Ten 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

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.

Good Education

5. Research shows children do better, academically and socially in integrated 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 education resources.

Good Social Sense

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.

List prepared by:

Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education (CSIE)

1 Redland Close, Elm Lane, Redland, Bristol BS6 6UE, England

Tel: 0117 923 8450 Fax: 0117 923 8460

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Do you know that many students with disabilities are successfully learning and joining in the same classroom with their friends and neighbors who are not disabled? Inclusion is possible for ALL students, including YOUR child. The key to success for inclusion is to build the services and supports necessary to insure a good program.

1. Educating all children with disabilities in regular classrooms regardless of the nature of

2. Providing all students enhanced opportunities to learn from each other’s contributions.

4. Supporting regular teachers and administrators (e.g., by providing time, training, teamwork, resources, and strategies).

5. Having students with disabilities follow the same schedules as non-disabled students.

6. Involving students with disabilities in age-appropriate academic classes and extracurricular activities, including art, music, gym, field trips, assemblies, and graduation exercises.

7. Students with disabilities using school cafeteria, library, playground, and other facilities along with non-disabled students.

9. Students with disabilities receiving their education and job training in regular community environments when appropriate.

11. Placing children with disabilities in the same schools they would attend if they did not have disabilities.

1. It does not mean “dumping” students with disabilities into regular programs without preparation or support.

2. It does not mean providing special education services in separate or isolated places.

5. It does not mean placing unreasonable demands on teachers and administrators.

8. It does not mean placing students with disabilities in schools or classes that are not age-appropriate.

9. It does not mean requiring that students be “ready” and “earn” their way into regular classrooms based on cognitive or social skills.

Students grouping and regrouping during the course of the day is based on the individual interests and skills of all students, and not on disability labels

Related services (e.g., physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy) are delivered in regular classroom settings and other school environments

Supports and services are provided in the classroom and coordinated with ongoing instruction

The provision of supports for students (instructional, curricular, behavioral, etc.) is viewed as a school-wide need

Effective teaching strategies and differentiated instruction are used to meet the needs of every child and accommodate the learning styles of all children in the class

The general education instruction and curriculum is used as the base for accommodations and modifications to meet IEP goals

The instructional materials used for typical students are modified for assignments, homework, and tests

Planned and structured activities are in place to promote social inclusion and friendship development

Students without disabilities are supported in welcoming students who have disabilities

Collaboration among general educators, special educators, and other school personnel occurs on an ongoing basis

School administrator(s) provide a vision and leadership and welcome all students into their school

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Natural Proportions: Students are assigned to classes with consideration to the natural proportions of the population that live in the school jurisdiction. For example, if 12% of the students have disabilities, then the school team would plan to place students in classes in as close to that proportion as possible. Generally, schools try to assign no more than 20% of the students with special education academic needs to a class at one time.

A “Zero-Reject” Approach: ALL students who live in the community, regardless of their ability or disability, are considered members of the school community and are expected to attend and participate in all aspects of school life. It a student has educational, behavioral, or social-emotional needs which limit his or her participation, the school then engages in person-centered planning to identify the supports and services that are needed so that the student can fully participate. The need for a student to receive services outside of the general education setting will be based on a team decision that follows planning for inclusion and documents the reasons why the student cannot be included.

Collaborative Leadership: At the district level, the school level, and within instructional teams, collaborative structures are followed for clarifying issues, brainstorming ideas for solutions, establishing priorities, assigning responsibilities for actions, and reviewing progress toward defined goals. Teams share the roles of meeting facilitation, recording notes, encouraging each other’s participation, and being accountable for work to be done outside of the meeting. Nominal leaders (principals, supervisors, etc.) support the team with shared leadership and using brainstorming structures to solve problems.

Instructional Collaboration: Collaboration between and among school staff is necessary for joint curricular planning and individual student planning. Both special and general educators need to adopt new roles in planning and delivering lessons in the classroom, evaluating student progress, and designing modifications that are needed for individual students. Both general and special educators have responsibility for the delivery of special education services.

Instructionally Appropriate Programs and Learning Environments: Instructional environments (classroom and other general education settings) will be designed to address the grade-appropriate instruction in the Maryland Learning Outcomes for students with and without disabilities, and will also address the accommodations, adaptations, and other modifications to materials, strategies, or equipment so that ALL students can participate in age-appropriate general education lessons while working on their individualized goals.

Professional Development: Professional development conducted within schools always addresses how to apply the knowledge and skills to students who have special academic, behavioral, and other instructional needs. Application for students who receive special education services is infused within the teacher training. Areas for staff development include: differentiation, collaboration, co-teaching, positive behavior support strategies, and fostering positive and cooperative social relationships.