1. Week Four: Principles of Inclusive Education
February 27, 2007
A-117: Implementing Inclusive Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Dr. Thomas Hehir

2. How is this handled for Melvin? How does this contrast with Peter?
Role of Education
Minimize Impact of Disability
Maximize Opportunity to Participate
How is this handled for Melvin?
How does this contrast with Peter?

3. The concept of ableism:
The Role of Education
Children of a Lesser God video:
What is the purpose of this school? Its goals for its students?
The concept of ableism:
Schools often reflect the attitudes of the broader society in which disability is devalued and persons with disabilities do not enjoy equality of rights and opportunity
Should schools:
Serve the role of reinforcing the status quo?
Be a vehicle for promoting equality and societal progress?
Take an active role in eliminating ableism?

4. Implications School level:
Include disability as part of schools’ overall diversity efforts
Special education should be specialized
Move away from obsession over placement to a greater emphasis on results
Promote high standards
Employ concepts of universal design
Child level:
Differential diagnosis is important
Consider family capacity and desires
Involve students in educational decisions where appropriate
Encourage disabled students to develop and use skills and modes of expression that are most effective and efficient for them
Integration into general education environments should be a central consideration

5. Inclusion Defined Inclusion is defined as the membership and full
participation of a natural proportion of all
students with disabilities in age-appropriate
general education classes in the school that they
would attend if they did not have a disability,
with the provision of supports and service
necessary for them to learn.
- Jorgensen, 1998

6. Principles of (Full) Inclusion The 100% Club (Biklen, Jorgensen)
School leaders set direction and climate
Students attend school they would attend if not disabled
Close school/family relations
Natural proportions
Natural supports
Removal from regular class minimized or non-existent
Services are brought to children
Teachers work collaboratively or in teams
De-tracked, heterogeneous grouping, instructional organization follows mission (block scheduling)
Deemphasize specialization and intervention
Disability as diversity
Aligned with general education “reform”
All kids benefit
Inclusion as a vehicle for social change

7. “…it advances the bolder, more encompassing thesis: that the only place where students with disabilities can learn to lead a productive adult life is the general education classroom and that inclusion benefits the entire school community.” (Shapiro-Barnard in Jorgensen)
“Unfortunately, students who are severely intellectually disabled cannot learn to function acceptably in integrated community environments when instruction is confined to regular education environments.” (Sailor in Brown et al.)

8. 6 Facets of Intellectual Functioning Relevant to Educational Planning (Brown et al.)
The number of skills that can be learned
Concrete versus abstract
Instructional trials and rates of curricular progression
Practice-forgetting
Generalization
Difficulty ranges

9. 9 Factors to Consider - Determining Time Spent in Regular Ed
9 Factors to Consider - Determining Time Spent in Regular Ed. For Students with Mental Retardation (Brown et al.)
Chronological age
Related services
The number of environments in which a student functions
Personnel qualities
Effects on social relationships
Parent/guardian/student priorities
Probability of acquisition
Functionality
Preparation for postschool life

10. Important Considerations Relevant to Inclusion Decisions for All Students with Disabilities. (Hehir, 2005)
General education environments should be the presumed placement for all students with disabilities.
Removal should only occur if important learning goals cannot be achieved in the general education environment.
Removal should not occur simply because general education refuses to accommodate the needs of children with disabilities.
Social integration is important.
Inclusion should be purposeful.