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Inclusive Learning Environments

for Students With Special Needs

  • Welcome to a new database of inclusion teaching and learning resources and strategies. This project is funded by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction in Washington State. It is designed to disseminate information related to inclusion resources, best practices, strategies, and research.

    What Is Inclusion?

    Inclusion considers that all students are full members of the school community and are entitled to the opportunities and responsibilities that are available to all students in the school.

    In an inclusive school setting, students with disabilities are provided specially designed instruction in their least restrictive environment (LRE).  LRE varies according to the individual needs and goals of each student.  In order to determine the LRE, federal laws require that the individualized educational program (IEP) committee first develop the individual goals for the student, then determine how and where the student's goals can be met.

    Do Inclusive Classrooms Work?

    Research has shown that with the right preparation and support, everyone benefits from an inclusive approach to education.  Schools in Washington State that have successfully included special needs students in general education classrooms have been willing to share their experiences with designing and successfully implementing inclusive practices.

    Inclusive Learning Environments

    This website/database is a project funded by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction for information dissemination in the following six areas:

    • General Information

    • Systems Change

    • Staff Development

    • Teaching and Learning

    • Collaboration

    • Standards and Assessment

    Strategies for building inclusive learning environments will be periodically updated from the Washington grant sites in these six areas.)  The website also links to the full text of the newly reauthorized IDEA and other relevant federal education legislation, research articles, and resources.

    Can I Reproduce These Materials?

    The information at the inclusion website is in the public domain and can be freely copied and used in trainings as handouts at parent and community meetings, and in creating your school or district programs.  (Please cite all sources of materials you use.)

    We're Looking For Research-Based Best Practices and Instructional Strategies

    This website has been developed to disseminate information on successful programs, practices, and research-based strategies in Washington State.  If you are involved in a program or know about a resource we can share, please call or e-mail us.  We are especially interested in collecting data on research, best practices, and instructional strategies from teachers, administrators, support personnel, parents, community members, and students.  This site is an opportunity to show how inclusive learning strategies have worked for you, what you have accomplished, and what or who helped you reach your goals in improving educational outcomes in the general educational outcomes in the general education curriculum for students with disabilities.

    Teaching and Learning Strategies

    To access further information on teaching and learning strategies that are effective for all students, see the New Horizons for Learning's Teaching and Learning Strategies area.

    I Am Looking For Something Specific

    A search engine is available to help you find the resource program or strategy that you need.  If you are unable to find what you need, please contact us with your request.


     

    This information is provided by:
    Office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction
    Special Education
    P O Box 47200
    Olympia, WA 98504-7200
    (360) 725-6088
    Fax (360)586-1631
    E-mail: dgill@ospi.wednet.edu

     

     




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