So you’ve heard the buzz about inclusion.
But you might still be wondering what it’s all about. And why it matters.
Believe it or not, inclusion makes school better for all of our children. So what exactly is it?
Luckily for you, you have me (your friendly inclusive ed coach 😉) to help you understand how equally essential and achievable inclusion can be. So listen up!
If you want to get started right now, sign up to download the free Inclusive Educator Toolkit below!
If you want to learn more, you’re in the right place!
In an inclusive classroom, all students, with and without disabilities, learn together. All students attend their neighborhood school in a general education classroom that matches their age and grade.
Say goodbye to segregation! (Wait, that’s still a thing? 😱)
Disabled students receive high quality instruction, accommodations and supports, and special education services all without having to leave their classroom. Sounds amazing, amirite?
And what’s more, inclusion benefits ALL students.
It sounds like a no brainer! Read on to learn more about this important shift happening in our school systems.
So, what exactly is Inclusion?
Inclusion looks different across states and districts. However, here are three basic things you should see in every inclusive classroom:
- Disabled students are full time members of a general education classroom with other students that are the same age and grade level
- Specially designed instruction is delivered in their classroom without having to be pulled out
- Accommodations and modifications are given to make the curriculum more accessible to disabled students
Personally, I’ve been an inclusive teacher for over 5 years. Yup, it’s been a while.
In my classroom, I teach both students with and without disabilities. I am dually certified as a general education and special education teacher. Talk about pulling double duty!
I teach the general education curriculum to the entire class. AND I deliver specially designed instruction (as detailed in each student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP)) throughout the day.
However, inclusive classrooms often have two teachers working together using the co-teaching model. One teaching the general education curriculum and the other delivering special education services.
In other words, inclusion is the beautiful (and sometimes complicated) act of educating ALL students together, regardless of their abilities and disabilities. For inclusion to work, a classroom does need additional teaching staff (either multiple teachers, or one teacher with multiple teaching assistants). And the teachers need more resources to support a wide variety of learners, but the result is so worth it – if you’ve experienced it, you know.
Why is Inclusion Important?
As a parent or teacher, you might be wondering why you should care about inclusion. And that’s a fair question. Given the constant changes in best practices, endless new curriculums, and hot topic buzz words that dominate public education, I can see why you’d be sceptical. But don’t be.
Simply put, when done right, inclusion truly benefits ALL students. And who doesn’t want to make our schools a better place for our children?
I’ve seen it with my own eyes, year after year.
My students are more compassionate, stronger leaders, and better problem solvers than the students across the hall in the regular general education classrooms #sorrynotsorry
Plus, inclusion is great for academics! Since I naturally have to adapt instruction for my disabled students, more students are getting the support they need to succeed.
Not to mention – more teachers in the classroom means all of my students spend more time learning in small groups or one-on-one with an adult.
Most importantly, inclusion has the biggest benefit for disabled students. Disabled students are given access to what every child deserves: meaningful friendships, instruction that meets their needs, and plenty of real life practice for developing social emotional skills.
A Brief History of Inclusion
We’ve come a long way Asa country, but we still have a ways to go.
You don’t have to look very far back in America’s history to find a time when children born with disabilities were a source of shame and guilt. They were often sent away to live in institutions.
Activism in the 1970s and 80s resulted in the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These acts ensure equal access and equal treatment for adults and children with disabilities.
Today, the EHA is known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act. Together with the ADA and other legislation, all students are now guaranteed a free, accessible, and appropriate public education in the least-restrictive setting. Their education, like all students, must be timely, meaningful and measurable. Read more about the history here.
Practical Examples of Inclusion
So you want to know what inclusion looks like? Here’s what you need to know:
- Classroom composition: Reflects the real life ratio of students with and without disabilities in your school or district. In my classroom, one third of my students have a disability, and two thirds do not.
- Curriculum: The general education curriculum is taught to the whole class, but it is adjusted to meet the current needs of each student. I teach students as a whole group, but spend most of my time teaching small groups and one-on-one with students.
- Teachers: Multiple adults are needed to meet all the needs of the students in an inclusive classroom. I am the head teacher, and I have two full-time assistant teachers. They teach students in small groups and one-on-one with lessons and materials that I provide.
Inclusion Tips and Best Practices
Inclusion isn’t just about how many disabled students are in the room.
It is the belief that all students deserve to be valued and supported so they can reach their highest potential.
Check out these tips and strategies for making your classroom more inclusive:
- Make your classroom more physically accessible: create clear pathways for movement, remove unnecessary decorations and visual clutter from the walls, and keep student materials organized and labeled
- Use inclusive language, materials, and books that reflect disabled students’ experiences
- Ask for help and be open to learning new ways to support the disabled students in your classroom
Key Takeaways
Inclusion happens when all students, regardless of their abilities and disabilities, learn together in one classroom.
Inclusion benefits all students by providing opportunities to develop important real life skills like leadership, compassion, and social skills.
It also benefits academics when instruction is tailored to meet the needs of each individual student. If there’s one thing you take away, I hope it is this: our students deserve inclusive classrooms.
Download the Inclusive Educator Toolkit
Now that you’re excited to start making your classroom more inclusive, the Inclusive Educator Toolkit is here to get you started! The toolkit includes a behavior flow chart, classroom environment checklist, and inclusive practices habit tracker. These resources will help you build a more inclusive classroom. You can begin TODAY and start to see the benefits for yourself!