DOCSLIB.ORG

Inclusion Versus Full Inclusion by Douglas Fuchs and Lynn S

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Inclusion Versus Full Inclusion by Douglas Fuchs and Lynn S PROFILES & PERSPECTIVES Inclusion versus Full Inclusion by Douglas Fuchs and Lynn S. Fuchs WHAT IS INCLUSION? these best practices, suggesting that even knowledgeable Inclusionists believe that regular classroom teachers and and dedicated teachers cannot address the special in- special educators can help children with disabilities ac- structional needs of all children in the regular classroom. quire important skills, knowledge, and behaviors that, for many, will facilitate high school (or even college) gradua- WHAT IS FULL INCLUSION? tion and a good job. Such achievement depends on a con- Full inclusionists believe the primary job of educators is to tinuum of special education placements, which includes help children with disabilities establish friendships with the regular classroom. nondisabled persons. Moreover, educators should (1) help In principle, each special education placement on the change stereotypic thinking about disabilities among nor- continuum offers specialized, individualized, and inten- mally developing children and (2) help children with dis- sive instruction that is continuously evaluated for its ef- abilities develop social skills, which will enable them to in- fectiveness. Teachers in these special settings are instruc- teract more effectively within a broad network of tional experts. To the fullest extent appropriate, these acquaintances, co-workers, family members, and friends. special educators and their students work on the general Friendship making, attitude change, and social skills de- education curriculum and understand the level of acade- velopment can only occur, say full inclusionists, in regular mic accomplishment and social behavior necessary for classes for the simple reason that these objectives require success in regular classrooms. the presence of age-appropriate, nondisabled children. Nevertheless, although classrooms can and should be In addition, full inclusionists claim that the place- made more flexible and responsive to a broad range of ment of special-needs children in regular classrooms children’s instructional needs, there is a limit to how must be full time (e.g., Lipsky & Gartner, 1991; Stain- much a classroom can be expected to change and how back & Stainback, 1992). First, only full-time placement many students any teacher can responsibly teach. First, confers legitimacy on special-needs children’s member- the number of children in regular classrooms is large. ship and place in regular classrooms. Second, as long as And second, the students in the regular classrooms are special education placements exist, educators may use not all performing on grade level. Researchers have found them as dumping grounds for the difficult-to-teach stu- few teachers who differentiate their instruction to ad- dent. Full inclusionists predict that by eliminating spe- dress this broad range of academic achievement (Baker & cial education placements, classroom teachers will have Zigmond, 1990; Fuchs, Fuchs, & Bishop, 1992; McIn- to transform their classes into settings responsive to all tosh, Vaughn, Schumm, Haager, & Lee, 1993). Instead, children. However, this will require fundamental changes many teachers present the same lesson and instructional in the roles of special and regular educators and the en- materials to all students. tire teaching and learning process. These changes include When teachers do implement research-backed in- a radical constructivist vision of teaching and learning structional methods such as cooperative learning or and a concomitant de-emphasis, even rejection, of stan- classwide peer tutoring, their responsiveness to diversity dard curricula, directed instruction, and accountability increases as does student achievement, including the standards. “From a holistic, constructivist perspective, all achievement of many special-needs children. Even so, children simply engage in a process of learning as much some children with disabilities typically fail to respond to as they can in a particular subject area; how much and 80 # 39162 Cust: PH/OH Au: Heward Pg. No. 80 C/M/Y/K/PMS Title: Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Ed. Short / Normal / Long COMMUNICATIONS,LTD. exactly what they learn will depend upon their back- Accommodating all in one place. Full inclusionists have grounds, interests, and abilities” (Stainback & Stainback, an unquestioned belief in the capacity of regular education 1992, p. 72). to accommodate all children. However, the limits of the regular classroom and the need for a variety of special ed- MANY CHILDREN, MANY NEEDS ucation placements are recognized even in Vermont, a state with nearly double the national average of students with How does one explain the dramatic differences between disabilities in regular classrooms and long known as a the inclusionists and the full inclusionists? They advocate leader in inclusive education (Sack, 1997). Several years for different children with different needs. Most inclusion- ago, Rutland, Vermont, school officials began The Success ists speak for children with sensory impairments and high- School, a separate program for disruptive students in incidence disabilities such as learning disabilities, behav- grades 6 through 12. According to Rutland’s director of ior disorders, and mild mental retardation. Most full special services, Ellie McGarry, the goal for most students inclusionists represent children with severe disabilities. So is to return to the regular classroom full time. For others it when full inclusionists argue for regular class placements is gaining the skills necessary to find a job. A handful of for children with disabilities, they are motivated by the students, Ms. McGarry said, “wouldn’t be in school at all if concern that “their” children make friends, influence atti- it weren’t for [The] Success [School]” (Sack, 1997, p. 6). tudes about disability, and improve social skills. If the chil- The district’s superintendent, David Wolk, says The Suc- dren’s learning of academic, functional, or vocational skills cess School is “a common-sense way to help the inclusion suffer, this is a sacrifice many full inclusionists seem will- pendulum settle in the middle. It’s clear this is the best en- ing to make. Inclusionists, by contrast, are primarily con- vironment for those children” (p. 3). cerned that “their” children get appropriate academic in- Special education accountability. We acknowledge struction; if this is most likely to happen in a resource that there are major problems with how special education room, separate class, or even a special school, most inclu- is practiced in many school districts. For example, few sionists say, “So be it.” special educators document their effectiveness in teach- ing students with disabilities. And separate special edu- WHY THE FULL INCLUSION MOVEMENT WILL cation placements become terminal assignments in the NOT SUCCEED educational careers of too many children. There is insuf- There are several reasons why the full inclusion movement ficient evidence that special education teachers facilitate will not succeed. movement along the continuum of special education ser- Uncompromising and presumptive. To ensure a place vices so that children in special day schools, for example, in regular classrooms for children with severe disabilities, transition into resource rooms or those in resource rooms full inclusionists have pressed for an elimination of spe- reintegrate into regular classrooms, where eventually cial education placements for all children with disabili- they may be decertified. ties. Their antipathy toward special education place- For too long, accountability in special education has ments is based on a conviction that, as long as such been defined in terms of process—for example, by programs exist, children with severe disabilities will most whether school districts can produce legally correct IEPs. likely be assigned to and confined in them. They pre- Our field, however, is in the midst of redefining account- sume to speak on behalf of parents and professional ad- ability in terms of student progress in academic, social, vocates of deaf children, blind children, and children and school-behavior domains. Although this redefinition with learning disabilities, behavior disorders, and mild will be difficult to accomplish, it is an important en- mental retardation. This puts full inclusionists in direct deavor. We are confident that time will tell that student conflict with many in the disability community. For ex- progress requires options in instruction, curricula, mate- ample, Bernard Rimland (1993b), a well-known advo- rials, and placements. cate and father of a child with autism, writes: “I have no quarrel with [full] inclusionists if they are content to in- Douglas Fuchs and Lynn Fuchs are professors of special education at sist upon inclusion for their children. But when they try Vanderbilt University. Their research interests focus on developing classroom- based techniques such as curriculum-based measurement and peer-assisted to force me and other unwilling parents to dance to their learning strategies that strengthen the academic performance and social inte- tune, I find it highly objectionable and quite intolerable. gration of students with and without disabilities. They are the coeditors of the Parents need options” (p. 3). Journal of Special Education. 81 # 39162 Cust: PH/OH Au: Heward Pg. No. 81 C/M/Y/K/PMS Title: Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Ed. Short / Normal / Long COMMUNICATIONS,LTD..
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Beyond Diversity and Inclusion: Understanding and Addressing Ableism, Heterosexism, and Transmisia in the Legal Profession: Comm
    American Journal of Law & Medicine, 47 (2021): 76-87 © 2021 The Author(s) DOI: 10.1017/amj.2021.3 Beyond Diversity and Inclusion: Understanding and Addressing Ableism, Heterosexism, and Transmisia in the Legal Profession: Comment on Blanck, Hyseni, and Altunkol Wise’s National Study of the Legal Profession Shain A. M. Neumeier† and Lydia X. Z. Brown†† I. INTRODUCTION Far too many—if not most—of us in the legal profession who belong to both the disability and LGBTQþ communities have known informally, through our own experi- ences and those of others like us, that workplace bias and discrimination on the basis of disability, sexuality, and gender identity is still widespread. The new study by Blanck et al. on diversity and inclusion in the U.S. legal profession provides empirical proof of this phenomenon, which might otherwise be dismissed as being based on anecdotal evidence.1 Its findings lend credibility to our position that the legal profession must make systemic changes to address workplace ableism, heterosexism, and transmisia.2 They also suggest †Committee for Public Counsel Services, Mental Health Litigation Division. (The contents of this article are published in the author’s personal capacity.) ††Georgetown University, Disability Studies Program, [email protected]. With thanks to Sara M. Acevedo Espinal, Jennifer Scuro, and Jess L. Cowing for support. 1Peter Blanck, Fitore Hyseni & Fatma Artunkol Wise, Diversity and Inclusion in the American Legal Profession: Discrimination and Bias Reported by Lawyers with Disabilities and Lawyers Who Identify as LGBTQþ,47Am. J.L. & Med. 9, 9 (2021) [hereinafter Blanck, et al., Discrimination and Bias].
    [Show full text]
  • Guidelines for Inclusion: Ensuring Access to Education for All Acknowledgments
    Guidelines for Inclusion: Ensuring Access to Education for All Acknowledgments In UNESCO’s efforts to assist countries in making National Plans for Education more inclusive, we recognised the lack of guidelines to assist in this important process. As such, the Inclusive Education Team, began an exercise to develop these much needed tools. The elaboration of this manual has been a learning experience in itself. A dialogue with stakeholders was initiated in the early stages of elaboration of this document. “Guidelines for Inclusion: Ensuring Access to Education for All”, therefore, is the result of constructive and valuable feedback as well as critical insight from the following individuals: Anupam Ahuja, Mel Ainscow, Alphonsine Bouya-Aka Blet, Marlene Cruz, Kenneth Eklindh, Windyz Ferreira, Richard Halperin, Henricus Heijnen, Ngo Thu Huong, Hassan Keynan, Sohae Lee, Chu Shiu-Kee, Ragnhild Meisfjord, Darlene Perner, Abby Riddell, Sheldon Shaeffer, Noala Skinner, Sandy Taut, Jill Van den Brule-Balescut, Roselyn Wabuge Mwangi, Jamie Williams, Siri Wormnæs and Penelope Price. Published in 2005 by the United Nations Educational, Scientifi c and Cultural Organization 7, place de Fontenoy, 75352 PARIS 07 SP Composed and printed in the workshops of UNESCO © UNESCO 2005 Printed in France (ED-2004/WS/39 cld 17402) Foreward his report has gone through an external and internal peer review process, which targeted a broad range of stakeholders including within the Education Sector at UNESCO headquarters and in the fi eld, Internal Oversight Service (IOS) and Bu- Treau of Strategic Planning (BSP). These guidelines were also piloted at a Regional Work- shop on Inclusive Education in Bangkok.
    [Show full text]
  • Scaffolding Inquiry-Based Science and Chemistry Education in Inclusive Classrooms
    In: New Developments in Science Education Research ISBN: 978-1-63463-914-9 Editor: Nathan L. Yates © 2015 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. Chapter 5 SCAFFOLDING INQUIRY-BASED SCIENCE AND CHEMISTRY EDUCATION IN INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS Simone Abels University of Vienna, Austrian Educational Competence Centre Chemistry, Vienna, Austria ABSTRACT Since the ratification of the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities inclusion is on the agenda. In science education inquiry-based learning is, among others, recommended to deal with the diversity of students in a classroom. However, teachers struggle with the implementation of inquiry-based science education and view heterogeneity rather as a burden than an asset. Therefore, this research project is dedicated to the teachers‘ scaffolding teaching science in inclusive classes. Specifically, within the framework of a qualitative case study, the focus lies upon inquiry-based learning environments with different levels of openness and structuring and how they can be orchestrated to deal with diverse learning needs of all students in one classroom. The research study is conducted in cooperation with an inclusive urban middle school (grade 5 to 8), where students with and without special educational needs learn together. Initially, the article introduces the inclusive school with its specific way and challenges – not only the science classes – as inclusion is holistic school development. Subsequently, two science formats are particularly focused and contrasted: guided inquiry-based chemistry lessons as well as the format Lernwerkstatt (German for workshop center), an open inquiry setting. The aim of the Lernwerkstatt is that students work self-dependently on their own scientific questions innervated by carefully arranged phenomena and materials.
    [Show full text]
  • Eliminating Ableism in Education
    Eliminating Ableism in Education THOMAS HEHIR Harvard Graduate School of Education In this article, Thomas Hehir defines ableism as “the devaluation of disability” that “results in societal attitudes that uncritically assert that it is better for a child to walk than roll, speak than sign, read print than read Braille, spell independently than use a spell-check, and hang out with nondisabled kids as opposed to other dis- abled kids.” Hehir highlights ableist practices through a discussion of the history of and research pertaining to the education of deaf students, students who are blind or visually impaired, and students with learning disabilities, particularly dyslexia. He asserts that “the pervasiveness of...ableistassumptionsintheeducationof children with disabilities not only reinforces prevailing prejudices against disability but may very well contribute to low levels of educational attainment and employ- ment.” In conclusion, Hehir offers six detailed proposals for beginning to address and overturn ableist practices. Throughout this article, Hehir draws on his per- sonal experiences as former director of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs, Associate Superintendent for the Chicago Public Schools, and Director of Special Education in the Boston Public Schools. Ableist Assumptions When Joe Ford was born in 1983, it was clear to the doctors and to Joe’s mom Penny that he would likely have disabilities. What wasn’t clear to Penny at the time was that she was entering a new world, that of a parent of a child with disabilities, a world in which she would have to fight constantly for her child to have the most basic of rights, a world in which deeply held negative cul- tural assumptions concerning disability would influence every aspect of her son’s life.
    [Show full text]
  • Inquiring Minds Want to Know: Inquiry-Based Learning in the General Education and Inclusion Science Classroom
    129 Inquiring Minds Want to Know: Inquiry-Based Learning in the General Education and Inclusion Science Classroom Gena M. Rosenzweig, Maria Carrodegaus, and Luretha Lucky Florida International University, USA Abstract: This study sought to apply the concepts of inquiry-based learning by increasing the number of laboratory experiments conducted in two science classes, and to identify the challenges of this instruction for students with special needs. Results showed that the grades achieved through lab write-ups greatly improved grades overall. The National Science Education Standards (1996) describes inquiry-based instruction as a way to involve students in a form of active learning that emphasizes questioning, data analysis, and critical thinking. This teaching practice encourages students to learn inductively and has a firmly established place in pedagogical tradition (Colburn, 2004). For example, theorists Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi and Herbert Spencer have championed student learning through concrete experiences and observations rather than rote memorization. Students at all grade levels, in every domain of science education, should be afforded the opportunity to use scientific inquiry to develop the ability to think and act in ways that are associated with inquiry (Bell, Smetana, & Binns, 2005). A convenient way to accomplish this goal in middle school classrooms is to enhance the inquiry aspects of activities that are already incorporated into the curriculum (Godbey, Barnett, & Webster, 2005). Teachers are challenged to effectively use inquiry-based learning strategies to motivate and teach students, particularly those in a special education curriculum. When properly introduced, inquiry-based activities increase student interest and motivation. The student becomes a fellow investigator, with motivation shifting from an extrinsic desire for a higher grade to an intrinsic one for satiating a curiosity of nature (Baker, Lang, & Lawson, 2002).
    [Show full text]
  • CHAPTER-4 Physical Education and Sports for CWSN
    CHAPTER-4 Physical Education and Sports for CWSN (Children with Special Needs) 4.1 AIMS & OBJECTIVES OF ADAPTED PHYSICAL EDUCATION Adapted Physical Education is a science of developing, implementing, and monitoring a designed physical education instructional programme for an individual with a disability, based on a comprehensive assessment, to give the learner the skills necessary for a lifetime of rich recreation, leisure and sport experiences to increase physical fitness and wellness. Adapted physical education is physical education that is individualized and specially designed to address the needs of students with disabilities who require adaptations or modifications to be physically active, participate safely, and make progress toward the standards for Health, Safety, and Physical Education. In simple words, we can say the physical education program designed for individuals with disabilities is called adapted physical education. The program is adapted to meet the needs of each student through modifications and accommodations. According to Auxter, D., Pyfer, J. & Huettig, C. “ Adapted physical education is the art and science of developing and implementing a carefully designed physical education instructional program for an individual with a disability, based on a comprehensive assessment, to give the individual the skills necessary for a lifetime of rich leisure, recreation, and sport experiences”. Adapted physical education is used to emphasise the importance of understanding the scientific bases of human development as it bring into relations to teaching appropriate concepts and practices in the adapted physical education program which will serve to maximize the quality of life among individuals with disabilities. Adapted physical education is clear that practices that influencing exercise, fitness, diet and nutritional status can significantly impact the quality and duration of life of an individuals with disabilities.
    [Show full text]
  • OPRA Implant System Instructions for Use
    OPRA Implant System Instructions for Use 1 Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 5 2 OPRA – IMPLANT SYSTEM ....................................................................................... 6 2.1 Manufacturer .............................................................................................................. 6 2.2 Directions for use ........................................................................................................ 6 2.3 Product liability .......................................................................................................... 6 2.4 System Description ..................................................................................................... 6 2.5 List of components ..................................................................................................... 8 2.6 Marking, packaging, storage and sterility .................................................................... 9 2.8 Identification and traceability ................................................................................... 10 2.9 Single use ................................................................................................................. 10 3 INDICATIONS AND CONTRAINDICATIONS .............................................................. 10 3.1 Indications ................................................................................................................ 10 3.2 Contraindications
    [Show full text]
  • Individualized Education Program (IEP)
    inclusion SECTION 7 matters! Individualized Education Program (IEP) Section 7 – Individualized Education Program (IEP) 59. Individualized Education Program (IEP) The student’s IEP is the vehicle that pulls together the work of the team into a permanent record of the student’s instructional plan. Procedural guidelines for completion of the IEP are outlined in the Special School District’s IEP manual and should be reviewed prior to conducting the IEP meeting. The purpose of the IEP is to identify the special education and related services needs for an individual student. The following programmatic guidelines should be considered when developing the IEP for all students, in particular students moving to a less restrictive environment: 1. Plan the IEP based on the individual, priority needs of the student. 2. Support parent input by providing the parent with updated data, professional learning and support opportunities, as well as providing them with the IEP Preparation and Participation Form for Families. 3. Develop goals that increase the number of age-appropriate environments (current and future) where the student can actively participate, that enhance the student’s image, and that increase the student’s ability to make choices and develop meaningful relationships. 4. Consider all environments the student is in throughout the school day. Consider goals that can be generalized too many environments. Identify skills the student needs to learn to be more successful. 5. Write goals that are easy to understand and allow for reliable implementation by anyone who may deliver instruction, including the family. Specify appropriate criterion for mastery in natural environments. Identify a variety of methods to facilitate data collection and document progress.
    [Show full text]
  • The Inclusion of Students with Special Needs in the General Education Classroom
    Dominican Scholar Senior Theses Student Scholarship 5-2018 The Inclusion of Students with Special Needs in the General Education Classroom Megan Walsh Dominican University of California https://doi.org/10.33015/dominican.edu/2018.EDU.ST.01 Survey: Let us know how this paper benefits you. Recommended Citation Walsh, Megan, "The Inclusion of Students with Special Needs in the General Education Classroom" (2018). Senior Theses. 69. https://doi.org/10.33015/dominican.edu/2018.EDU.ST.01 This Senior Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Scholarship at Dominican Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Senior Theses by an authorized administrator of Dominican Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. !1 Inclusion of Students with Special Needs in the General Education Classroom A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies Dominican University of California by Megan Walsh May 2017 !2 This capstone has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty of Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts. The content and research methodologies presented in this work represent the work of the candidate alone. ___________________________________ ________________ Candidate Date ___________________________________ ________________ Rosemarie Michaels, LS Instructor Date ___________________________________ ________________ Rosemarie Michaels, Program Chair, Liberal Studies Date !3 Abstract The inclusion of students with special needs in the general education classroom has been a major topic of discussion for many years. Inclusion education means that all students are part of the school community, regardless of their strengths and weaknesses (“Sec.
    [Show full text]
  • Inclusive Grading Model
    RUNNING HEAD: Grading and Reporting Determining Fair Grades for Students with Special Needs: A Standards-Based Model Lee Ann Jung Thomas R. Guskey University of Kentucky Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL April 2007 Grading and Reporting 2 Determining Fair Grades for Students with Special Needs: A Standards-Based Model Grades, report cards, and other progress reports are important vehicles for communicating with families about their children's strengths, areas to target, and interventions that can be used at home. For families of children with disabilities, accurate information on learning progress is essential for understanding intervention effectiveness and making placement decisions. Of all required components of the Individualized Education Program, however, educators struggle most with progress monitoring and reporting. The current emphasis on standards-based grading has intensified the challenge of determining fair and accurate grades for students with disabilities. In this article, the authors present a five-step process for linking IEP goals to general curriculum standards and reporting student learning in a format that is clear and meaningful for families. Grading and Reporting 3 Determining Fair Grades for Students with Special Needs: A Standards-Based Grading Model One of the most important functions of grades and report cards is to give families information on their children’s progress in school. Families need to know their children’s strengths, areas where they are struggling, and what can be done at home to promote success. Recognizing the need for meaningful progress reporting, many schools have begun implementing “standards-based” grading and reporting practices (Guskey, 2001).
    [Show full text]
  • Milestones of the Disability Rights Movement Over the Years the Center for Students with Disabilities Is Celebrating Our 50Th Ye
    Milestones of the Disability Rights Movement Over the Years The Center for Students with Disabilities is celebrating our 50th year of service at the University of Connecticut. In memorandum of the past 50 years, this timeline was created. The timeline details historical events relating to disability rights and advocacy, as well as major milestones for our Center across the years. Join us in celebrating the history of our Center by taking a virtual walk through various events throughout time that have been influential to our success. 1776 Declaration of Independence signed by Stephen Hopkins Stephen Hopkins, a man with cerebral palsy signs the Declaration of Independence. His historic statement echos, “my hands may tremble, but my heart does not.” 1784 Institution for Blind Children founded in Paris Valentin Huay established the Institution for Blind Children, a facility in Paris aimed at making life more accessible to those who are blind. Huay also discovered that individuals who are blind could read if texts were printed with raised letters. 1800 Treatise on Insanity is Published The first medical classification system of mental disorders created by Phillipe Pinsel in his Treatise on Insanity. His classification system included 4 parts: melancholy, dementia, mania without delirium, and mani without delirium. 1805 Medical Inquiries and Observations Published Father of modern day psychiatry, Dr. Benjamin Rush published Medical Inquiries and Observations, a text aimed at explaining the symptomatology of mental disorders. Louis Braille 1809: Louis Braille is born. He attended the Paris Blind School, founded by Valentin Huay. 1817 Connecticut Asylum for the Education and Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons Thomas Galludet founded the Connecticut Asylum for the Education and Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons in Hartford, Connecticut - the first school for the deaf in America.
    [Show full text]
  • 10 Steps to Implementing Effective Inclusive Practices
    10 Steps to Implementing Effective Inclusive Practices A Guide for School Site Leaders LaSPDG is a federal grant of the Louisiana Department of Education funded by Office of Special Education Programs INTRODUCTION Page | 1 Acknowledgements This guide was developed by Kathy Kilgore, Director The SUNS Center Page | 2 Introduction Strong leadership is critical and school site leaders play a pivotal role in making inclusive practices a reality in their schools. Principals and other individuals in leadership roles must have adequate knowledge of what inclusive practices entail and how to mobilize staff so those practices are effectively implemented. Advancing inclusive practices in a school is not just a matter of what the school leader thinks about inclusive practices, but how s/he actually implements those thoughts. The principal not only must believe that ‘all students can learn,’ but must demonstrate this belief in everyday actions. Building collaborative relationships among staff may be challenging and requires leadership support, clarification of roles and responsibilities, and ongoing planning. Embracing the philosophy of ‘inclusion’ means eliminating the focus on labels of students and making student abilities and support needs the determining factors in the provision of services and placement settings. Special education teachers no longer may identify themselves as teachers of just a specific category of students. Rather, they must identify themselves as teachers of all students and be willing to provide whatever support is needed to meet the varied needs of students. Likewise, students should not be identified as self-contained or resource, but as students needing specialized instruction and supports for specific skills/subject areas for specific amounts of time in either a special education setting or a general education setting.
    [Show full text]