"You're Going to Love This Kid" by Paula Kluth

Chapter 2 highlights

Well, it doesn't surprise me one bit...but one of the key ingredients to an “inclusive school” is solid and supportive administrative leadership. Leadership was found to be a key component in the success of inclusive school or one of the greatest obstacles. This totally makes sense and falls completely in line with one of the 7 correlates of highly effective schools (the first one on this list):

Instructional leadership
Mission that is clear and focused

Student monitoring of learning and progress
Home-school relationships
Environment that is safe and orderly
Expectations that are high
Time on task and opportunities for learning

So, a long time ago, back in 1975, Congress passed PL 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. This is the mother of IDEA from 1990. In PL 94-142 several ideas were born that are still the focal point of education in this country.

FAPE: Free and Appropriate Public Education for All. That is, every child, regardless of ability, has the right to a free and appropriate (i.e., provides opportunities to access the general education curriculum and meets the needs of the individual student) public education.

IEP: Students are provided with an specially designed and Individualized Education Plan.

LRE: Students have the right to access FAPE through the Least Restrictive Environment. Children must be educated in the general education setting to the greatest extent possible. Supplementary aids and services (e.g.,paraprofessionals, tutors, assistive technology, adapted or modified materials, etc.) must be provided in the inclusive setting. Only if these are not effective can a school recommend a more restrictive setting.

IDEA requires general educators to become more involved in the education of students with varying needs and disabilities. All teachers should view themselves as “inclusion teachers”.

Before 1975 many states had laws that banned students with certain disabilities (e.g., deaf, blind, cognitive delays, or “emotional disturbances”) from the public school setting. Needless to say, we have come a long way as a society. We are integrating students more and more so into the general education setting. The benefits are enumerable. The impact is widespread. The difference is life changing. Many students without “disabilities” have learned to love and accept people of difference. Many students with disabilities have grown to feel accepted, valued, and appreciated by their typically developing peers. Parents have seen their children become integrated and accepted into the broader school community.