Inclusive Education

Regarding current thought on inclusion, Miller and Katz (2002) note that one contemporary perspective associates inclusion with integration, stating that inclusion is but an expansion of the general concept of integration. In this view, inclusion is characterized as part of the overall educational effort to increase participation and decrease segregation which is broadly defined as a division of students based on difference. In this sense inclusion and segregation are not fixed states or educational placements. Schools and school districts are seen as continually working towards inclusion and resisting segregation.

However, other educators are uncomfortable with this view. For example, Moore and Gilbreath (2002) state

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thors report that some have put out a mandate that all teachers be given professional development that focuses on how to teach in an inclusive classroom. However, there is debate about this. Opponents state that the literature shows that generic training simply is not effective. Rather, what is needed for maximally successful inclusion is for professional development programs that are tailored to the individual needs of the local school and built into a school-wide plan for improvement. In other words, inclusion needs to be a bottom up effort. Current Research In an extensive summary of the current research on inclusion, Kochhar, West and Taymans (2000) concluded that the existing knowledge base offers strong support for inclusion as a practice. Specifically, the authors state that research shows that inclusion helps disabled students to: learn more appropriate social behavior; attain higher levels of achievement; improve their ability to learn; and build strong support from non-disabled students. In addition, non-disabled students find that inclusion allows them the advantage of having an extra teacher or classroom aide who will help them with their own learning. Further, they often develop a far greater acceptance and un
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1705
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)

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