Inclusion: Five Key Ideas

international shift towards inclusion

• 2000’s hosted a large international shift in funding and designing inclusive education
• Countries have varying standards and many barriers despite inclusion laws
• Low- and middle-income countries are less likely to enroll children with disabilities in school - families may not know of services

Inclusion Benefits All Academically

• Research shows that non-disabled peers are neutrally or positively effected
• Teachers develop skills that support individual strengths and needs of every student, not just students receiving special education services
• Included students with disabilities outperform students who are not academically, socially and emotionally

More benefits than academic...

• Inclusion impacts social attitudes: reduces fear of difference, increases comfort and awareness, develops more effective communication, increases self-esteem and belonging, decreases prejudice, increases better morals, and manifests enriching friendships for ALL students

Team work makes the dream work

• Inclusion is most successful through collaborative consultation and cooperation among special and general education teachers
• Involved and committed problem-solving teams provide positive and effective education to all students
• This creates a culture of innovation and improvement - it is everyone's mission!

inclusion requires national effort

• Supported by public policy, national political leaders must promote inclusion and deter misconceptions
• Establish a public campaign - make visible highly successful inclusion scenarios and publish data collected to prove success
• Fund professional development training for teachers and provide necessary resources (emphasize Universal Design for Learning practices)

Resource:

• Dr. Hehir, Thomas & Pascucci, Silvana and Christopher. "A summary of the Evidence on Inclusive Education." Instituto Alana, Sao Paulo. August 15, 2016. Abt Associates.