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This website provides a list of resources regarding inclusive education for parents and families.

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Ollibean posts and articles about inclusive education for students with disabilities.

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SPAN is an organization for parents and provides great information and resources.

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Instructional Supports to Facilitate Inclusion

In this video, presenters from the START EPSD Project discuss the guidance with respect to inclusion during remote learning and Identify strategies to help students participate in remote settings. Participants learned how to adapt IEP goals to facilitate inclusion in remote settings and Learned strategies to advocate for more inclusive placements

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Instructional Supports to Facilitate Inclusion In this video, presenters from the START EPSD Project discuss the guidance with respect to inclusion during remote learning and Identify strategies to help students participate in remote settings.

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This website is a great resource created by a parent-led group in support of inclusive education. There are resources and articles available for parents to read.

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PIE is a parent-led group of educational reformers that works to ensure that all students with disabilities in the NYC public schools have access to meaningful inclusive educational and community opportunities.

PIE has been in existence for twenty years with members throughout the five boroughs. PIE is the only group in New York City dedicated solely to advocating for the inclusion of students with disabilities.

Our advocacy for accessible public schools have received recognition from the New York City Council in 2018. Additionally, PIE received national recognition in October 2010 when we received the National Outreach Award by the California-based organization Kids Included Together (KIT).

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PIE is a parent-led group of educational reformers that works to ensure that all students with disabilities in the NYC public schools have access to meaningful inclusive educational and community opportunities. PIE has been in existence for twenty years with members throughout the five boroughs.

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This article discusses what inclusive education is and why it is important for students.

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Everywhere, around the globe, you can see how any difference will set a child apart from their peers. Whether it's language, disability, etc. it's important to recognize these differences and find a way to bring them together for general inclusiveness, social, and learning purposes in an inclusive education environment.

So, how does this happen? Let's talk about inclusive education - what is it and why is it so important to children who are different?
What is Inclusive Education?
First things first, and most importantly, what is inclusive education?

Inclusive education is simply based on the thought that every single child and family member is equally valued and deserves the same experiences and opportunities as anyone else. The idea is specifically for children with The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a person with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity. This includes people who have a record of such an impairment, even if they do not currently have a disability. It also includes people who do not have a disability but are regarded as having a disability. The ADA also makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person based on that person's association with a person with a disability. disabilities More , whether an intellectual disability, developmental disability, physical disability, etc. Nothing is too big or too small for inclusive education, it is meant for anyone who feels left out of learning experiences, social interactions, and any other everyday activities.

The process involves ensuring that all students have access to support, high-quality instruction, and interventions in general education classes that are appropriate for their age.

Having an inclusive school means creating a culture that is both respectful and collaborative for everyone in attendance. Students with any disabilities are able to develop more positive social relationships with their peers, fully participate in the community of the school, and are equally valued in every aspect of the system.

So, what benefits does this type of education really have to offer students with disabilities and their families?
Why is Inclusive Education so Important?
Here are some of the top reasons that inclusive education is so important.

More important than anything else, inclusive education is a big part of upholding civil rights.

Students with disabilities have the right to attend a typical school as well as general education classes like anyone else would.

In the United States, everyone is to receive equal opportunities. When certain people are marginalized or separated from mainstream experiences, they are not afforded the same opportunities as everyone else.

When students are able to participate in an inclusive school and community, they are provided with a more equal social and learning experience than if they were separated into another program.

Feeling like you belong and are accepted is important for anyone, and this feeling should extend to children in school.

It's important for children to be introduced to and interact with those who may not learn or perform tasks the same way they do. It lets them learn more about the differences others may have and allow them to become more accepting, empathetic, and inclusive themselves.

The National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 also referred to as NLTS2, shows that there is a relationship between academic performance/social adjustment and the percentage of courses that students with disabilities taken in general education classrooms.

The progress includes, but is not necessarily limited to:

Increased social and communication skills

More focused learning time

More friendships

Better literacy skills

Improved IEPs

In addition to being included in general education classrooms, inclusive education means that each and every student is expected to contribute equally to society and that those with differences will receive the support they need to benefit from instruction.

Lower Rates of Suspension and Dropping Out

The National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 also saw that the more time students spent in a general education classroom resulted in fewer disruptive behavior referrals, fewer school absences, and better employment and independent living Supports brought into the home focused on skill building and preparing for greater independence. results after high school.

More friendships and a better sense of belonging will make a big difference for a child and could result in much better behavior and even more excitement and willingness to go to school.

Last but certainly not least, children who have the opportunity to experience inclusive education are given a better sense of community. Having this is especially helpful when they graduate high school, as that will improve community living, further education, and competitive employment.

If a child is segregated throughout their schooling experience, this doesn't exactly lead to adjusting easily to integrated community life as an adult. When they instead grow up by learning together in school with students of varied abilities, backgrounds, interests, etc. they are exposed to a lot more diversity and are more prepared for the world outside of school.

Unfortunately, there can be misconceptions about people with A term used to describe a person with below-average cognitive ability, apparent before age 18, characterized by an IQ score at or below 70 and difficulties with adaptive behaviors. intellectual disabilities More , developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, and so on. The absolute best way to overcome these misconceptions is by bringing children of all backgrounds and abilities together for shared activities and learning.
Advancing Inclusive Education
So, what can be done to advance inclusive education?

It's vitally important to make sure that the educators involved have the proper resources, flexibility, and training to teach students with diverse learning styles and needs. On top of this, schools will also need sustainable and substantial financial support to ensure that services and activities are completely inclusive.

The entire community will need to be enabled to work together and help create and monitor inclusive education to ensure it is set up and done as it should be. Also, parents will need to become empowered to assert their children's right to an education in fully inclusive settings.

Lastly, it's important to focus on local and national governments and hold them accountable for legislation and policies to remove barriers and enforce anti-discrimination laws.
Learning More About Inclusive Education
If you are interested in learning more about inclusive education, disabilities, and resources for those who have different needs, Moms In Motion can help!

Check out our blog for further news and information for and about people with disabilities.

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Everywhere, around the globe, you can see how any difference will set a child apart from their peers. Whether it's language, disability, etc. it's important to recognize these differences and find a way to bring them together for general inclusiveness, social, and learning purposes in an inclusive education environment.

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How Do We Build Effective Parent Partnerships in Inclusive Schools?

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How Do We Build Effective Parent Partnerships in Inclusive Schools?

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Cathy Giardina describes how to build effective parent-school partnerships in inclusive schools.

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How Do We Build Effective Parent Partnerships in Inclusive Schools?

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Inclusive Education, A Parent's Perspective

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Inclusive Education, A Parent's Perspective

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This article includes a podcast of a parents perspective of inclusion with her daughter who has Down Syndrome.

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New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Education

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On this episode of the Inclusion Think Tank Podcast we welcome my guest Wendy Lacey. Wendy and I discuss inclusive education from a parent's perspective, and she shares the benefits her family saw from having her daughter who has Downs Syndrome in an inclusive classroom setting

Episode Transcript

Arthur: Welcome to the Inclusion Think Tank podcast brought to you by New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Education, NJCIE. As the name suggests, this podcast will discuss inclusive education and most importantly, why it works.

On this episode of the Inclusion Think Tank podcast, I welcome my guest, Wendy Lacey. Wendy and I discuss inclusive education from a parent's perspective, and the benefits her family saw by having her daughter, who has Down syndrome in an inclusive education setting.

Arthur: I would like to welcome everyone back to another episode of the Inclusion Think Tank podcast brought to you by New Jersey Coalition for an Inclusive Education.

I am your host, Arthur Aston, and I am happy to have my guest, Wendy Lacy, on the show with us today. So, Wendy, welcome to the podcast and I'm excited for our conversation.

Wendy: And I'm so happy to be here, Arthur, thank you for the invitation.

Arthur: Oh, yes, you're welcome. So to get started, can you share with us what does inclusive education, in general, what does that mean to you and how would you define that?

Wendy: So by way of background, I have four children all now teenagers, and one of my children has a disability.

She has Down syndrome, and she's been educated in an inclusive setting since she was young. And so, when I think of inclusive education and my family's experience, I think about it as being as providing opportunities for students with disabilities to learn alongside their peers in their own neighborhoods and in their own communities.

And I think inclusive education also has an important component of giving students and educators the tools they need to make that successful education happen in that setting. I think inclusive education means more than physically being in the same building.

It means it's more than just having someone like my daughter being the same recess as her typically developing peers or in the same class or music class. It's really about giving the students meaningful opportunities to get to know each other, to learn alongside each other, and to learn from each other.

Arthur: That's so true, and it goes beyond the classroom, as you said, to the playgrounds, the recess time, it goes way beyond just the classroom setting and the learning in the classroom, because, as someone myself with a disability, it's nice when I'm able to fit in.

Even now as an adult, it's nice when I'm able to just be incorporated into a group of people of my peers at a concert or someplace like that where I like to go, or at the movie theater or something like that.

It goes way beyond the classroom and it sets up a situation from early in someone's life to what they will face throughout their life in adulthood for situations where everybody is expected to be in the same place at the same time and interact with each other.

So it starts in the classroom, but it does go way beyond that setting for sure.

Wendy: And you're right. Yeah. Inclusive Education really sets the setting for what our society should be like overall for everyone.

Arthur: Yes, definitely. Wow! That was good. That was really good.

So, when you were answering that first question, you mentioned that your daughter has Down syndrome and that she was in an inclusive classroom setting through her education time and time in school.

As a parent, what were some of the benefits that you saw that your daughter was gaining from being in an inclusive classroom setting?

Wendy: So, you know, it's hard to say. She's 17 now, so Evelyn is 17 years old and she's going to be a junior at Montclair High School.

When I say that Evelyn has been in an inclusive setting since she was a baby, what I mean by that is from the very beginning, she attended and did her therapy sessions at the Ben Samuels Center at Montclair State University.

We sent her to typical preschool. So really from the beginning, we embraced, as a family, the philosophy of inclusion. And a lot of that came from speaking to our parental peers who had children with disabilities, who are older than ours, who gave us the advice of think about where you want your child to be 20, 30 years from now, and then set the path based on that.

And so, having Evelyn grow up to be as independent as possible is really what made us believe in the importance of inclusive education.

So it's hard to say. Obviously, It's hard to say exactly what her life would be like if she didn't do inclusive education. But I am very, very confident that learning alongside her peers in her own community has helped her develop a sense of belonging, a sense of pride and a steady path towards independence.

From the very beginning, she was able to observe and model her peers and learn about what the appropriate social interactions look like. Being in an inclusive setting has helped us as parents set our own expectations very high for her.

Made us understand what she could accomplish if given the right tools and support, made us understand why it was important to have her be a part of her own community. Have other families see her at school events, know that she belongs here too and should feel welcome.

As simple as this, we wanted as a family to be able to go to a restaurant, for example, in Montclair and have other children, other families give her a wave because they recognized her and knew her and not look at her because she was different.

And so, inclusive education is a lot more than just about what happens in the classroom. It's about being a part of the fabric of your community.

So as parents, being in an inclusive setting has also helped us realize what we need to do to shape our future. Now that she's in high school, we see her peers getting ready for college, getting ready for careers and have those conversations. And you know what? Evelyn's path might ultimately veer from theirs over the long term. But those same basic considerations are happening, right.

Will she have additional schooling? What will she do for work? What's going to make her happy, where she's going to live? And so, our embracing inclusive education really has set us on this path of how to make her the independent young woman who is happy in life and giving us the tools to do that.

Arthur: I love that you use the word independent and independence multiple times. It reminded me of my own parents with me and that, I think that is what every parent strives for, how they can help their child achieve their best potential and their highest level of accomplishments and the independence, whatever that looks like for that individual.

I also love what you said about being able to go out and having students and other families wave to Evelyn and say, 'Hi', 'Hey, she's in my class.'

That's what children look for when they go out and their friends. And having her in the inclusive setting in the classroom, that really, does help out with those types of situations outside of the classroom in the world.

And that, yeah, that was really cool. It really reminded me of my own parents there. So I kept smiling.

Wendy: You know what's nice, too? When I think about what's going on right now in our family. Evelyn is at two weeks of sleep-away camp at Frost Valley YMCA at the YMCA camp in upstate New York. And this is maybe her fourth time doing that, a two week sleep-away program. And it is bittersweet, I mean, to see her get there. There's lots of kids in Montclair who go to camp there, and so to pull up there for drop-off and see families we know and again, have them give a big greeting to her. It's really, it's something special. But boy, I miss her at sleep away camp.

Sometimes I'm like is this independence thing, OK? Because I really miss her. Those are tools I like to think, or let me say, I'm confident in my thinking that the fact that we've had her in an inclusive setting has given her that confidence that she can do something like this, just like her peers are doing. Enjoying this kind of camp experience, enjoying dance classes in town, film classes, things outside the classroom. But she got that confidence to be able to do those things from being amongst her peers in the classroom.

Arthur: Yeah, that's really great. And two weeks at sleep-away camp.

Wendy: I want to do that. Right? Grown up camp, please.

Arthur: Yes. Is there a sleep away camp for adults? Like just for two weeks?

I might even take a week at this point, just step by step away and be in nature for a couple of days like that would be that would be great at this time, for sure.

Yes, definitely sounds like the dream.

Arthur: So, you and your family started Cornerstone Montclair. Can you tell us what that is and how it came to be, and about some of the great things that you all do there?

Wendy: Sure. Cornerstone Montclair is a business that's built around the philosophy that community inclusion is critically important for our society in general. In order for the benefits of inclusive education to be fully realized, right. There's a continuum here.

It's not going to help if Evelyn and her peers with disabilities are in inclusive education settings and then they age out of the public school system. And then there's nothing for them to do, right? So inclusion is a continuum.

It does not stop after you leave the public school system. And that is the ultimate goal, I think, for all of us. And so, my family established Cornerstone Montclair almost four years ago. It's a philosophy based on inclusion, but also a physical place.

So we own a small commercial building in Upper Montclair. There are five businesses that take up space in the building. In order to be here, you have to support and do something actively to support the philosophy of inclusion.

So we have five businesses here who do something for that goal. I'll give you two concrete examples. One of the businesses here is the Inclusive Movement Center. I am going to speak about them a little bit, and some of the things I say are based on pre-Covid experiences.

So the Inclusive Movement Center is a healthy business and running now, but before Covid, they were very popular for their ninja warrior classes. So they would have I think they had almost 20 different classes a week. Each one of their classes mostly were made up of typically developing students.

However, they are award-winning, an adaptive physiology, in every one of their classes would have several children who had disabilities integrated in with their peers. They have fantastic equipment and fantastic instructors that enabled fun classes that were open and able to accommodate kids of all abilities.

And in addition to that, the Inclusive Movement Center, also had interns with and without disabilities working with them. So there they are up and running again after the worst of the pandemic, but it's a little different, obviously, because much smaller size classes that are working together.

And then there's the General Store, which my family also owns. And the store is a retro style gift store. And it is a lot of fun. We carry a little of everything. We appeal to a wide range of people, customers.

And then we also hire, I have about 10 or 11 employees right now. Half of them have disabilities. Mostly high school and college students. And then the other half don't have disabilities. And I don't like to say that I use the buddy system, but I do like to overlap staff when possible so that they're learning from each other, and just as importantly, building relationships together. So that is the kind of thing that's going on in this building with all the businesses here. We also have a community room that's used for a wide range of things.

I do want to pause and say that I am careful to try and make sure the image of this building is not one that it's a building for quote unquote special needs kids or just for people with disabilities.

I like to say this is a building that has a lot of stuff going on for a wide range of people. It just makes sure that that wide range of people includes people and is especially welcome and accessible to people who have disabilities.

So my community room, which is the room I'm in now. Yes, we have social skills groups. We've had support groups. And here we've had support groups that have nothing to do with people with disabilities. We have senior citizen yoga that takes place here, our classes.

So it varies from time to time, but it's a lot of different things. One of the stories I love is we had a Valentine's Day activity here for students. This is going back maybe two years now, and it was an activity where parents would sign up and we had staff here helping children make Valentine's Day cards and again, for all abilities. And one parent reached out, very grateful, because she said it was one of the only activities that her two young daughters were able to do together.

And one of her daughters had a significant disability and one didn't. And she said there aren't a lot of places where she feels like they can be together for an activity. And our goal is to not be the only business like that, but to be a role model for other businesses.

And I do want to clarify that Cornerstone Montclair is not a nonprofit. I'd like to say we're a self-sustaining building, but I don't believe you have to be a nonprofit to do the right thing to include everyone in your community.

Arthur: Yeah, I love all of the work that you're doing, and I live in South Jersey, but the second I can get up there, I would love to come and check out the space, it sounds like a great place.

And I love what you've said, that it's not just for people with disabilities, but it's a space for everybody that also includes those with disabilities, because I always like to say people with disabilities are in your communities.

They are in your towns, they're in your neighbors, and they're going to the stores and the movies and the malls that you go to, and there needs to be space for them to be included in and in places like yours. So it's really great.

Wendy: I would also add that I also tell people and I hear this from people all the time. I think the last statistic that I read was 20 percent of families will experience disability directly in their life, whether it's an individual themselves or someone that they love.

And so, everyone is going to be touched with these type of challenges throughout their life or a large portion of the society will be. And I hear that a lot from people who come in. I've met some amazing families and amazing people just come in and said, oh, I heard about what you're doing and I can relate to this because my father, my son, my daughter, my cousin and everyone has the story, and in a lot of ways, this building, this business has been a connector of people. I've literally had somebody come in and start talk to me about their inclusive education experience and then have a woman across the room in the store say, oh, I'm moving here from Brooklyn and I'm interested in inclusive education. Can we talk? And those two people go outside and sit on a bench together and chat. And I love that, right? because, that's what it's about. That's really building community, right?

And helping people and being an informal resource for people. You know, one of the other things I want to say about the store that I don't think I mentioned was that I go out of my way to carry products in artwork made by people with disabilities.

And that is also just been such a fun way to meet different people from across the country and all over the world. I have artwork by local artists. I carry dog treats from a young woman and entrepreneur and Milwaukie cookies from a baker in North Carolina who has a disability eye all over the place, chocolates from a young woman in Georgia who has a disability, bath bombs-And so that's all integrated in to what's here. And sometimes customers know that and sometimes they don't. And when they're checking out, I say, hey, do you know that this entrepreneur is such an incredible entrepreneur?

And look at this challenge they have as well. People are really interested to hear those stories.

Arthur: That is such a great thing to raise that awareness about disabilities and the accomplishments of those and the talents of those who have disabilities.

Because I always say and I always hear that, my disability is physical. My disability is a mobility disability. So it's 'Oh, he can't walk.' And, it's always what they can't do. People with disabilities, 'they can't see.'

They can't walk. But it's a great way. What you're doing is a great way to focus on the positive, the flip side of things, and say like, yeah, they have these challenges they face. These are, these obstacles because of their limitations that are created by their disability.

But they also have these talents of doing artwork, creating bath bombs, and chocolates and things like that. So that's really, really cool. And I always love hearing stories because I am not talented in many ways.

So I'm always excited to hear of anybody's great ideas that they have with products that they can create.

Wendy: Yeah, well, you're talented at this.

Arthur: Thank you.

Wendy: I also know one of the things, one of the values that I have up on the wall is empowerment, and I love buying these products by people with disabilities.

One of the things I really try to avoid is a pity party. Like I don't want customers saying, 'oh, this is so sweet,' and this-you know what? It's not sweet.

This person is making a living and has their own business and you can give them your money. Right? I mean, I think it's about respect and empowerment. And along those lines, I'm also, I don't have volunteers really.

On occasion, I have people volunteer for a special event or a special project. But I really do try to steer away from that, because I think employment-paid employment-is important. And that is part of empowerment and respect.

Arthur: It is I love the empowerment and I love the fact that you said you stay away from the pity parties like that's so important to keep things positive. And also the paid employment. That is a huge thing for people with disabilities, for sure. So it's great that you are able to provide that for them.

One of the other things about Cornerstone Montclair is that you have mission partners that are businesses, educators, and service providers.

Why would you say those are important partnerships to have within the community?

Wendy: Well, I think shared values just helped get things done in a more efficient and stronger way. I mean, we send a stronger message together about the role that people disabilities can lead in their community.

There's a lot of synergies that happen here, too. So I'll give you an example of how we work together. Again, we're all separate businesses here, but I have an adult who's on the autism spectrum who just started working here, and he's particularly good working with customers.

And the speech therapist upstairs was working with one of her clients to develop a roleplaying script about let's pretend we work in the store. And this is how she's helping to develop social skills and speech skills.

And my employee was asked to be a consultant on this video that they were doing. And he was great. He's like, 'that's not what I would say to a customer. I would say this or I would suggest that.'

And it was just a great way, a great reminder by having businesses with shared values and goals in the building, that we can play off each other and really build things based on the synergies that sometimes just pop up from being in the same place, in the same time.

But mostly it's about being with groups of people and professionals who really agree that providing opportunities and platforms for people with disabilities to feel fulfilled and welcome in their own communities is important.

Arthur: Yeah, you've definitely as you mentioned, you've taken inclusive education outside of the classroom setting, and into the real world and into the community, which is so needed.

It's something that's definitely needed. And for you to be, you know, the first in your community to do such a thing, it's really, you know, it's great to be that role model and that setting that standard for what's capable from other businesses to do, so That's really great. I'm really excited that Cornerstone Montclair exists. That really, really makes me happy for sure.

Wendy: Can't wait to have you here.
Arthur: Yes. So to wrap up our conversation today, what would you say is one thing that can be done in order to better improve inclusive education?

Wendy: Well, I think as a society, we just have to be committed to train new teachers, to genuinely embrace inclusion and give them the tools they need to do that. I think we all know how hard teachers work. We need to support them and give them the tools that they need for that to happen.

But I think that has to happen when teachers are in school themselves, learning how to be educators. It's got to be really a requirement in part of the fabric of their own education. And again, the supports that they need to have that happen.

Arthur: Yes, like you said, it has to start before they get into the classroom so that they know they know what it is, they know what it's supposed to look like. And I love that answer.

It's so true, because if they're learning about it in their college courses and their other student teaching experiences, they're able to implement it whenever they become teachers. That's really great. Right. Yeah.

Well, Wendy, I thank you for this conversation. It was great getting to talk to you. It's nice to meet you virtually. And I look forward to continuing our conversation offline and figuring out ways that I can be involved with you all there. It's really, really great what you're doing. So thank you so much for sharing your story and your family story and what you're doing up there in Montclair. And I look forward to talking with you again soon.

Wendy: Well, thanks for the opportunity, it was so nice to speak with you, and NJCIE is lucky to have you on board.

Arthur: Oh, well, thank you so much. I appreciate that. And again, I appreciate this conversation. Have a great day.

Wendy: You, too.

Arthur: We thank you for listening to this episode of the Inclusion Think Tank podcast. This podcast is brought to you by New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Education.

Be sure to subscribe on YouTube or Spotify. And don't forget to follow us on social media @NJCIE. Until next time.

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Episode 4: Inclusive Education, A Parent's Perspective - New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Education

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On this episode of the Inclusion Think Tank Podcast we welcome my guest Wendy Lacey. Wendy and I discuss inclusive education from a parent's perspective, and she shares the benefits her family saw from having her daughter who has Downs Syndrome in an inclusive classroom setting

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This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of inclusive education. Questions about the transition to an inclusive setting are also addressed.

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There are social and academic benefits. Having the opportunity to be appropriately educated in a regular classroom gives your child, for perhaps the first time, the chance to feel "like other kids." Unless all kids go freely and without judgment to a learning center or resource room whenever they need it, the trip to the special education room often has a stigma attached to it. Having the opportunity (in a well- supported and appropriately modified inclusive classroom) to achieve and interact and succeed and fail like the others can really do a lot for a child's sense of self-worth. Kids who do well in an inclusive environment feel more like they "own" the education they've been exposed to. Consider the young man who graduated recently from high school after years of being serviced by a special education program. He told me he didn't think he could make it in college because there was no way he could survive without all the special services he had received. This same fellow wasn't sure who had earned the A's and B's he got on his report card, when he asked: "Was it me or the LD teacher?"

The more your child is included, the less likely it is that he/she will miss out on the important social events going on in the class (and after school and on the weekends). If your child is working with a skilled classroom teacher, he/she will help all kids understand and accept learning differences and disabilities as part of the normal range of human characteristics. A skilled teacher also gives your child multiple opportunities to showcase his/her strengths in class activities. As a result, your child will have a better chance of being socially competent and socially integrated.

Another advantage is that the regular education teacher, if he/she is well trained and well-supported, will know more about your child than regular educators in the past and will respond to having your child in class as a professionally stimulating challenge. If the regular class teacher works collaboratively with the special educator, your child really gets "two for the price of one."

What are the advantages of inclusion for the children in the regular class who don't have learning disabilities?

As one student put it: "Why did it take so long for you [adults] to get the kids with LD out of the 'special education' class and back with us where they belong?" This question exemplifies one of the major benefits for the non- disabled student - the chance to practice what is presumably being preached to them about living in a diverse world in which all people have equal rights.

In addition to the disintegration of social barriers maintained under a two-track special/regular programs, typical students also benefit educationally from the consultation that is available to the classroom teacher in an inclusionary classroom. Even though these students don't have an individualized education program (IEP), the typical child now has the added resource of professionals such as the occupational therapist, physical therapist, and speech and language pathologist, whose suggestions and physical presence add much to the regular classroom.

Some parents of typical children worry that their child may be held back by the presence of a child with special needs. A growing body of research indicates that typical kids in well- supported inclusive environments get a richer, more individualized and personalized education than in a single- teacher, homogeneous classroom. In addition, they learn more about metacognitive strategies (how to think about learning), and develop a greater understanding of individual differences that will prove invaluable to them whether they live in a neighborhood, work on an assembly line or become a neurosurgeon. The inclusive classroom is a "value-added" environment.

What are the disadvantages of inclusion?

The greatest concern is that the classroom teacher is not adequately trained or the classroom itself does not have sufficient supports (e.g., the necessary aides, consultants, ancillary specialists, materials, etc.) to allow the child to meet the objectives specified in his/her IEP. As mentioned earlier, just because a school system says it has a full inclusion model, this doesn't mean that a continuum of services is still available. If, however, the full inclusion of your child would result in a reduction of traditional, individual special education services, that are not adequately replaced by the services offered in the regular class, then this would signal that it's not an appropriate placement, and your child's education could suffer. Obviously, a teacher who does not believe in, understand or really want to teach in such an environment could do much to undermine the potentially positive benefits of inclusion.

Also, inclusion in a class in which the behavior of the typical students is not well monitored by adults may result in your child being ostracized in subtle ways that can have a very negative effect on self concept.

If teachers are well trained either at the pre- service or inservice level, if they believe in and understand the concept and practices of inclusion, if they are supported by colleagues, administrators and parents, if they have all the help they need to meet your child's needs, and if their efforts are sufficiently recognized and reinforced, then inclusion works. A growing number of classrooms and school systems meeting these rather specific conditions necessary for success.

How do teachers learn how to meet the needs of such a wide variety of children in an inclusive classroom?

A small but growing number of teachers are being exposed to the concept and practice of inclusion prior to getting their teaching certificate. This is especially true at the early childhood level, particularly in states such as Massachusetts which have "blended" the special education and regular education certificates at the preschool and early childhood level. Much more work needs to be done in the area of pre- service training, but adapted curriculum and practicum experiences in inclusive classrooms are more and more common.

State and Federal funds have been allocated to provide inservice training for teachers who choose to or who are asked to create inclusive environments. In some systems, such training is done on a district-wide basis, and in other districts, the training is done by school or by grade. In most school systems, the movement toward an inclusive environment is regarded as a three to five year developmental project, with training and consultation provided on an ongoing basis. It is appropriate for parents to ask a program administrator what kind of training and ongoing support is provided for staff and administration, and what kind of specific training and support your child's teacher has had. Many teachers seek out such training on their own through attending conferences, through college courses, or at workshops sponsored by the Department of Education. Teacher satisfaction with inservice training varies widely from district to district, so parents might want to ask teachers about their perception of such training efforts.

My child has a wonderful relationship with his resource room teacher. Should we worry about losing that support if he's fully included?

In many cases the role of the resource room or learning center teacher has been redefined as inclusionary practices are instituted. In many districts, the special education teacher works collaboratively with the classroom teacher to help meet a child's needs. This collaboration may take the form of consultation, team teaching (teaching a common subject or lesson together) or shared teaching (taking turns, subject- or lesson-by-lesson). In some cases the special educator works only for short periods of time in the regular classroom; others spend half-days or full days in one regular class before moving to another class. Some schools have restructured themselves so that all teachers, regardless of label, take responsibility for a mixed ability, but much smaller group of students at one grade level. Your child may have less actual contact with his "favorite" special educator. Helping the child adjust to the movement from one kind of setting, with its relative psychological security, to another must be part of a transition plan that should be written into an IEP. Just because inclusion sounds good to the adults doesn't mean the kid is going to love it. The longer a child has been in "special education," the more difficult the transition is likely to be.

As parents, we have become quite dependent on the special educator, who is the one person who really knows our child. Who will our 'contact' be? What will happen to our support system in an inclusion program?

Parents often become very comfortable working with a special educator over the years. There is often a very close personal relationship of mutual respect and understanding that helps to maintain confidence in a program. I think that a school system would be foolish to lose this connection, unless they feel that a parent has become over dependent on the special educator. In many inclusive schools, the role of the regular educator is being changed and expanded, so it is possible that the regular teacher might be assigned as your contact. As a parent, though, you might wish to specify that the special education person remain as the liaison, in order to keep the supports that have been so helpful to you in the past. However, don't let your closeness with the special educator cut you off from having "normal" interactions with the regular educator, or with the parents of your child's new friends, or with "normal" school events such as open house. Remember that special education programs have sometimes resulted in a kind of "comfortable isolation" for parents as well as their children, so inclusion may mean some risks and changes (and some positive benefits) for you as well.

Almost all of our child's friends are in her special class. What will happen to these relationships as she moves into an inclusionary setting?

In the same manner that your child should be helped to make the transition from one setting (or school) to another, she should be helped to work out the social transitions. This, incidentally is a normal concern for parents of kids who move from preschool to kindergarten, kindergarten to first grade, and from 5th or 6th grade to middle school, or whenever a small class gets dispersed. It's a reasonable cause for concern, and especially for the child with special needs, who may not make changes easily. Again, it should be part of a transition plan, which may involve the school guidance counselor or psychologist.

I like what I'm hearing about inclusion. It seems so right for my child, yet I sense that our school system is dragging its feet on this important issue. I don't get the feeling that the administration supports the concept. What can parents do?

Although many administrators are looked to for leadership and guidance in the inclusive education movement, they are a neglected group in terms of their own training and support. Find out what kind of training the Department of Education is offering for administrators, ask your administrators if they plan to attend. You may also wish to call the superintendent in an adjacent town who is doing a good job with inclusion and ask him/her how they did it. Then present these findings to your school committee and let them advocate for change. Sponsoring an informational program for the school committee may also be helpful. If all else fails, call a realtor in the adjacent town. Don't wait too long.

What are some signs that the inclusive program in our child's school is not working?

One sure sign would be that the teachers working with your child are unable to demonstrate to you that the goals set forth in your child's IEP are being met. If this is the case, call for a meeting of the team to re-assess the goals and the program. In some cases the goals in an IEP were written for a 1:1 or small group setting, and may not be appropriate for work in an integrated classroom. Do not give up the goals, especially if you and the teachers are sure that they are still relevant, and resist the temptation to rush the child back into a self-contained setting; rather, try to reinterpret the goals in a classroom context. Ask: how can this skill be taught and evaluated given the environment of this class?

If resources that were designated in the IEP (e.g., aide, OT, PT, Speech and Language, etc.) are not provided, you must demand such services. However, parents should be willing to listen to a teacher's or therapist's re-definition of the role, especially in a situation where a child, because of the positive aspects of inclusion, no longer has the need for a certain type of service (e.g., articulation therapy or 1:1 counseling to support her transition to the new class). If, however, you are convinced that the regular classroom setting cannot provide the specific and/or intensive instructional services that you feel are appropriate for your child, exercise your right to request a modification in services or program.

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Having the opportunity to be appropriately educated in a regular classroom gives your child, for perhaps the first time, the chance to feel "like other kids." The trip to the special education room often has a stigma attached to it.