Section+10+Group+5_Inclusion

__**Trend Name:**__ Inclusion

__**Basic Summary of Trend:**__ The practice of educating students with special needs in a regular classroom for all or most of the school day. Instead of having the special needs students separate for their learning assistance, a specialized instructor comes to them in their regular classroom.

__**Key Manifestations:**__ According to the U.S. Department of Education, about 50% of students who are classified are placed in general education classrooms all or most of the time.

__**Key Personnel:**__: Kids Together Inc., whose main goal is to “remove barriers that exclude people with disabilities.” Also, Frank Bowe, author of //Making Inclusion Work//. He supports inclusion, but not full inclusion (all students, despite the severity of their disabilities, will be included in a regular classroom full time). For the most part, Bowe supports regular inclusion, but does not believe it can work for all students (those with severe autism spectrum disorders or mental retardation, etc).

__**Why/How a trend?**__ Schools that practice inclusion believe that even if students have special needs, they still belong in a regular classroom. Separating children lowers their self-esteem; keeping the children together will raise the special needs students self worth. Also, it promotes empathy and tolerance. Finally, it helps prepare students for “the real world” once they graduate from school.

__**Links:**__ http://www.kidstogether.org/inclusion.htm

http://www.weac.org/resource/june96/speced.htm

http://www.ed.gov/about/reports/annual/osep/2004/index.html