The Benefits of Inclusive K-12 Education

(And How to Advocate for Them)

Turn the volume up on why all children—not just those with disabilities—benefit from integrated learning
environments.

Tim Villegas

Author

August 9, 2019

"When inclusive education is fully embraced, we abandon the idea that children have to become 'normal'
in order to contribute to the world." - Norman Kunc

We have a significant problem with education in the United States, and it has nothing to do with Common
Core. Instead, it has to do with how we educate students with disabilities, also known as "special
education."

Before 1975, there was no guarantee that children with disabilities had the same access to public schools
as their non-disabled peers. That changed with the Education For All Handicapped Children Act (later
renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA), which mandates equal access.

Under this law, special education services often mean separate education services that isolate students
with disabilities from their non-disabled peers.
These services continue to operate in too many schools today.

Consider classroom integration of general education students and students with disabilities, a practice
known as "full inclusion". Research over the past 40 years shows that students of all abilities benefit when
students with and without disabilities learn together.

A 2001 study of six Indiana schools, for example, looked at students in both general education and self-
contained classrooms over a two-year period. Of children with disabilities in general education
classrooms, 47.1 percent made progress in math, compared to 34 percent in self-contained learning
environments.

The study also reports that general education students achieved higher gains in math when children with
disabilities were present, most likely because they benefited from the supports provided for students with
disabilities. This is hardly the only evidence advocating for integrated classrooms, but one of
countless studies supporting full inclusion.

Disabled students are considered fully included if they spend at least 80 percent of their day alongside
typically developing students. Yet, despite the proven benefits of full inclusion, recent data show that only
62.5 percent of all students with disabilities are fully included.

The figures decrease dramatically for students with intellectual disabilities (16.3 percent) and students
with autism spectrum disorders (29.7 percent).

How to promote full inclusion for your child

Educators aren't the only ones who can advocate for greater integration; families can, too. Parents of
children with disabilities can use these strategies to encourage progress outside of the immediate
classroom environment.

1. Share your vision for your child with their school

A child's education is a long and complicated journey, and like any journey, it's easier to complete if you
have a map. When you develop a vision for your child's education, you're creating a plan to navigate all
the tricky twists and turns.

These questions, adapted from the McGill Action Planning System, will help you get started:

1. What are your dreams for your child? Where do you see them in 10, 15, 20, or even 30 years
from now? What goals does your child articulate for their future?
2. What are your fears for your child? What does exclusion look like for them?
3. Who is your child? Do they have any special interests? What are their strengths? What are their
gifts?
4. What are your child's needs? Where do they struggle the most academically, socially, and
behaviorally?
5. What would an ideal day at school look like for your child?

Write the answers down in a statement to share at your child's Individualized Education Program (IEP)
meeting or with their teacher. This will help school staff develop any goals and objectives for your child,
and boost your child's chances of having positive learning experiences in the classroom.
2. Develop school-to-home communication
A child with a disability may have difficulty talking about school when she gets home. To lessen the
struggle, consider working with your child's teacher to develop a system through which they update you
about your child's day.

It doesn't matter how the information is conveyed, so long as it is consistent and formalized. It could be a
folder containing assignments and lesson summaries that the child brings to and from school each day, or
a weekly newsletter previewing upcoming classroom content.

Whatever method your school chooses to communicate, make sure you are getting all the information you
need. The more opportunities you have to learn what is going on at school, the better you will be able to
advocate for your child's needs.

3. Know your special education rights.

According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), students must be educated in
the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) possible. That means a school district must make every effort to
provide special education services in a setting alongside non-disabled peers. Many districts come up
short, offering services only in a segregated setting.

In order to advocate for full inclusion, you'll need to know exactly what your child is entitled to. Under
LRE, students should be educated to the "maximum extent appropriate" with non-disabled peers. They
can be removed to be educated "only if the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in
regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily."

Be prepared to argue the definition of terms like "appropriate" and "satisfactorily" with educators who don't
see things your way.

On occasion, it may become necessary to seek the help of a special education attorney or advocate.
While it's always better to work things out collaboratively with a school district, sometimes you need
someone with expertise and experience on your side. Be aware that you are always within your rights to
seek such assistance.

Getting the best education for your child

Know in advance that you may have to fight for your child's inclusive education, even with equal access
laws in place. Arm yourself with facts and remember that the data supports you. For example, when
someone argues that children with behavior issues negatively impact their fellow students' education, be
ready to point to the 1998 study from the University of Montana showing no such adverse effect. At the
end of the day, it's all to start a conversation on why all children—not just yours, not just children with
disabilities—benefit from full inclusion.
 Inclusive Education: What It Means,
Proven Strategies, and a Case Study
By Lilla Dale McManis, PhD
 

Considering the potential of inclusive education at your school? Perhaps you are
currently working in an inclusive classroom and looking for effective strategies. Lean into
this deep-dive article on inclusive education to gather a solid understanding of what it
means, what the research shows, and proven strategies that bring out the benefits for
everyone.

What is inclusive education? What does it

mean?
Inclusive education is when all students, regardless of any challenges they may have, are
placed in age-appropriate general education classes that are in their own neighborhood
schools to receive high-quality instruction, interventions, and supports that enable them
to meet success in the core curriculum (Bui, Quirk, Almazan, & Valenti, 2010; Alquraini &
Gut, 2012).

The school and classroom operate on the premise that students with disabilities are as
fundamentally competent as students without disabilities. Therefore, all students can be
full participants in their classrooms and in the local school community. Much of the
movement is related to legislation that students receive their education in the least
restrictive environment (LRE). This means they are with their peers without disabilities to
the maximum degree possible, with general education the placement of first choice for
all students (Alquraini & Gut, 2012).

Successful inclusive education happens primarily through accepting, understanding, and

attending to student differences and diversity, which can include physical, cognitive,
academic, social, and emotional. This is not to say that students never need to spend
time out of regular education classes, because sometimes they do for a very particular
purpose — for instance, for speech or occupational therapy. But the goal is this should be
the exception.

The driving principle is to make all students feel welcomed, appropriately challenged, and
supported in their efforts. It’s also critically important that the adults are supported, too.
This includes the regular education teacher and the special education teacher, as well as
all other staff and faculty who are key stakeholders — and that also includes parents.

The research basis for inclusive education

Inclusive education and inclusive classrooms are gaining steam because there is so much
research-based evidence around the benefits. Take a look.

Benefits for students

Simply put, both students with and without disabilities learn more. Many studies over the
past three decades have found that students with disabilities have higher achievement
and improved skills through inclusive education, and their peers without challenges
benefit, too (Bui, et al., 2010; Dupuis, Barclay, Holms, Platt, Shaha, & Lewis, 2006;
Newman, 2006; Alquraini & Gut, 2012).

For students with disabilities (SWD), this includes academic gains in literacy (reading and
writing), math, and social studies — both in grades and on standardized tests — better
communication skills, and improved social skills and more friendships. More time in the
general classroom for SWD is also associated with fewer absences and referrals for
disruptive behavior. This could be related to findings about attitude — they have a higher
self-concept, they like school and their teachers more, and are more motivated around
working and learning.

Their peers without disabilities also show more positive attitudes in these same areas
when in inclusive classrooms. They make greater academic gains in reading and math.
Research shows the presence of SWD gives non-SWD new kinds of learning
opportunities. One of these is when they serve as peer-coaches. By learning how to help
another student, their own performance improves. Another is that as teachers take into
greater consideration their diverse SWD learners, they provide instruction in a wider
range of learning modalities (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic), which benefits their
regular ed students as well.

Researchers often explore concerns and potential pitfalls that might make instruction
less effective in inclusion classrooms (Bui et al., 2010; Dupois et al., 2006). But findings
show this is not the case. Neither instructional time nor how much time students are
engaged differs between inclusive and non-inclusive classrooms. In fact, in many
instances, regular ed students report little to no awareness that there even are students
with disabilities in their classes. When they are aware, they demonstrate more
acceptance and tolerance for SWD when they all experience an inclusive education
together.

Parent’s feelings and attitudes

Parents, of course, have a big part to play. A comprehensive review of the literature (de
Boer, Pijl, & Minnaert, 2010) found that on average, parents are somewhat uncertain if
inclusion is a good option for their SWD. On the upside, the more experience with
inclusive education they had, the more positive parents of SWD were about it.
Additionally, parents of regular ed students held a decidedly positive attitude toward
inclusive education.

Now that we’ve seen the research highlights on outcomes, let’s take a look at strategies
to put inclusive education in practice.

Inclusive classroom strategies

There is a definite need for teachers to be supported in implementing an inclusive
classroom. A rigorous literature review of studies found most teachers had either neutral
or negative attitudes about inclusive education (de Boer, Pijl, & Minnaert, 2011). It turns
out that much of this is because they do not feel they are very knowledgeable,
competent, or confident about how to educate SWD.

However, similar to parents, teachers with more experience — and, in the case of
teachers, more training with inclusive education — were significantly more positive about
it. Evidence supports that to be effective, teachers need an understanding of best
practices in teaching and of adapted instruction for SWD; but positive attitudes toward
inclusion are also among the most important for creating an inclusive classroom that
works (Savage & Erten, 2015).

Of course, a modest blog article like this is only going to give the highlights of what have
been found to be effective inclusive strategies. For there to be true long-term success
necessitates formal training. To give you an idea though, here are strategies
recommended by several research studies and applied experience (Morningstar,
Shogren, Lee, & Born, 2015; Alquraini, & Gut, 2012).

Use a variety of instructional formats

Start with whole-group instruction and transition to flexible groupings which could be
small groups, stations/centers, and paired learning. With regard to the whole group,
using technology such as interactive whiteboards is related to high student engagement.
Regarding flexible groupings: for younger students, these are often teacher-led but for
older students, they can be student-led with teacher monitoring. Peer-supported
learning can be very effective and engaging and take the form of pair-work, cooperative
grouping, peer tutoring, and student-led demonstrations.

Ensure access to academic curricular content

All students need the opportunity to have learning experiences in line with the same
learning goals. This will necessitate thinking about what supports individual SWDs need,
but overall strategies are making sure all students hear instructions, that they do indeed
start activities, that all students participate in large group instruction, and that students
transition in and out of the classroom at the same time. For this latter point, not only will
it keep students on track with the lessons, their non-SWD peers do not see them leaving
or entering in the middle of lessons, which can really highlight their differences.

Apply universal design for learning

These are methods that are varied and that support many learners’ needs. They include
multiple ways of representing content to students and for students to represent learning
back, such as modeling, images, objectives and manipulatives, graphic organizers, oral
and written responses, and technology. These can also be adapted as modifications
for SWDs where they have large print, use headphones, are allowed to have a peer write
their dictated response, draw a picture instead, use calculators, or just have extra time.
Think too about the power of project-based and inquiry learning where students
individually or collectively investigate an experience.

Now let’s put it all together by looking at how a regular education teacher addresses the
challenge and succeeds in using inclusive education in her classroom.

A case study of inclusive practices in

schools and classes
Mrs. Brown has been teaching for several years now and is both excited and a little
nervous about her school’s decision to implement inclusive education. Over the years
she has had several special education students in her class but they either got pulled out
for time with specialists or just joined for activities like art, music, P.E., lunch, and
sometimes for selected academics.

She has always found this method a bit disjointed and has wanted to be much more
involved in educating these students and finding ways they can take part more fully in
her classroom. She knows she needs guidance in designing and implementing her
inclusive classroom, but she’s ready for the challenge and looking forward to seeing the
many benefits she’s been reading and hearing about for the children, their families, their
peers, herself, and the school as a whole.

During the month before school starts, Mrs. Brown meets with the special education
teacher, Mr. Lopez — and other teachers and staff who work with her students — to
coordinate the instructional plan that is based on the IEPs (Individual Educational Plan)
of the three students with disabilities who will be in her class the upcoming year.

About two weeks before school starts, she invites each of the three children and their
families to come into the classroom for individual tours and get-to-know-you sessions
with both herself and the special education teacher. She makes sure to provide
information about back-to-school night and extends a personal invitation to them to
attend so they can meet the other families and children. She feels very good about how
this is coming together and how excited and happy the children and their families are
feeling. One student really summed it up when he told her, “You and I are going to have
a great year!”

The school district and the principal have sent out communications to all the parents
about the move to inclusion education at Mrs. Brown’s school. Now she wants to make
sure she really communicates effectively with the parents, especially as some of the
parents of both SWD and regular ed students have expressed hesitation that having
their child in an inclusive classroom would work.

She talks to the administration and other teachers and, with their okay, sends out a joint
communication after about two months into the school year with some questions
provided by the book Creating Inclusive Classrooms (Salend, 2001 referenced in Salend &
Garrick-Duhaney, 2001) such as, “How has being in an inclusion classroom affected your
child academically, socially, and behaviorally? Please describe any benefits or negative
consequences you have observed in your child. What factors led to these changes?” and
“How has your child’s placement in an inclusion classroom affected you? Please describe
any benefits or any negative consequences for you.” and “What additional information
would you like to have about inclusion and your child’s class?” She plans to look for
trends and prepare a communication that she will share with parents. She also plans to
send out a questionnaire with different questions every couple of months throughout
the school year.

Since she found out about the move to an inclusive education approach at her school,
Mrs. Brown has been working closely with the special education teacher, Mr. Lopez, and
reading a great deal about the benefits and the challenges. Determined to be successful,
she is especially focused on effective inclusive classroom strategies.

Her hard work is paying off. Her mid-year and end-of-year results are very positive. The
SWDs are meeting their IEP goals. Her regular ed students are excelling. A spirit of
collaboration and positive energy pervades her classroom and she feels this in the whole
school as they practice inclusive education. The children are happy and proud of their
accomplishments. The principal regularly compliments her. The parents are positive,
relaxed, and supportive.

Mrs. Brown knows she has more to learn and do, but her confidence and satisfaction are
high. She is especially delighted that she has been selected to be a part of her district’s
team to train other regular education teachers about inclusive education and classrooms.

Summing Up
The future is very bright indeed for this approach. The evidence is mounting
that inclusive education and classrooms are able to not only meet the requirements of
LRE for students with disabilities, but to benefit regular education students as well. We
see that with exposure both parents and teachers become more positive. Training and
support allow regular education teachers to implement inclusive education with ease and
success. All around it’s a win-win!

Lilla Dale McManis, MEd, PhD has a BS in child development, an MEd in special education,
and a PhD in educational psychology. She was a K-12 public school special education teacher
for many years and has worked at universities, state agencies, and in industry teaching
prospective teachers, conducting research and evaluation with at-risk populations, and
designing educational technology. Currently, she is President of Parent in the Know where
she works with families in need and also does business consulting.

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