Defining Inclusion

Inclusion means that individuals with varying needs of all ages have the opportunity to participate equally in typical community activities with people without disabilities. The philosophy of inclusion assumes that each person has the same basic rights as all other members of the community.

Inclusion also means giving students in special education the opportunity to go to school with children their own age in regular classrooms in their neighborhood school. Although the classroom setting is outlined in the goals and objectives in the IEP, inclusion also means providing these students and their classroom teachers the supports necessary to be successful.

Given that both federal and state law require children with disabilities to be provided a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment and “to the maximum extent appropriate” with children without disabilities, there is a legal basis for including children with disabilities, in the setting that would provide the greatest degree of inclusion while still meeting the child’s educational needs.

Parents and other members of the IEP team are able to choose the classroom setting that is least restrictive. The choices the team can make are:

• Full inclusion, with no special day class, meaning the child with additional needs receives all of his or her educational services and supports in a regular classroom alongside their peers without special needs
• Partial inclusion – special day class, with some time spent in a regular classroom
• Integrated campus with special day class
• Segregated school campus