Educating Students With Disabilities in General Education Classrooms

What is inclusion?

• inclusion is defined as providing specially designed instruction and supports for students with special needs in the context of regular education settings.
• all students in a school are FULL members of that school community
• every student participates
• every student is given the chance to be apart of a gen ed classroom.
• teachers must provide instruction that benefits all students.

Mainstreaming, Integration or Inclusion?

• Mainstreaming: students with special education needs join general classrooms when they don't need specially designed instruction
• Integration: students are with their peers without disabilities part time (not really part of the class, outsider)
• Inclusion: acceptance, belonging and community; general education classes are structured to meet the needs of ALL the students in the class.

Impact For Students with Mild Disabilities

• make better gains than those in pull-out programs or control schools
• consistent academic gains made by general education students
• more social success in gen ed setting
• student academic gains in: reading language and comprehension.

Impact for Moderate-Severe Disabilities

• some academic increases and behavioral and social progress
• children from integrated sites generally progressed in behavior and social interactions
• students are able to manage their behavior better in social situations better than those who are segreagted
• growth in student engagement in school activities

Impact on students without disabilities

• no studies found any negative impact for students without a disability
• consistent academic gains by general education students in inclusive classrooms
• amount of time spend with students with diabilities does not affect gen ed
• better attitudes and relationships resulting from inclusion