Creating Environments of Inclusion for All Children

Brittie Crawford . Pacific Oaks College

Special Needs Special Needs Legislation and Legislation and

EducationEducation

IDEA 2004, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 aims to ensure equity, accountability and excellence in education for children with disabilities (Common Wealth of Virginia Department of Education, 2010)

Beyond IDEA2004Beyond IDEA2004

Acknowledgment of legislation

Commitment to fulfilling the needs of all children

Every child = Unique abilities

Identify needs for individualized instruction

What is Inclusion?What is Inclusion?

How does inclusion How does inclusion look in practice?look in practice?

Authentic IEP’s

Inclusion of parental feedback

Appropriate assessment tools

“Inclusion” not “Mainstreaming”

Operationalizing Operationalizing InclusionInclusion

IEP team = parents, admin & teachers

Obtain support for particular needs

Curriculum focus on tolerance and diversity

Hire staff with special needs

Invite special needs community

Modify facility for special needs

Creating Inclusive Creating Inclusive EnvironmentsEnvironments

Including Families of Including Families of children without children without

disabilitiesdisabilities

Recommended websites Recommended websites for inclusion practice for inclusion practice

research research Office of Special Education:

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/index.html

Special Education News http://www.specialednews.com/

Inclusive Schools: www.inclusiveschools.org

National Association of Special Education Teachers: http://www.naset.org/

ReferencesReferences(2010). Parent’s guide to special education.

Virginia: Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Education.

Hultgren, S. (n.d.). Inclusion: What does it really mean?. Retrieved from www.ct-asrc.org/docs/inclusion.pdf

Muller, E., & Ahearn, E. (2004, December). In J. Markowitz (Chair). High quality inclusion opportunities for preschool-age children with disabilities. Presented at the Project forum at the National Association of State Directors of Special Education, Alexandria, VA.