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This is part of the monthly "Ask the Expert" series in which NC State College of Education faculty answer some of the most commonly asked questions about education.
Inclusive education is beneficial for students of all learning abilities, but parents and educators need to be on the same page to make sure it is implemented successfully, says Jamie Pearson, Ph.D., an assistant professor of special education at the NC State College of Education.

Pearson says that inclusive education means that students with and without disabilities learn alongside one another, in the same classroom setting, with lessons that are accessible for all.

From an educator's perspective, an inclusive classroom can take on different looks depending on the school and what works best for the students. In some cases, inclusive education involves a co-taught classroom, where a special education teacher works alongside a general education teacher to support learners who may have disabilities. In other cases, a special education teacher may come into a classroom at different points throughout the day to ensure students with disabilities are receiving services written into their individualized education program (IEP).

"It does take a lot of collaboration from the general education teacher and the special education teacher and related service providers like speech language pathologists or occupational therapists," Pearson said. "These individuals work in teams to make sure inclusive education is implemented effectively and that we see the outcomes we're really aiming for."

Pearson said that preparing teachers to provide inclusive education begins long before they are leading their own classrooms. Pre-service teachers, even those who are not planning to become special education teachers, need to expect that they will have students with disabilities in their class at some point, she said.

Once that expectation is understood, pre-service teachers can focus on understanding how to support the specific needs of various students with different disabilities.

"A lot of the onus falls on us in higher education as faculty to make sure that we are training our pre-service teachers both in general education and across disciplines to embed inclusive practices in their approaches and in their pedagogy," Pearson said.

The NC State College of Education is making sure that we graduate educators who are prepared to teach in inclusive classrooms, requiring that all undergraduates complete the ECI 416: Teaching Exceptional Students in the Mainstream Classroom course. The college also offers an elementary education with special education dual licensure.

The dual licensure option, Pearson said, means students in the program graduate with a greater understanding of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the disability categories that may apply to their future students, as well as strategies for how to build inclusive practices in the classroom.

Additionally, the college has recently partnered with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools to offer an add-on licensure in special education to teachers currently working within the district. The four-course program, which begins in May 2020, will offer more specific training in special education, enabling those who earn licensure to co-teach or lead inclusive classrooms.

"From a professional development lens, we have a lot of exciting opportunities that are really focusing on inclusive practices and supporting all learners across disability categories and amongst students without disabilities," Pearson said.

Building these inclusive practices into classrooms can have benefits both for students with disabilities as well as typically developing, or neurotypical, learners, she adds.

Research shows that giving all students an opportunity to interact and learn side-by-side helps to build empathy among neurotypical learners, who are learning with peers who are different from them. For students with disabilities, inclusive classrooms offer them more equitable access to education, which is important as IDEA requires that students with disabilities receive a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment, Pearson says. When students receive education in the least restrictive environment, research shows that they are more successful academically and socially.

"Among students with autism - my area of focus - we see strength in communication skills and in socialization skills," Pearson said. "We also see growth in terms of academic outcomes for students when they're in inclusive settings, so in many cases there are far more benefits [to inclusive education] than there are challenges."

To make sure that students are reaping the full benefits of an inclusive education, Pearson said it's important that parents know they are able to ask for specific services.

Pearson's work, which focuses on addressing disparities in access to and utilization of services, has helped to build supports for families who need to advocate for their children with disabilities. It's an element that she has built into her courses at the College of Education and continued through her work with Fostering Advocacy, Communication, Empowerment and Supports for African American Families of Children with Autism (FACES).
Video by Ryan Clancy
For parents with a child who is newly diagnosed with a disability, Pearson suggests building a partnership with the teacher, administrators and IEP team at the child's school to discuss what strategies might be most effective for helping that child learn. In addition, this partnership gives parents an opportunity to let educators know more about the child, which in turn helps the educators understand how to best provide support, Pearson said.

"I think the best strategy is that parents reach out to their child's teacher and ask for what they would like and really build that partnership and work on effective communication," she said. "Another effective strategy I've seen is when parents come together with each other and advocate as a team to get inclusive supports for their students."

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Ask the Expert: What is Inclusive Education? A Beneficial Way to Teach Students of All Abilities Side-by-Side, Says Assistant Professor Jamie Pearson

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This is part of the monthly "Ask the Expert" series in which NC State College of Education faculty answer some of the most commonly asked questions about education.

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https://youtu.be/8iLgE8yHlFs

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Becoming an Inclusion Change Maker: Improving the Systems so Create an Inclusive Culture Session One

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzC4NCWwOQI

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Becoming an Inclusion Change Maker: Session 2

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2/1/22: Putting inclusive practice into action

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Inclusion Checklist: Google Doc. Make a Copy 

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Inclusion Checklist: Google Doc. Make a Copy 

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By The Understood Team

At a glance

In an inclusive classroom, general education teachers and special education teachers work together to meet the needs of students.

This gives special education students the support they need while they stay in a general education classroom.

All students can benefit from inclusive classrooms.

This is key. As Carl A. Cohn, EdD, executive director of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence, points out, "It's important ... to realize that special education students are first and foremost general education students."

Inclusive classes are set up in a number of ways. Some use a collaborative team teaching (or co-teaching) model. With co-teaching, there's a special education teacher in the room all day.

Kids with special education needs who are in inclusive classes are absent less often. They develop stronger skills in reading and math. They're also more likely to have jobs and pursue education after high school.

Read on to learn more benefits of inclusive classrooms.

1. Tailors teaching for all learners

All students learn differently. This is a principle of inclusive education. In an inclusive classroom, teachers weave in specially designed instruction and support that can help students make progress. These strategies are helpful for all students. Kids may be given opportunities to move around or use fidgets. And teachers often put positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) in place.

Some classrooms may have an interactive whiteboard. On it, kids can use their fingers to write, erase, and move images around on the large screen. This teaching tool can also be used to turn students' work into a video, which can be exciting for kids and help keep them engaged.

2. Makes differences less "different"

Inclusive classrooms are filled with diverse learners, each of whom has strengths and challenges. Inclusion gives kids a way to talk about how everyone learns in their own way. They may find that they have more in common with other kids than they thought. This can go a long way in helping kids know that difference is just a normal part of life. It can also help kids build and maintain friendships.

3. Provides support to all students

In more traditional special education settings, many kids are "pulled out" for related services like speech therapy or for other specialized instruction. An inclusive class often brings speech therapists, reading specialists, and other service providers into the classroom.

These professionals can provide information and suggestions to help all students. If kids aren't eligible for special education but still need some extra support, they can get it informally.

4. Creates high expectations for all

In an Individualized Education Program (IEP), a student's goals should be based on the academic standards for their state. Those standards lay out what all students are expected to learn in math, reading, science, and other subjects by the end of the school year.

In some schools, only certain classrooms are designated as inclusive. In that case, schools may assign general education students randomly to inclusive or noninclusive classes. Other schools may choose students who benefit from the emphasis on meeting the needs of all learners at all ability levels.

Key takeaways

All students benefit from the resources available in an inclusive classroom.

The special education teacher can help all kids in an inclusive classroom, not just students who need special education support.

In an inclusive classroom, teachers often break students into small groups and teach them based on their specific learning needs.

Tell us what interests you

About the author

About the author

The Understood Team is made up of passionate writers and editors. Many of them have kids who learn and think differently.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Ginny Osewalt is a dually certified elementary and special education teacher with more than 15 years of experience in general education, inclusion, resource room, and self-contained settings.

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In an inclusive classroom, general education teachers and special education teachers work together to meet the needs of students. This gives special education students the support they need while they stay in a general education classroom. All students can benefit from inclusive classrooms. This is key. As Carl A.

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Students learn better when they learn together, including students with different learning needs. The big idea is called Inclusive Education. Marilyn Cachola Lucey explains what it’s all about.

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Inclusion Works! Creating Child Care Programs that Promote Belonging for Children with Disabilities 

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Ted Ex: The Power of Inclusive Education 

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Ted Ex: The Power of Inclusive Education 

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The power of inclusive education | Ilene Schwartz | TEDxEastsidePrep

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10 Steps to Implementing Effective Inclusive Practices 

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10 Steps to Implementing Effective Inclusive Practices 

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Kids Included Together (KIT) Inclusion Resources 

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Kids Included Together (KIT) Inclusion Resources 

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Inclusion Resources - Kids Included Together

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KIT provides dynamic online training that gives people who work with children a "want to, can do, and will do" attitude towards welcoming kids with disabilities or other complex needs. KIT is also an authorized provider of International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) CEU's for online training to support your professional development needs.

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National Assoc. for the Ed. of Young Children (NAEYC) Inclusion Resources 

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National Assoc. for the Ed. of Young Children (NAEYC) Inclusion Resources 

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While inclusion is an important goal for many families and teachers and is a hallmark of a high-quality early learning program, effective implementation requires planning, intentionality, and collaboration.

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There is a method to our madness! The SIP Logic Model and Blueprint are derived from best practices as defined in research and literature in the fields of inclusion, education, and change management. The goal is to provide our grantees with a solid framework upon which to base their work in improvin…

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Children's Literature Books to Foster Disability Awareness