Creating Successful Inclusion Programs: Guide-lines for Teachers and Administrators

Building Successful Inclusion Programs: Guidelines for Teachers and Administrators is the fourth installment in our Solutions Series. The goal of the series is to address issues in education with specific strategies that can be applied in the classroom. The resources in this series are short in length, direct, and easy-to-read the perfect tools for busy teachers and administrators. Determining how and where to educate students with disabilities is a complex task. Educators must find a way to balance the principle of appropriate education with the principle of least restrictive environment. Inclusion is a federal mandate to provide special education services in the regular classroom. It is a controversial shift in how students with disabilities are educated. It bridges the gap between regular and special education by minimizing the practice of separating students for special education instruction. Within inclusive classrooms, students with disabilities learn side-by-side their nondisabled peers. Creating Successful Inclusion Programs: Guidelines for Teachers and Administrators provides specific strategies for creating and managing inclusive classrooms as well as guidelines for navigating the complicated legal and educational landscape of special education. Also included is information on the historical treatment of children with special needs, the legislation leading up to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), how inclusion programs fit in with the legislation, what constitutes a disability, and a section on frequently asked questions with answers. This book is written for administrators, teachers, and parents who believe that for many students with disabilities, the regular classroom is the appropriate educational placement.