Including All Abilities: Pedagogies, Programs, and Projects for Inclusion

Including All Abilities: Pedagogies, Programs, and Projects for Inclusion

Michelle Flippin, Adam Moore, Emily D. Clapham
Copyright: © 2020 |Pages: 15
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-9434-5.ch019
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Abstract

This chapter shares how educators can learn about inclusive pedagogies to support students of all abilities, as well as how various school, university, and community programs are working to include people with disabilities. The chapter offers resources for educators who are seeking knowledge about inclusive pedagogies, programs, and project ideas. The authors examine methods and strategies by which teachers and teacher candidates can commit to creating inclusive classrooms and communities rooted in social justice. Each of the initiatives, organizations, and resources described can aid educators in keeping social justice central to their work with the disability community and, in so doing, to all community members.
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Introduction

PreK-12 Initiatives

Currently, there are over 6.7 million children with disabilities in U.S. classrooms – roughly 13 percent of all students (U.S. Department of Education, 2018). The Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA, 2004) mandates that children who receive special education services should learn in the “least restrictive environment” (LRE). Moving students with disabilities from the margins to the mainstream requires that educators recognize that children with disabilities are first general education students and then students with disabilities. Almost 95% of students with disabilities spend at least part of their day in a regular education classroom and over half of students with disabilities (63%) are in general education classes at least 80 percent of the time (U.S. Department of Education, 2018). Inclusion, or the idea of educating students with and without disabilities in the general education environment, strives to ensure that all students are given supports in the class rather than in a segregated setting (Friend & Bursuck, 2019). Advocates for inclusion aim to create equitable learning environments whereby all students are learning from one another.

Potential Benefits of Inclusion for All Students

Effective inclusive classrooms have been shown to have benefits for both students with and without disabilities. For example, positive effects for students with disabilities in inclusive settings include improvement in standardized tests, improved social and communication skills and increased interaction with peers, and achievement of more and higher-quality IEP goals (Dupois et al., 2006; Turnbull et.al, 2004). In addition, in a study of the perceptions of middle school students, teachers and parents indicated a shared belief that middle level students with mild disabilities included in the general classroom experienced: increased self-confidence, greater camaraderie, support of the teachers, and higher expectations of themselves (Ritter, Michel, & Iby, 1999). For general education students, positive effects of inclusion include having additional special education staff in the classroom, providing small-group, individualized instruction, and assisting in the development of academic adaptations for all students who need them (Hunt, Soto, Maier & Doering, 2003; Jensen, Finson, & Ormsbee, 2011).

Models of Inclusion

Creating an inclusive classroom and school when the structures are not in place institutionally can be very challenging. However inclusive practices have been promising when appropriate resources are provided to educators (i.e. Waldron & McLeskey, 2010). Resources include time to co-plan with co-teachers, training and support with using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approaches in teaching, and ensuring that an inclusive climate is created throughout a school building. The foundation for successful inclusion is collaboration. Co-teachers are equal partners who blend their expertise to support the learning of children with disabilities in the general education classroom. To work effectively, special education and general education teachers must have an ongoing and iterative partnership to truly impact students’ learning.

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