Rayners, 1995). For students with disabilities, gains occurred in self-esteem (Burello & Wright, 1993), acceptance by classmates (Marwell, 1990, Christmas, 1992) and social skills (McDonnell, McDonnell, Hardman & McCune, 1991). Students with disabilities experience increased self-esteem by the mere fact they are attending classes in a regular education setting rather than in a special education setting. (Ritter, C.L., Michel, C.S., & Irby, B. 1999).

Inclusive education has also been shown to have a positive impact on employment outcomes. A 1988 study by Affleck et al., spanning fifteen years, found that students with disabilities educated in inclusive settings had an employment rate of 73 percent while those in segregated programs had an employment rate of 53 percent. Ferguson and Asch (1989) found that the more time students with disabilities spent in regular classes, the more they achieved as adults in employment and continuing education. More recently, in its 1997 annual report to Congress, the U.S. Department of Education noted: "across a number of analyses of post-school results, the message was the same: those who spent more time in regular education experienced better results after high school." As nearly all employment settings are themselves inclusive, involving people with and without disabilities, it is easy to imagine why inclusive education has a positive impact on employment outcomes.

Over 20 years of research and experience has demonstrated that the education of children with disabilities can be made more effective by:
1.Having high expectations for such children and ensuring their access to the general education curriculum to the maximum extent possible;
2.Strengthening the role of parents and ensuring that families of such children have meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children;
3.Providing appropriate special education and related services, aides and supports in the regular classroom to such children, whenever possible; and
4.Supporting high-quality intensive professional development for professionals who work with such children" [20 U.S.C. 1400(5)(C)].

What about Students Without Disabilities?

The fear that inclusion may result in an inadequate curriculum or education for students without disabilities, or that less time will be devoted to learning, is not formulated by fact and research. None of the studies examining outcomes for students without disabilities has found any negative impact for students who are not identified as having disabilities. Fishbaugh and Gum (1994) found that achievement test data demonstrated consistent academic gains by general education students in inclusive classrooms. Hollowood, Salisbury, Rainforth, and Palombaro (1995) found that the quantity and level of time spent on instruction for students without disabilities was not adversely affected by the presence in class of students with severe disabilities. In a study of cooperative learning groups (Hunt, Staub, Alwell, & Goetz, 1994), students without disabilities who facilitated interactions of their peers with severe disabilities did not have their level of achievement affected. Hollowood et al. (1994) investigated the degree to which the presence of students with severe disabilities in inclusive classrooms affected the time allocated for instruction, the actual time used for instruction, and students' engaged time. Classrooms with and without students with severe disabilities were compared on all three variables. There were no differences in the percentage of time typical students were engaged in instruction across the two classroom types. This was a significant finding, as it demonstrated that the presence of students with severe disabilities, even those with challenging behaviors, did not negatively impact the amount of engaged time for typical learners. This finding has since been replicated in other studies (Peltier, 1997; Staub &
Peck, 1995). It has also been well documented in the literature that students who act as peer tutors in academic areas learn the related academic content to a greater degree/depth than those who passively listen to or read the material (Fisher, Schumaker, & Deshler, 1995). Standardized test and report card measures used to determine impact revealed no significant negative academic or behavioral effects on classmates who were educated in classes with students with disabilities. (Sharpe, York, & Knight, 1994) (York, Vandercook, MacDonald, Heise-Neff, and Caughey, 1992). Students without disabilities experience growth in social cognition and gain a greater understanding and acceptance of students with disabilities and of diversity in general when they experience inclusive programming. Students without disabilities also experience increased self-esteem and overall improvement in their own self-concept. Parents of students without disabilities confirmed the findings of overall improved outcomes as a result of the inclusion of students with severe disabilities within the regular education classroom. (Kochhar, West, & Taymans 2000).

Involving Everyone as Part of an Inclusive Classroom Setting

Here are a few starting points for working to prepare students, teachers, and administrators to be part of an inclusive school.

Address attitudes and values - Have involved persons identify what areas of inclusion they are comfortable with and what they are not comfortable with. Don't put values on these; just identify them.

Information - Read books, watch videos, talk to teachers of inclusive classrooms, do simulation activities for an inclusive classroom, visit inclusive schools to get information to build self-confidence and self-esteem for teachers and students to be part of inclusive education.

Application - Take the risk with a support system in place to be receptive and willing to accommodate children with greater needs. This takes leadership from principals, teachers, and students and means a whole attitude of acceptance, tolerance, and respect.

What Impact does Inclusion have on Attitudes and Relationships?

Numerous studies have examined various aspects of attitudes and relationships resulting from inclusion. For the most part, these studies document that efforts to include students with disabilities in the general education classroom have resulted in positive experiences and improved attitudes on the part of students, both with and without disabilities, and teachers alike. Studies by Helmstetter, Peck, and Giangreco (1994) and Stainback, Stainback, Moravcek, and Jackson (1992) found that students develop positive attitudes toward students with disabilities based on the experience of having disabled students in their classrooms. Helmstetter, et al. (1994) also noted that student friendships and relationships seem to be enhanced by inclusion, with greater understanding and empathy evidenced. Staub, Schwartz, Gallucci, and Peck (1995) noted, too, that inclusion facilitated peer friendships. Friendship networks and social relationships were enhanced for students with severe disabilities placed in general education in Fryxell and Kennedy's (1995) study. Both Hall (1994) and Evans, Salisbury, Palombaro, and Goldberg (1994) studied young children's social relationships. Hall (1994) identified reciprocal, positive relationships between children with disabilities and their classmates. Evans, et al. (1994) found that children who attended classrooms with fully included peers with severe disabilities were able to display sophisticated judgments and suggestions when presented with scenarios of common situations.

Students with disabilities participating in a student aide program experienced increased independence, more socialization opportunities, growth in academic skills, and improved behavior. The aides without disabilities experienced greater awareness and appreciation for people with disabilities and better self-esteem, and an increase in responsible behavior (Staub, Spaulding, Peck, Gallucci, & Schwartz, 1996).

Teachers have positive attitudes or develop them over time, especially when inclusion is accompanied by training, administrative and other support, help in the classroom; and, for some, lowered class size, and use of labeling to obtain special services (Phillips, Alfred, Brulli, & Shank, 1990). In one school, reaction of the teachers was overwhelmingly positive toward inclusion; the author suggests that inclusion may not have produced new effects but merely amplified attitudes, philosophies, and practices that existed in the school prior to the start of inclusion (Rain-forth, 1992). Giangreco, Dennis, Cloninger, Edelman, and Schattman (1993) studied teachers who had a student identified as having a severe disability in their class for a year. Results indicate that most teachers reacted to the initial placement cautiously or negatively, but 17 of the 19 teachers "...experienced increased ownership and involvement with the student with severe disabilities in their classes over the course of the school year". Teachers indicated attitude improvement and a willingness to do this again. They also reported "...that the participation of a student with severe disabilities in their class had a positive impact on the child with disabilities, as well as on the child's classmates".

An attitude survey was conducted with high school staff, students and their parents in the Chicago School District (Butler-Hayes, 1995). Principals were most in agreement with the basic goals of inclusion, followed by special education teachers and regular education teachers, respectively. An important implication of this study is that more knowledge, exposure, and experience led to greater acceptance of inclusion. Villa, Thousand, Meyers, and Nevin (1996) surveyed 680 certified special and general education teachers and administrators in 32 schools that had experience in providing inclusive educational opportunities for all children. The professionals surveyed generally believed that educating students with disabilities in general education classrooms results in positive changes in educators' attitudes and job responsibilities. Also, administrative support and collaboration were powerful predictors of positive attitudes toward full inclusion. In another study, 158 teachers in one state returned questionnaires on their perceptions of the supports available to them and needed by them for inclusion (Werts, Wolery, Snyder, & Caldwell, 1996). Training was one of the identified needs. Special and general educators reported similar levels of need for resources, but special educators reported greater availability of resources than general educators. Feedback to York, Vandercook, Macdonald, Heise-Neff, and Caughey (1992) generally indicated that the inclusion experience was positive for students and teachers.

What could be done to help parents deal more effectively with inclusive education?

I have never, ever met a parent of a child with disabilities who did not hope that that child would someday have friends and connections with the broader community. -- Mara Sapon-Shevin, Professor of Education, Syracuse University

Welcoming parents into a classroom and school is vital to having them be part of the team for inclusive education. Parents of students with disabilities are often the driving force behind the push for inclusive education.

Parent education is the other key to help parents who may question the academic validity of inclusive education. Some parents may think their children will not make the same academic gains in an inclusive setting as students in a rigorous academic class. Susan Etschedit (UNI) states research shows the opposite is true.

" Not only are all students making strong academic gains, but the literature clearly documents social, interpersonal, and personal gains. An inclusive setting not only does not detract from the usual education program, but it enriches the educational environment for all children. We have empirical research to validate this information and, more importantly, teacher testimony to tell us how inclusive education works."While many parents may not like an active classroom and may think their children are not able to learn in that environment, studies show that few students consider an inclusive setting disruptive. A recent survey of 90 sixth graders at a school in Dubuque, Iowa, found only 3 students who said they felt their inclusive classroom was disruptive. -- Chris Macfarlane, Associate Professor of Special Education, UNI

On the other hand, parents of students with disabilities are most concerned that their child will be teased or harmed and not be safe. Again, Macfarlane states that in almost every instance after two years of integrated education, this was not a problem or the problem was very small. " The reality is that all kids are teased at school," she notes, "so let's work on teasing and helping children understand it is not acceptable."

Parents may support inclusive education when they understand one of its goals is to keep students in their neighborhood school, a school where siblings may attend. (Seek legal advice concerning legal requirements of modifying students' educational programs.) This makes it easier for parents who may be more comfortable becoming part of a school community that they already know.

Currently, 11-15% of all students are identified as having a disability. Having students be part of an inclusive setting means that as when those students become parents, they will see inclusion as how education is and not think it is something to fight for.

How can schools work with parents toward inclusive settings?

Parental Involvement....

What role can administrators play in inclusive education?

Administrators provide the impetus and support to make inclusive education happen. With their staff and parents, they need to think of the kind of people they would like their students to be - good neighbors, people who will be productive, self-motivated, and good decision-makers?

Vision and Agenda - With this goal in mind, administrators can provide the vision of how a school will
look it if educates all of its students. From there, administrators can help plan the agenda for achieving those goals. To do this, administrators must understand the role of each professional in providing equal educational opportunities to all students (Bauwens & Hourcade, 1995).

Structure and Organization - Administrators can facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration by removing the barriers to change. They may need to restructure the school day to include release and planning time for collaborators, scheduling changes, and various forms of technical assistance such as decreasing class size, providing paraprofessional assistance (Wood, 1992).

Staff Training - Staff training, continuing education, and ongoing professional development opportunities will be necessary. Administrators can support teachers in inclusive schools by providing in service training that addresses teacher-identified need s; employing competent personnel to deliver the training, offering incentives to educators to participate, using a variety of methods, and coordinating the training with other districts or institutions. The administrators must also build time into teachers' schedules to allow collaborative problem solving, team meetings, peer coaching sessions, and adaptation of materials (Idol & West, 1987).

Allocation of Resources - A creative distribution and pooling of resources is essential to implementing and maintaining cross-disciplinary collaboration.

What are the professionals saying about inclusion?

      "As schools are increasingly challenged to serve a diverse student population, the concern is no longer whether to provide inclusive education, but how to implement inclusive education." Baker et al. (1994-95)

      "Inclusion involves all kinds of practices that are ultimately practices of good teaching. What good teachers do is to think thoughtfully about children and develop ways to reach all children. Ultimately good teaching is a relationship between two people; teachers get good results because they enter into that relationship. Inclusion is providing more options for children as ways to learn. It’s structuring schools as community where all children can learn. But there’s no recipe for becoming an inclusive teacher or an inclusive school. It’s not a mechanized format."  --  Dr. Chris Kliewer, Associate Professor of Special Education (taught second grade in an inclusive school in Syracuse, NY, for four years).

      "Inclusion is based on the belief that people/adults work in inclusive communities, work with people of different races, religions, aspirations, disabilities. In the same vein, children of all ages should learn and grow in environments that resemble the environments that they will eventually work in."  --  Dr. Susan Etscheidt, Professor of Special Education, UNI

      "When good inclusion is in place, the child who needs the inclusion does not stand out. The inclusive curriculum includes strong parental involvement, students making choices, and a lot of hands-on and heads-on involvement."  --  Dr. Melissa Heston, Associate Professor of Education, University of Northern Iowa

       "If you run a school like a business or with a factory model, you automatically exclude about one-third of the people because they don’t fit that model. Under the factory model, schools set standards for grade levels; this emphasizes producing a standard product with a focus on mentality. If students are not up to the standards, then you have to put them aside. But inclusion is not just about ‘where’ children are educated; it’s a philosophy that includes a whole school and it’s everyone’s responsibility. Compare that to the one-room school house that had multi-grades 1-8 and one teacher. Kids learned from one another, and the teacher was expected to teach all kids who entered the class."  --  Dr. Barry Wilson, Department Head, Educational Psychology and Foundations, UNI

       "Inclusive education means teachers working with students in a context that is suitable to a diverse population of students. It also means the teacher may need alternative expectations and goals for students, and it’s difficult to get teachers to do this."  --  Dr. Kathy East, Support Services Coordinator, Price Laboratory School, UNI

       "Inclusive education operates from the assumption that almost all students should start in a general classroom, and then, depending on their needs, move into more restrictive environments. Research shows that inclusive education helps the development of all children in different ways. Students with specific challenges make gains in cognitive and social development and physical motor skills. They do well when the general environment is adjusted to meet their needs. Children with more typical development gain higher levels of tolerance for people with differences. They learn to make the most of whoever they’re playing with. When we exclude people, it ultimately costs more than the original effort to include them."  --  Dr. Melissa Heston, Associate Professor, UNI

        "If you view schools as inclusive and are looking for ways to educate that benefit all students, then that’s inclusive."  --  Dr. Barry Wilson, head, Dept. of Ed Psych and Foundations, UNI

       "...This perspective seems to reflect a relatively widespread belief that students with disabilities should be returned to the general education classroom only if their disabilities are ‘cured.’ If this belief prevails, most persons with disabilities will never be included?  --  McLeskey & Waldron, Phi Delta Kappan, October, 1996

Parents of children in inclusive settings:

      "You could just see the difference in him; he had done like a 180 degree turnaround. He was just so happy - and he talked about kids in school all the time."

       "She’s done wonderfully and every year she’s made great gains and I have every belief that she’s made great gains because she’s in an inclusive setting."

       "After my son is out of public school, he’ll be living and working with a diverse population of people. I want him to be accepted after he’s out of school as much as when he’s in school. For me, that’s why inclusion is a key while he’s in school."

What are some of the issues with inclusion? 

Some advocates of inclusion want inclusion all the time, but full inclusion is more difficult for some children. Full inclusion should not be implemented when the child is a danger to themselves and/or others. Some children need intense one-on-one instruction early. A huge majority of disabled children, including children with autism, Aspergers, downs syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other physical problems, flourish in an inclusive environment. Yet some schools continue to sequester them in a classroom separate from their peers. Around the country, district to district, there is no real consistency. Some districts congratulate themselves for full inclusion while others still backdoor students with disabilities to separate classrooms. A change in administration can cause a complete turn around in philosophy, which can be very disruptive to the kids and the staff. It takes commitment from all involved and a willingness to work together.