The educational field is traditionally characterized by a distinction between general and special education in educational practice, theory and research. Especially in cross-professional collaborative processes related to inclusion, it becomes evident that the professionals represent different perspectives and positions with different roles,…

The fall of Communist regime in 1989 and the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993 significantly affected the educational system of today's Slovakia. As a sovereign state, Slovakia has ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities obliging its signatories to practise "inclusive education." This article explores the…

The inclusion of students with autism and other special needs into the general education curriculum continues to be a challenging process for school communities in the United States of America (US) and, increasingly, abroad. Although inclusion continues to be a challenging process for those involved, the global demand is growing. Traditionally,…

In a world of ever-changing educational trends, it is essential for educators to provide a continuum of services to meet the needs of all students. Therefore, employing an inclusive structure or environment is imperative to the implementation of Special Education laws, according to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Every Student…

What do we know about young children with delays and disabilities, and how can we help them succeed in prekindergarten through third grade? To begin with, Kathleen Hebbeler and Donna Spiker write, identifying children with delays and disabilities to receive specialized services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act poses several…

While students with disabilities have been accepted into universities for many years, the inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities is a relatively new concept here in Ireland. This article outlines the search by NUI Maynooth, for a model on which to base an inclusive learning initiative for students with intellectual disabilities. The…

The concepts of an inclusive classroom, inclusion, co-teaching, and disability have been called poorly defined and in need of fresh conceptual analyses. In Chapter 1, I respond to this call for further analysis and then demonstrate, using current educational headlines, that these concepts of "an inclusive classroom,"…

Conceptual and methodological difficulties confound comparative studies of the inclusive agenda for persons with disabilities. This paper, based on the authors' previous analyses of various aspects of inclusive schooling in international contexts, introduces a model to assist in the observation and analysis of the subtle and multi-aspect phenomena…

This paper explores features of successful inclusion through examples found in the literature. Schools have been given the imperative to become more inclusive through various government pronouncements and initiatives, but guidance in achieving that goal has been arguably wanting. School communities that have demonstrated more inclusive practice…

"Special Schools as a Resource for Inclusive Education" examines inclusive education reform efforts by the Open Society foundation in Armenia in communities with special and mainstream schools. These efforts evolved into a project to transform three special schools for children with disabilities into resource centers to help mainstream…

If classroom teachers are among the greatest determinant of student learning, then teacher preparation programs have a role to play improving educational outcomes for struggling learners. There are currently three established teacher preparation program models: (1) "discrete"; (2) "integrated"; and (3) "merged." In the "discrete" model, which is…

One important goal of Swedish educational policies is to integrate all pupils within regular education, irrespective of disability or difficulties in school, and to adjust education to individual needs. The aim of this paper was to explore how schools "socially construct", i.e. identify and support, pupils with special educational needs.…

This is an exploratory study suggesting ways of analysing challenges for developing countries in the move to greater inclusion of disabled children and young people in learning. The paper focuses on pedagogical challenges to realising more inclusive education. Pedagogy encompasses not only the practice of teaching and learning, but also the ideas…

This case study was conducted to analyze what happened when administrators in Wedgewood School District mandated special and regular education teachers on the elementary level to begin a special education inclusion model. Teachers were not permitted to adopt their own models of inclusion and were given the five Lipsky and Gartner (1995)…

Collaborative and inclusive schools search for the most education-enhancing environment for each student. The Collaborative Consultation Model and collaborative problem solving are often used to build team structures and solve problems, rather than teachers working in isolation. The model is discussed in detail. (CC)