Legislation related to special education has impacted the way that public schools educate children with special needs. The movement toward inclusion and inclusive classrooms is intended to provide students with disabilities an optimal educational experience, both academically and socially. The success of inclusion, however, can be limited if…

This dissertation is a qualitative, ethnographic case study of 3 students with disabilities. The purpose of this research study was to observe and collect descriptive accounts of the social interactions that exist between the cultures in a 5th grade level inclusive classroom, such as the interactions between the special education students, general…

This mixed-methods study examined which attributes Professional-Technical Education (PTE) teachers desire to see in the best practices presented to them. The study used data from two separate pilot studies to create a survey administered during the June, 2009 PTE summer conference; which was returned by 229 responders; and in addition used to…

This qualitative study investigated the impact of the Gaskin v. Pennsylvania Department of Education Court Settlement Agreement on school districts in Southeast Pennsylvania. This class action suit was brought on behalf of students with physical, behavioral and developmental delays, their parents and eleven national organizations. The lawsuit…

This study examined whether or not an approved change to Kentucky's subgroup size increased the exclusion of the disabilities subgroup from middle grade AYP calculations, the influence poverty and disability have on these subgroups' inclusion in middle grade level AYP calculations, and the accuracy of middle grade AYP status determinations based…

Informal science education (ISE) experiences can provide powerful opportunities for people with disabilities to experience and learn about science. When designed to be inclusive, such experiences can lead people with disabilities to feel competent and empowered as science learners, generate excitement and enthusiasm for science, and be equitable…

Background: Life skills can be critical to the success of individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) in terms of postschool outcomes. Yet, research suggests a decreasing emphasis on the acquisition of life skills in school for students with ID, raising the question if students then receive training in these areas after graduation. Method:…

This article examines the mutuality of interests between partners in a professional development school (PDS), with an emphasis on promoting inclusive classrooms and integrating special education students into the general education continuum. It highlights how delivery models that hinder inclusive practices stunt the growth of PDS partnerships. It…

This qualitative study examined general education teachers' beliefs and attitudes about current mainstreaming practices. Data were collected using focus groups and individual interviews. The following research questions were the basis for the interviews and observations: 1) What are teachers' beliefs and attitudes toward mainstreaming? The…

As educational leaders continue to struggle with the "Highly Qualified Teacher" mandate of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation, many are turning to co-teaching models that are designed to incorporate regular education and special education teachers into the same classroom to deliver instruction. This model appears to address the…

Inclusion, promoted internationally by both legislative mandate and societal values, is a practice in which early childhood educators are encouraged to explore new methods for serving children with disabilities and developmental delays in typical early childhood programs. The belief that children with disabilities should participate within natural…

The idea of inclusive education has featured very highly in the educational priorities of many countries. Our involvement with the literature that relates to inclusion leads to the conclusion that, if we are interested in moving towards more inclusive practices, a factor that has to be studied in more depth is leadership and its role in developing…

Our research was oriented to test the effects of a structured program of cooperative learning in Physical Education classes with students in grades 5 and 6 of primary school, with and without previous experience with this methodology. In a second phase we sought to determine how students perceived the received classes for a time later. We analysed…

Ethnic minorities form a very substantial proportion of the population of China, with over 100 million people in 55 formally designated minority groups inhabiting over 60% of the country's land area. Poverty and economic inequality of minority groups are widely-recognised problems. However, as this book, based on extensive original research,…

This book describes the struggles in which inclusive-minded administrators find themselves when they promote equity initiatives. Administrators routinely struggle when they attempt to include all members of their school communities--teachers, students, and parents--the various aspects of schooling. Given the presence of a host of obstacles,…