. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 2018

This article addresses the inclusion mandate of students with disabilities through a case study. It begins with a review of debates concerning inclusive education and this current qualitative research aims to observe the extend of implementing inclusive education among students with mild learning disabilities in integration programs also known as the Special Education Integration Program for Students with Learning Disabilities. To address the issue, four Special Education teachers were selected as participants in this single site single case study. Data was collected through classroom observations, interviews and document analysis to investigate (1) the pedagogical aspects involve in implementing inclusive education among students with mild learning disabilities and (2) the adaptation made by the teacher in the curriculum prior implementing inclusive education. Result demonstrated that students were involved in both full and partial inclusion. Students with mild learning disabilities were not accompanied by special education teachers and they were fully taught by mainstream teachers who has never undergone any training on special education. The study recommends that students with learning disabilities who attend inclusive program should be accompanied by special education teachers or student management assistant/teacher assistant. It is also suggested that the mainstream teachers should be given appropriate training so that they too have knowledge to assist students to a better and meaningful life.

With the special education reform in full swing, many of us teachers — especially general education teachers —find ourselves teaching students with disabilities and possibly collaborating with special education teachers. It is almost certain that more students with disabilities are included in classrooms with their nondisabled peers, and we need to understand how we can support them. First, examine your own beliefs and assumptions about inclusion. Before true inclusion can take place, we must first understand our own beliefs and assumptions about it and acknowledge where we stand on the issue. In order for us to truly support students with disabilities in the inclusion classroom, we must determine the potential benefits of inclusivity. I discuss with my co-teacher my expectations about co-teaching and supporting students with disabilities.

2016

Educators responded to the Principals and Inclusion Survey, measuring the experiences, training, attitudes of educators toward inclusion, and beliefs about the most appropriate placement of students with disabilities. Results revealed that the educators held a positive view of the inclusion model. However, the educators did not believe that general education should be modified to meet the needs of all students. The educators indicated that they believed that most of their students with disabilities could be served appropriately from regular classroom instruction and the resource room. The more positive the educators' inclusive attitude was, the less restrictive the learning environment was seen as most appropriate for specific learning disabilities, EBD, speech/language impairment, and autism/pervasive development disorder. Significant correlations were found between their attitude toward inclusion and the number of special education training courses taken, formal field-based training, and number of years of full-time special education teaching experience.

The Journal of The Association for Persons With Severe Handicaps, 2000

We examined the opiniotns of experts in? th1e fielid of moderate to severe disabilities on useful practices for inclusiv e education across nine categories of practices: promoting incluisive values in the school; collaboration between general and special educators; collaboraition between educators and related service providers; family involvement; choosing and planning what to teach; schleduling, coordinating, and delivering inclusive services within the school; assessing anid reporting student progress on an ongoing basis; instructional strategies.: and slupporting students with challenging behavior. An examination of emergent themes within eaclh category yielded a rich description of the depth and breadth of practices tihat are perceived bv these experts as useful in promoti ng and sustaining suiccessfait school inclusion. Imzportantly, many of the identified practices require some level of educational service restructtiring, including redefining the roles and functions of special education teachers, related services personnel, and classroom teachers. IYe also found that outr sample of experts relied on sources of information other than empirical research in tile development of their stores of wisdom on useful practices. Although preliminary in nature, ouir study contributes to the growing body osf literature on inclusive education. It describes a range of practices perceived by a sample of experts to be associated with successfiul school inclusion. It also identifies a ntmber of important themes that can inform future research in this area.

TEACHING Exceptional Children, 2003

The purpose of the present study was to investigate practices that support the inclusion of students with severe disabilities in the learning and social activities of inclusive K-8 schools to inform inclusive school reform research and practice. Eighteen K-8 students with severe disabilities in six schools recognized for their implementation of inclusive practices were observed in a variety of school settings and activities. An appreciative inquiry lens was applied to these observations. The observation records were descriptively analyzed and organized around seven themes related to the practices used by the schools to support students with severe disabilities: (a) the teaching arrangement (who was providing instruction); (b) the type of engagement the student demonstrated during the activity; (c) the types of general classroom supports that were available during the observations; (d) the types of student supports that were provided to the student during the observation; (e) the type of work or activity the student was performing; (f) the interactions the student had with others; and (g) the choices provided the student. Findings provide information on the implementation of inclusive education for students with severe disabilities by reflecting contemporary best practices for inclusive education as well as identifying areas of need.

2006

since the 1980s. The focus of educational law and practice concerning students with disabilities has shifted from gaining student access to education to improving student academic results, as measured in part by their progress within the general education curriculum and their membership in general education classrooms (Hardman & Nagle, 2004; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 [PL 105-17]). As a result of this shift, special education teachers are being required to assume different and more comprehensive responsibilities (Lipsky & Gartner, 1997). Despite this change in the role of the special educator, few teacher education programs have been on the forefront or have even kept up with this trend. Although the ability of educators to teach all students well has become a rhetorical high ground, this goal has yet to be reflected in traditional general or special teacher education programs (Brownell, Rosenberg, Sindelar, & Smith, 2004). Thus, there is a need t...

International Journal of Special Education, 2012

This paper examines the critical components of successful inclusion for students with severe disabilities. This review sets out to provide an overview of literature regarding effective practices for inclusion with a focus on critical components of successful inclusion that assist in preparing the stakeholders worldwide to work and engage effectively with students with disabilities in inclusive schools. The methodology used to conduct this review was to systematically search internet resources, abstracts and databases. The descriptors used include: students with severe disabilities/significant disabilities/ intellectual disabilities, inclusion, modification, adaptations, assistive technology, collaboration, instructional strategies, typically developing peers, and family support. This was followed by the application of two sets of criteria: (1) the article consists of subjects with inclusion/inclusive/general education setting/public schools and (2) the article examines critical components of successful inclusion of students with disabilities or equivalent concepts as the outcome. Seventy two studies met the two criteria and are presented in this review. The author provides an integrated overview of current knowledge regarding the critical components that enhance the quality of inclusive education programs for students with severe disabilities across the world. This review provides evidence that these components support students' access and progress, either in curricular or non-curricular activities in general education settings. Finally, the author identifies the need for future empirical studies to further examine how each of these components supports students with severe disabilities in general education settings.

2018

The aim of this study is to examine teachers' attitudes toward the inclusion of students with special needs in general education middle school classrooms. Extant literature shows that factors such as teachers' experiences with students with disabilities, ability to manage diverse classroom behaviors, understanding of individual disabilities, collaboration, self-efficacy, available resources, and school leadership support affect teachers' willingness to consent to the inclusion model. Research reveals that teachers' attitudes toward inclusion are greatly influenced by their experiences with students with disabilities and extent and level of collaboration in the school. These are the greatest predictors of employing a successful inclusion classroom model. The present study employed a case study approach utilizing questionnaires and follow-up interview questions for the selected teachers to examine their attitudes toward inclusion. Teachers' experiences and collaboration revealed to be strongly connected with teachers' attitudes toward students with disability. The results indicate that special education teachers more than general education teachers feel adequately prepared in teaching the students with disabilities. Teachers in this study felt that their instructional activities had improved as a result of their work in collaboration, demonstrating a positive relationship between collaboration and increased teacher experience with students with disabilities.