Definition
Inclusive education is an all-embracing term referring to a philosophy, process, practice, and organizational structure aimed to enhance the educational and social development of all students. Individuals with disabilities and special education needs – i.e., children with physical, mental, and developmental disabilities – are provided with opportunities to learn alongside nondisabled peers in mainstream educational contexts (Danforth and Naraian 2015; Peters 2010). Inclusivity therefore is a societal ideology and an approach to teaching that recognizes diversity and the meaningful participation of students with special needs in the general educational process (Morningstar et al. 2015; Sailor 2015). It enables all students to access resources and to fully participate in learning activities and to create optimal learning results for all students.
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Further Reading
Cosier, M., Causton-Theoharis, J., & Theoharis, G. (2013). Does access matter? Time in general education and achievement for students with disabilities. Remedial and Special Education, 34(6), 323–332.
Danforth, S., & Naraian, S. (2015). This new field of inclusive education: Beginning a dialogue on conceptual foundations. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 53(1), 70–85. https://doi.org/10.1352/1934-9556-53.1.70.
Hoppey, D., & McLeskey, J. (2010). A case study of principal leadership in an effective inclusive school. The Journal of Special Education, 46, 245–256. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022466910390507.
Kleinert, H., Towles-Reeves, E., Quenemoen, R., Thurlow, M., Fluegge, L., Weseman, L., & Kerbel, A. (2015). Where students with the most significant cognitive disabilities are taught: Implications for general curriculum access. Exceptional Children, 81, 312–328. https://doi.org/10.1177/0014402914563697.
Morningstar, M. E., Shogren, K., Lee, H., & Born, K. (2015). Preliminary lessons about supporting participation and learning in inclusive classrooms. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 40, 192–210. https://doi.org/10.1177/1540796915594158.
Peters, S. (2010). Inclusive education in accelerated and professional development schools: A case-based study of two school reform efforts in the USA. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 6(4), 287–308. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603110210143716.
Sailor, W. (2015). Advances in schoolwide inclusive school reform. Remedial and Special Education, 36, 94–99. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932514555021.
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van Schalkwyk, G.J., D’Amato, R.C. (2018). Inclusive Education. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_9149
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