It’s More Than “just Being In”: Creating Authentic Inclusion for Students with Complex Support Needs

Inclusion has been mandated for 30 years, yet many students with developmental and intellectual disabilities are still educated in separate classrooms or isolated settings for the majority of their school day. Some educators still feel overwhelmed when it comes to creating an inclusive learning environment for their students and do not know where to begin. This helpful handbook would provide important first steps to making inclusive education a reality, guiding teachers on how to include "one child at a time." The book begins with the basics,  providing the rationale and benefits for inclusion as well as a list of concrete examples of what sucessful inclusive education looks like in the guide, "How You'll Know It When You See It."  In the first chapter, educators learn to establish an inclusive, strenghs-based vision of each student's educational career and life after school. Building on this person-centered approach to planning a student's education and future, this book then provides strategies for each stage of including a child with disabilites. Teachers will learn how to presume and strengthen competence; write inclusive, standards-based IEPs; collaborate with other professionals; establish the student's valued membership in a general education classroom; improve social relationships; provide supports to promote learning and participation; assess the child's academic progress; help the student transition to the next grade, and ultimately plan for life after high school. The book concludes by acknowledging some of the common challenges that hinder inclusion, suggesting strategies for problem-solving each difficulty as a collaborative team. Practical features of this resource include vignettes woven throughout the chapters, checklists, tables, sample IEPS, further resources, and photocopiable forms to help implement inclusion. This book would serve as a guide for all who are new to inclusive education or are at any stage of including a student with developmental disabilities in the general education classroom.