Inclusion

IDEA requires that the IEP team considers a continuum of placements for the student with a disability, determining the "Least Restrictive Environment" (LRE) for that student. Where can he or she be the most successful, with supports, in a setting that is most like the educational setting for children without disabilities? For many children with disabilities, the LRE is the general education classroom. Full inclusion or partial inclusion are terms that refers to this kind of placement. You may also hear the terms "mainstreamed" or "mainstreaming" to describe inclusion. These terms can be used in the same way as inclusion, but sometimes may have a different connotation, implying that the child with a disability will not receive any special supports. Inclusion is not without its challenges and controversies.

WATCH:

"Including Samuel" is a documentary by Dan Habib, about the experiences of his family and other families with inclusion. IDEA places a focus on inclusion as part of the "LRE" aspect of the law. However, there can be disagreements about whether or not (or how much) to include an individual child in the general education classroom.

Dan Habib came to FSU to screen this film as well as his more recent film, "Who Cares About Kelsey?" on February 13th, 2013. He and Kelsey facilitated a discussion after the film for parents, teachers, and students.

Here is a follow-up video from Samuel:

A day in the life of a special education teacher working with students in a self-contained classroom:

RESPONSE PROMPT: CHOOSE either the Including Samuel trailer or the Day in the Life of a Special Education Teacher video to discuss. Respond with your opinions about inclusion. What are the benefits and what are the systematic challenges?